Did you know that there’s a brand new Grand Millennium Hotel that’s just opened in Business Bay? I didn’t either until just recently, so you probably haven’t heard about Beau Rivage’s new brunch either.  Located on the canal side of the property, Beau Rivage is this Five Star destinations’ Bistro which serves up mostly Mediterranean fare in humble and rustic surrounds.

With a small interior space that isn’t trying too hard to be anything other than what it is and a quite expansive outdoor dining area, this is a down to earth venue with some nice views across the water looking back towards Marasi and Business Bay.

Taking a slightly different approach to most brunches, this one features both a buffet and an al a cart service. There’s an open sharing table to kick things off that features a range of beautifully presented antipasti favorites along with salads, cheese, breads, wraps and shot glass appetizers. Along with this, there’s also a small hot starter section with things like potato croquets, sesame prawns and BBQ chicken wings. There’s quite a large variety of items on offer here allowing you to graze, chat, mingle and have a beverage or two while you contemplate the next a la cart round of hot dishes.

Once you’ve had your fill of the starters, the next stage moves you into the sit down menu which features Mediterranean classics like Beef Bourguignon, Chicken Cacciatore as well as a Pan Fried Sea Bream. There’s also a Penne with Tomato Sauce along with a Moroccan Chicken Tagine. You can order any or all of these dishes and then dive back in (if you’ve still got room) for another serve of your favorites, which in this case was the hearty and extremely well balanced Beef Bourguignon, along with the Sea Bream which was really quite lovely with its mild confit of fennel and citrus. Both proteins were cooked perfectly, with the fish being particularly light and flavorful.

The other mains were arguably less successful with the Morrocan Chicken lacking the rich flavors that you would expect to see in this type of dish and the pasta coming across as a bit of an afterthought. Still, there’s enough quality and and quantity here for the price point to make sure you have an enjoyable afternoon like we did.

The idea of offering a table service sets the tempo nicely, allowing for more conversation and together time and much less lining up for food, which will no doubt appeal to families.

Moving on from the savory side of things and in to the sweet treats, there’s a whole lot of really nicely executed fan favorites here neatly surrounding a gigantic meringue croquembouche. From a moist carrot cake through to macrons and more - there’s no doubt you’ll find something to tickle your fancy if you’re a sweet tooth.

While this isn’t a party brunch, the DJ on hand provided a feel good soundtrack covering everything from Latino, R&B, Soul and a few old school classics - at a volume that allowed the guests to talk. It’s a pretty laid back and casual affair that you could probably wear shorts too, which is exactly the kind of neighborhood vibe that Beau Rivage is aiming for.

It’s not too fussy, yet well presented with good service and at a very competitive 149 & 189 Dirhams (depending on what type of drinks you’re keen on), perfectly priced for what’s on offer, making it a spot on 3.5 rating if Zomato still did point fives.

Bottom Line:

It’s fair to say that this isn’t a destination brunch courting the Louboutin crowd but it is one that would be quite compelling for those that live nearby in Business Bay who are looking for a cheap and cheerful outing in a relaxed atmosphere that they could probably walk to.