I must admit, the first time I attended a dinner buffet at the Marriott, I left feeling thoroughly disappointed. So I was a tad skeptical when I was asked to review their Reloaded Sunday Brunch.
I’m so thrilled to tell you that it was a complete 180-degree turnaround!
It was evident how popular the Sunday Brunch was from the moment I stepped in. JW Cafe was quickly filling to the brim with families who wanted a leisurely meal at the best value.
Thankfully, I was one of the earliest people to get there – I find that brunch pictures are best taken before diners start making their way to the food. The dishes look their immaculate best. Untouched, as you’ll see in the pictures to follow.
AMBIANCE
Classy and contemporary, the ambiance at JW Cafe is one that can’t be faulted. Ample natural lighting and relaxed seating aided in creating a comfortable, tranquil vibe. The tables are large and well spaced out so that even at the cafe’s busiest, it still feels private.
Gold and silver accents throughout the restaurant give it a warm yet expensive finish. To add to it all, the music was soft and peppy enough to brighten up a Sunday morning. It ticks all the right boxes, in my opinion!
SERVICE
There’s not much that I can say about the service. It’s a buffet, and one has to get one’s own food to the table. However, the drinks arrived pretty quickly and the manager at the reception makes sure you’re comfortable at least once during your meal, which is nice!
Oh, and how can I forget? They stepped it up a notch by sending this colourful, jovial clown to every table! I wonder if it’s a weekly thing…
FOOD
You won’t find wishy-washy eggs and juice at the Reloaded Sunday Brunch. Its one of those that you will take three hours to eat from and then totter away from the table unsteadily, stuffed to the point that it hurts.
I don’t even know where to begin describing what was on offer! The buffet literally spoils you for choice with cuisine spanning Indian, Arabic, Thai, European, Japanese, Australian, and Street food and an INSANE dessert spread!
The centrepiece, if I may call it so, was a massive steel bucket with ice containing the legs of an Alaskan Crab. Each claw was stuck out towards the ceiling eerily, making everyone stop and stare for a minute.
The crab meat was spectacular – one of the best things I ate that morning! Succulent and sweet, it was served in the shell with barely any seasoning and tasted divine!
Right in the middle of the restaurant was an array of cold cuts and funky salads. I tried a slice of each – the turkey ham, black forest ham, chicken salami, pastrami and salmon. It’s a rare thing to get good quality cold cuts these days!
I post multiple pictures of different kinds of bread on my Instagram page. For me, a day just isn’t complete without bread (maybe it’s a Goan thing – we are called Pao’s after all!) Don’t even get me started on the smell of freshly baked bread! I was sniffing all over this counter. Mmmmm….bread!!
The salads are petite, featuring three or four ingredients in palm-sized crockery that make you want to try them all, even if you aren’t a salad lover. Simple pan-seared water chestnut with mayo, chicken, and bell peppers, seared scallops with avocado, and palm heart melon with asparagus were a few on offer. When the ingredients are fresh, they don’t need a lot to make them shine!
The noodles section was another great station. Choose from a range of noodles like Udon or Flat noodles and pair it with meats, veggies and sauces of your choice. It’s cooked just the way you like it, right before your eyes.
Similar to this station was the Pasta counter, a place where you can customize your pasta. While I looked for Pasta throughout the brunch, I only saw it on my way out of the restaurant as it was hidden somewhere on the side. Perhaps a signboard would have been a good idea.
For die-hard meat lovers, you can’t miss the lamb leg wellington and glazed chicken! Hearty and tender, they were as tasty as they looked. I would have gladly made a meal out of these, moreso because they had all the veggies I love on the side. But I merely sampled it so I’d have enough space for dessert.
High on my list of favourites that morning was the Soup station. In a large pot is was a thick, coconut soup called Laksa that’s popular in Singapore. Alongside, there are around 15 bowls with toppings including pieces of boiled egg, diced chicken, mushrooms, veggies, fried noodles, toasties and seasoning to add as per your liking. Coconut soups are always so rich and soul-warming and this one was no different!
I was happy to find that the Japanese section had more than just one or two types of sashimi which is generally the standard. There was a nice variety of rolls that were freshly prepared by a Japanese chef behind the counter.
In one corner, the chaat and shawarma counters looked a little lonely. Maybe because it doesn’t rank high on brunch food, or maybe because there were other more interesting looking (and smelling) food to try. I’d bet on the latter.
Okay, are you ready for the most impressive section? The range of was so expansive, it would qualify as a buffet on its own! From creatively crafted chocolates to indulgent mousses and from melt-in-your mouth cakes to airy macaroons, I was like a kid in a candy shop, literally. Take a look!
Like poetry, isn’t it? And there’s more where that came from!
If the sheer variety of food and value for money (approx Rs. 1500+ tax) isn’t enough, go for the dessert! By the way, for the quality and quantity of food available, don’t you think the price is a steal?
THINGS I’D LIKE TO SEE:
Although the food is displayed all around the restaurant, the drinks are kind of a mystery. It would be great if a menu with mocktails/hot beverages/juices were provided at the table.
Like I said earlier, the pasta and waffle counter isn’t visible to people sitting on the other side, so a sign of some sort would be helpful.
An egg station, I think, would do pretty well. Especially the make-your-own-omelette concept!
All in all, the Reloaded Sunday Brunch gets two thumbs up from me! Check it out next Sunday at JW Cafe in Sahar. More pictures on Facebook and Twitter!
Bye! xoxo
Note: My meal was sponsored. However, views, as always, are my own.