Detox. Brunch. Not two words that we normally associate with each other, or at least not together (a detox after a brunch, sure). For this reason exactly we were intrigued by the newly launched healthy detox brunch at Fashion TV Café in Dubai.
Served every Saturday from 12pm till 5pm, the brunch promised a mouth-watering three-course meal paired with a fresh detox juice. We’re in!
– #360FIT: Top 10 health and fitness podcasts
Given the restaurant’s location along Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, a stone’s throw from the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall, we thought parking would be tricky, but we were pleasantly surprised to see they offer valet parking for their customers. This comes at a cost of 20Dhs though, so as an alternative guests can easily find parking either right next to the Pavilion or there is underground parking available which will bring you straight to the entrance, both of which come at no cost.
Given that we were nearing ‘hangry’ territory, the first look at the menu excited us; each course had a choice of two meals and this did not look like a brunch that would leave us hungry. Plus the dishes sounded healthy and refreshing – perfect for a hot summer’s day.
Things kicked off with a refreshing Melon and Coconut Milk Shot and marinated feta cheese with olives and fresh mint, followed by some cold detox blends: the Berry Breakfast Antioxidants(raspberries, almond milk, honey, frozen banana, flaxseeds and ginger) was a real winner, as was the Super Green Detox blend.
For the entree, we opted for the flavourful Feta and Raspberry Couscous Salad (not quinoa as was stated on the menu – typo! – and which we wished it was due to the extra health points quinoa has over couscous) with mesclun, almonds and a drizzling of sweet apricot dressing. It is a perfect summer salad and could have been enough for a main, so come with an empty stomach!
The actual main, a delicious Grilled Salmon with Mango Coriander Salsa served with a baked mushroom croquette and cucumber and radish salad with avocado puree, was the perfect follow up and oh-so-tasty. As an alternative, the Seared Chicken Breast with a Honey Pomegranate Glaze accompanied with a quinoa salad and grilled watermelon sounded pretty good as well.
We were pretty full by this point but absolutely had to try the Poached Peach with Cashew Carameland creamed cottage cheese – the best sauce we have tasted in a long time! The desert was nothing short of amazing, while the other option – toasted granola with yoghurt and fresh fruits – is perfect if you want to finish on a refreshing note.
If you opt to not have a smoothie, you can finish with a hot organic tea (either one or the other is included in the price). Any other drinks other than this will cost you extra, including water.
Overall, we found the brunch healthy with good quality ingredients, extremely tasty and very satisfying. We’d argue the word “detox” is slightly misused since there was quite a few ingredients you probably wouldn’t eat if you were trying to ‘detox’, but take this word lightly and you’ll come away feeling extremely satisfied.
It is definitely worth a try, and it might just be the best Dubai brunch you have!
Cost: 135Dhs
Where: Fashion TV Café, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard
When: Saturdays, 12pm – 5pm
