It’s Saturday brunch in its purest form…

On the heels of its dinner service success, this new modern brasserie and grill adds ‘brunch’ to the ever-growing list of reasons to pay Bastion a visit. Located on the 25th floor of Jumeirah Beach Hotel (where La Parilla once presided), Bastion now welcomes guests to its cosy venue every Saturday for a simple yet elegant feast.

Bastion brunch

First, aim for a window seat. That’ll give you front row views out across the sea and the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, then prepare for a long and lazy brunch of both well-executed breakfast and lunch dishes prepared by chef Sebastien Torres.

We kicked things off in Continental style with a basket of fresh pastries and butter, before immersing ourselves in a wondrous world of elegant breakfast items; a croissant monsieur, lavishly topped with gruyere cheese and turkey ham, a goat’s cheese tart salad with honey dressing, and a levelled-up egg and soldiers served in dainty cast iron pots with the choice of mushroom, salmon and duck confit. Even behind his mask, you can sense the pride emanating from restaurant manager Branimir Radosavljevic, who delicately rests each dish proudly on the table as if it’s a work of art.

Bastion brunch

Onto more ‘lunch’ items, and we’re served a rich salt cod brandade topped with an olive tapenade crostini, a juicy Australian wagyu skirt steak with fries, and a board of cold cuts, baby potatoes and baked vacherin Mont D’or cheese. It’s a full-on meal for two and we’re barely able to make much of a dent in it – much less the lovely desserts that include Baked Alaska, Gateau Basque and frozen yoghurt – much to our dismay.

Bastion brunch

As brunches go, Bastion stands out by staying true to brunch in its purest form. That is, elegant breakfast and lunch dishes, mimosas, with many hours to enjoy it all. After all, brunch should be your most unhurried meal of the week, and at Bastion, you’ll want to take your time.

Bastion, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Sat 1pm to 4pm, Dhs390 with soft drinks, Dhs490 with house drinks, and Dhs690 with Champagne. Tel: (0)4 432 3232. jumeirah.com