Sep 20, 2017
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Levant Brunch At Boulevard Kitchen Manzil Downtown Review!

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Friday is the first day of the weekend here in the UAE and if you have been here long enough or know the happenings, you will know that after Friday prayers, most hotels and restaurants host Brunches! Whilst we have reviewed a brunch in Abu Dhabi before, this was our first invite in Dubai and it was a great place to start! We were approached by the Manzil Downtown to review Levant Brunch At Boulevard Kitchen Manzil Downtown, because we often like to take our little tots on our reviews and they picked up on that! However, just as we clarified with them, none of the children on our blog are our own I’m afraid, they are nephews and nieces and younger cousins. Both Kj and I adore children, but we just got married a few months ago, so children aren’t on the agenda for a while, our tots are enough for now! For this particular review we took two of our nephews form my side of the family, Daniyaal and Feeyaz!

Location

The Manzil hotel downtown is in the heart of one of many projects Dubai has shot up to celebrate its Arabian hospitality and culture. It is a step away from the largest mall in the world; Dubai mall, which hosts the iconic Dubai dancing fountains, Kidzania, Reel cinemas and much more in the line of retail, food, snd entertainment. Downtown Dubai itself has everything you need from boutique restaurants and shopping experiences to bikes you can rent (Just outside the Manzil hotel) for the cooler evenings or days! It is just a short walk fro the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world) and just 20 minutes away from the airport too! It was easy to find and whilst we didn’t take the metro, the Burj Khalifa metro station wasn’t far, and the tram trolley runs through just down the road too!

10/10 for location from us!

Ambience/Hospitality

As soon as we walked in the kids were in awe, pointing out the beautiful lighting and decoration around the lobby and the restaurant. We were welcomed by two gentleman in the lobby, celebrating their culture, in the national UAE dress. The hotel is definitely not short of light, even though it is inside one of the side slip roads the courtyard in the middle of the hotel boasts enough light to shine the place up! There’s also a cool #ManzilDowntown plaque you can have a snap with at reception! The staff were very welcoming and warm throughout our stay. In fact the children had no issues approaching them when they wanted drinks or extra paper to colour! A special thanks to Jamil (No not KJ, haha!) for his attentiveness and friendliness!

Manzil Downtown lobby

Manzil Downtown lobby

The ambience of the restaurant was bright and soft. The food was laid out in an almost zig zag layout with starters (Spanish and Arabic) at the front- and the fresh juices lemonade, then a few main dishes adjacent to that in a line and within the restaurant the food was laid out on counters. It was all easy to navigate and we loved going back and fourth trying different things. However obviously if you know us and our review well you will know we love desserts, and this particular brunch placed the dessert table in the back.

Manzil Downtown seating area

seating area

The food!

From Gazpacho to Tabouleh and Fattoush, pickled  veg, and other Spanish salad starters to the warm Arabic, and Moroccan bread, to the hot chicken shawarma, Lamb Ouzi (A wonderful whole lamb and oriental Middle Eastern dish), the rolls and international salads and indian curries, the rack of lamb and beef steak, and choices of soup, we tried a bit of everything between us!

However, the pulling and invitation point for us was that it is a family brunch, and other family brunches or restaurants we have been to have tables for children. One thing we noticed is that (Especially Feeyaz who is 6) the children struggled to see some of the dishes and what they were. Everything was so high up! Whilst they did have a childrens’ menu and pasta and such things were also available to order for the adult of the menu, it would have been better if they put the childrens’ menu items on a table in the childrens’ corner or somewhere accessible for them. I had to lift Feeyaz on occasion so he could see the dishes. Some of you may just place things on a plate and children are to eat what they are given, however I think a brunch that advertise family friendly and has provision and space for a childrens’ corner should cater for families like our own where children do like to see what they put in their plate. Although the boys loved the food, it would have been nice for them to have the freedom to choose a bit more openly. We especially loved the fresh prawns, the shawarma, gazpacho and the wonderful away of desserts.

Little tots comments!

So as our little tots were also invited, we decided to ask them to list a few good and bad points together;

  • The staff were very friendly and the service was prompt.
  • The food was tasty; but it could have been a bit more child friendly, as in smaller portions of certain foods and more finger food for Feeyazs’ age children! (5/6 years)
  • The drinks were very colourful and fresh!
  • The seating was child friendly and the fact they had their own little corner made them feel part of what is normally an the adult experience of a brunch!

Overall, we had a great afternoon and it is a thumbs up from us! The only disappointment was the high food display for younger children…. Maybe something to consider for future “family” brunches @ Levant Brunch At Boulevard Kitchen, The Manzil hotel Downtown!

DxbBlog Team with Boulevard Kitchen chefs

DxbBlog Team with Boulevard Kitchen chefs

Levant Brunch At Boulevard Kitchen details 

Every Friday, come and join the contemporary Arabesque surroundings of
Boulevard Kitchen. Savor a true taste of the Levant region as you dine on an extensive
buffet of delicious dishes from across the Middle East, then relax and unwind with a
flavorful hubbly bubbly on the outdoor terrace. With plenty of fun activities to keep
the children entertained, this is a brunch the whole family will love.
Date & time: Every Friday from 1.00pm to 4.00pm

Price: 

AED 195 inclusive of unlimited soft beverages, juice and a hubbly bubbly

AED 295 inclusive of unlimited selected beverages and a hubbly bubbly

AED 95 for diners between 6 and 12 years old
Diners age 5 and below dine with our compliments

Manzil Downtown Location :
Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard
The Old Town, Downtown Dubai
PO Box 114788, Dubai
United Arab Emirates
For Bookings: +971 4 423 8899
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.vida-hotels.com/en/manzil/index.aspx

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Dubai City Guide · Featured

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