Even taking into account Dubai’s reputation for being a place that deals in the most expensive, biggest and best as it’s bread and butter, news of a brunch that costs Dhs2,500 per person was something of an attention grabber, and one that will undoubtedly polarise opinion for some time to come.
The key to the price point at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray’s new Royale brunch lies in the two big names that differentiate it from their excellent Imperium restaurant Friday brunch. Each guest receives a bottle of Dom Pérignon 2003 – a widely underrated vintage with a unique taste for a Pérignon – as well as the delicious Royal Beluga caviar that comes delivered, by procession, in a large ice-filled bowl accompanied by a circle of additions and condiments. Add preferential seating (which doesn’t mean you can throw somebody off their table when you arrive late), and your own personal butler to the mix and that’s the main thrust of the deal.
To our mind, there are a couple of things you should remember when considering the price of the Royale brunch. Firstly, in simple monetary terms, you’d likely pay more for the world leading champagne and world’s most expensive caviar if you bought them anywhere else. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, this is a brunch that’s aimed at a very select clientele, its target audience isn’t your raucous expat brunch brigade and as such it absolutely fills a gap in the market.
Dhs2,500, 1-4pm, Royale Brunch compliments existing packages, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, +971 4 453 0664