Sponsored: Start 2020 as you mean to go on, with a gourmet brunch at Pierchic or Hillhouse Brasserie…

January 1 can be a tricky day. Often, having stayed out late celebrating or taking in Dubai’s numerous fireworks displays, one can start the new year feeling a little tired and emotional. Still, with this January heralding the beginning, not just of a new year but of a new decade, moping in bed simply just won’t do. We want to start 2020 with a bang, and we can’t think of a better way to do it than with gourmet food, delicious drinks and a spot of restorative sunshine. And boy, do we have a couple of cracking options for you to do just that…

Pierchic

It’s well known as one of Dubai’s most romantic spots, and with good reason. Set on a pontoon over the water of the Arabian Gulf, in a city full of Instagrammable sights, eateries don’t come much more picturesque than Pierchic. Thankfully, the food at this revered restaurant more than lives up to the stunning setting, offering up a truly memorable way to start the year.

This year’s Chic Celebration Brunch promises a genuinely gourmet treat, with chefs putting on a four-course feast of the very best meat and seafood. Start the day with charcuterie, truffle burrata and a smoked selection of salmon, swordfish and cod, before tucking into an impressive seafood platter, stacked high with the freshest fruits de mer. That’s followed by raw bluefin tuna tartar, Japanese hamachi and Chilean seabass, before a high-end take on the traditional weekend roast for main, in the form of roasted Wagyu beef with foie gras. With a trilogy of Pierchic’s signature sweets for dessert, as well as live entertainment, free-flowing drinks and those aforementioned sea views, we can’t think of a better way to set the bar high for a tremendous new decade.

Pierchic, Al Qasr, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, 12:30pm to 4pm, Wednesday January 1, Dhs495 with soft drinks, Dhs695 with house drinks, Dhs850 with Champagne.

Hillhouse Brasserie

If you intend for 2020 to be a year of fun, why not get things started with an all-singing, all-dancing party of a New Year’s Day brunch? That’s exactly what’s on offer at the stylishly laid back Hillhouse Brasserie, where Irish crooner Ciaran Fox will be serenading diners with a host of upbeat Rat Pack classics designed to get everyone on their feet.

The gourmet offering is bringing plenty of fun to proceedings too, with live charcuterie, seafood and signature salad stations, as well as a host of freshly-baked artisan breads, to get things started. Guests will also enjoy a selection of table-service dishes in the form of a delicious chilled soup and smoked duck salad, a moreish seasonal mushroom risotto and perfectly-cooked Mediterranean sea bass. Save room though – you won’t want to miss out on the carvery, where you can choose from roast lamb or prime rib of beef with all the trimmings, before an assortment of desserts and international cheeses rounds off proceedings. We did say start as you mean to go on…

Hillhouse Brasserie, Dubai Hills Golf Club, Dubai, 1pm to 4pm on New Year’s Day and 12.30pm to 4pm on Friday January 3, Dhs195 with soft drinks, Dhs345 with house drinks, Dhs445 with prosecco. 

For more information, or to book, call (800) 666353, or visit makeitadecembertoremember.com