I love Friday’s as they are synonymous with Brunch. Dubai has so many Brunch options, but the best ones are those that let you snooze away all afternoon. The Tailgate Brunch is held every Friday from 2 to 5 pm.

Located at lobby level of Tryp by Wyndham in Barsha Heights, Local is the hotel's main 

restaurant which offers a fresh, modern vibe. With a "Keep it Real" philosophy, they cater to all palates with their rustic, gastro-pub style menu and drinks.

The Tailgate Brunch at Local is one that you can enjoy without a fine. It fuses fun picnic vibes with live music, watering BBQ stations and heavenly desserts spread out with Indoor seating.

We were warmly greeted by the staff and taken to our table with a rum punch to start off the brunch. The vibe, the ambiance, happy chatter and introductory Rum punch all sealed in for what was to follow. 

A welcome basket of bread, beetroot hummus, and olives was provided.

The Brunch is an endless buffet of salad that has a few prepared dishes along with a selection 

of fresh leaves, vegetables, cheese and more that allows you to create your salad as per your desire.


                                           

There’s an endless bbq section where you can choose from chicken, beef or even camel if you're feeling a bit adventurous. There's an array of sides and toppings like potato fries, spicy mayo, salsa, etc so go wild building your dish your own way. There's even a choice of fish, chicken or regular popcorn.

And my favorite part - Dessert section. You can pick up a cone and fill it with your choice of ice cream. You'll have the most fun here topping it with everything from chocolate chips, whipped cream to M&Ms, gummy bears, candy raspberries and more! There's even a chocolate fountain to indulge in with marshmallows, strawberries & cream and so on. I couldn’t help but go back in for a second serving (and third).

You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to drinks. Apart from a choice of bubbly, there are different stations set up for Whisky, tequila, gin cocktails, aperol cocktail and more.

You’ll definitely want to wear comfy shoes as once the music kicks on, you won’t be able to sit down. Get ready to jam to non-stop live music from local bands! From throwback tunes to the latest party hits, expect to find everyone on the dance floor by the time the brunch ends.

The brunch is a complete package of fun food, amazing vibes and ambiance and some fun drinks.

The staff is very welcoming and polite and make you feel at home.

The Tailgate Brunch is priced as below:

Reserve your table at: 042476630

The Bystro Group, is all set to add more excitement to the buzzing F&B scene in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) with its upcoming Mexican concept El Mostacho.

The compact space boasts vibrant quirky décor, with trinkets bought at Mexican markets, such as crafts from Guadalajara and Oaxaca and an open kitchen.

The restaurant boasts a zesty menu packed with authentic Latino delights, with a keen focus on street food tacos.

In addition to classic dishes you'll also find healthy options, including homemade gluten-free tortillas, salads, and soups made from family recipes. The kitchen is led by Mexican-born Isaac Mendoza, who promises the “zesty spirit of Mexico” in all his dishes.

We started off our tasting session with special Coca Cola that contains sugarcane as opposed to corn syrup in regular Coco cola’s. Personally, since I stay away from aerated drinks it was hard for me to spot the difference.

If you go to a Mexican restaurant and don’t eat Guacamole then you definitely missed authentic Mexican experience. We had some creamy guacamole with Nachos. I love Guacamole, and this was really good. However, my Indian palate would have loved it to be spicier (I know, i'm rolling my eyes too).

For soup or sopas we had fresh tortilla soup, Tortilla in soup was definitely a fresh new concept for me. The combination of tortilla and tomatoes was not that bad. All the tortilla's are freshly made at the restaurant, which is an added bonus.

However, the star of the tasting was definitely the Tacos.  I loved the Beef and vegetarian tacos the most. The Taco plate had the Barbacoa, Carne Asada, Tinga De Pollo, and Hongoz corn Maiz.

What stood out was the Barbacoa which is slow cooked shredded beef – This shouldn’t be missed at all. It was juicy and tender and so well marinated. Big shoutout to Issac for making Vegetarian tacos so tasty. The Hongoz Corn Maiz had marinated portabello, sweet corn, avocado & pimento pepper. It was made to satiate.

We ended the meal with caramel flan. I prefer flan to be softer and not so chewy. Hence the dessert was a miss for me.

This place is perfect for quick bites. The menu is still in its nascent stage, so I’m sure in time – we will definitely be enjoying a full-fledged Mexican fare

 El Mostacho

I was invited for the launch of Oni - the newly opened Japanese restaurant in Shangri- La hotel. Oni is an authentic Japanese restaurant, where just about everything originated from Japan.  From the ingredients, machinery, and anything authentic you may spot – chances are it’s sourced from Japan.

The ambiance was very elegant. Oni has a separate bar and dining area. Rebecca at the bar was extremely helpful and assisted us with our choice of beverage. We started off with Espresso Margarita and then moved closer home to Red Wine.

Of the lot we were served – I loved the Tuna tacos and the Milk cake.

The tuna tacos in combination with the truffles and avocado was simply sumptuous. 

I was pretty intrigued to see the Robata grill. Oni uses traditional methods of using charcoal to cook their Robatas, preserving the juicy tenderness of the meat.

The Milk cake really stood out for me. It was scrumptious and delish and I went in for a second helping as well.

We were served Salads, edamame, Prawn tempura, tuna tacos, sushi platter, ramen, milk cake and mochi.

The service was impeccable. The fact that they were all dressed in Kimonos made the restaurant feel more authentic. Special mention to Siddhesh who was ever ready to help.

Oni is a place for authentic Japanese street food, and should definitely be on your must try list.