Do it your way, The Big Apple Brunch, Marriott Marquis

Wow you clearly impressed us Marriott Marquis. So much so you’ve spurred us out of our writing slumber to share our love of your Big Apple Brunch with others. In terms of Qatar’s brunches, it’s up there. Why? Because it’s definitely not the norm. It’s not the big spread, big dining room, overwhelming affair. It’s laidback and lively. Classy and understated. And it’s big on quality – from its cuts of meat to its drinks, they haven’t cut any corners. If you’re going to do something, you might as well do it well, right?

Why it’s on our Mint list

For starters it’s an a la Carte, so you can sit back and relax. And the menu is right up our street. As you’d expect from a steakhouse there’s lots of meat to enjoy, but there’s also a nice selection of lighter dishes to bring variety to the table. The salads, well-considered dishes that included soft-shell crab, duck ham with beetroot to gorgonzola and pear, were a welcome addition not just some greens to decorate your plate.

We were also impressed with the quality of the ingredients and how they were executed, which was evident in the roast beef, roast potatoes and gravy (taking me back to Sunday afternoons down the pub). The beef was pink, tender and tasty, and probably the star dish for us. The Wagyu cheeks were also melt in the mouth and the Wagyu burger was cooked perfectly medium.

The seafood platters made our eyes pop – although it’s splendor was lost on us, as we’re the wrong audience, give Hani a burger and he’s happy.

Worth a mention are the drinks trolleys that accompany the free-flowing bubbles and wine – there’s a mobile martini bar (try saying that after a few) where they’ll prepare you something shaken to your liking. Plus, they also offer a dessert wine trolley featuring a nice variety of options – including everything from sweet liquors to white port and sherries. Helping you round of all that indulgence quite nicely.