Melissa Nazareth started her weekend on a high note with the Night Brunch at Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain.

Brunches are my favourite style of dining so, when I heard about the Night Brunch at Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain, I was excited to try it. It combines the fun element of brunch with the night-time vibe of Thursday evening – the start of the weekend.

My companion and I chose a corner table at Silk’s restaurant, where the brunch is hosted in addition to the Gallery Lobby Lounge. Setting the mood for the evening was the house band with lively music. A major highlight of this brunch is the beverage counter, which serves a range of specially crafted drinks. You can even try your hand at making your own. I was recommended a passion fruit-based creation, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Buffets can be tricky if you have a small appetite. My strategy is to tour all the stations first after which I shortlist items to try under each section. As I was touring, I noticed quite a variety, from a selection of premium cheeses and charcuterie to hearty meat and seafood items. There’s cultural diversity too. From Mexican tacos and Japanese sushi to Asian dumplings and Italian risotto, there was something for every palate.

We started off with the Roasted Red Snapper. It was dressed with a light and herby tomato salsa, which elevated the protein without overpowering it. The fish, flaky and moist, with a crispy skin, was clearly the hero. As I was finishing the first bite, a subtle spice kicked in, which I rather liked.

The beef brisket, slow cooked for five hours, beckoned us with a lustrous glaze. The flesh was extremely tender with the perfect ratio of fat to meat that hit the spot. The sweet and smoky barbecue sauce complemented the meaty juices. As we were savouring this dish, our ribeye steak arrived. You can choose from a wide selection of premium cuts on display. Cooked to our preference of medium, the steak was succulent and had a sweet, umami flavour. The buffet features sauce options for both meat and fish and I briefly contemplated getting some mushroom sauce for my steak. However, I didn’t need to – such was the richness of this cut. There were pre-cooked grills too. Out of these, the fish was my favourite. It was prepared in Indian style, with a bunch of spices – a testament to the diversity of this brunch. The recurring earthy carrom seed aroma made this one a winner.

At this point, I desperately needed some freshness to cut all the richness from the protein. So, I headed to the salad bar. While I was there, I caught a catchy performance by the house band – their energy was infectious. I chose the Shrimp & Watermelon Salad, which featured bouncy coral shrimp tossed together with sweet watermelon and salty feta cheese chunks on a bed of peppery arugula and cooling mint – refreshing! I also enjoyed the grilled asparagus, which was simple but flavourful.

The colours at the sushi station were calling out to me. I usually stick to the rolls but was heartened to try the sashimi as it looked so fresh. The tuna was sweet as was the salmon, both offering a bite and the mighty goodness of the ocean.

Carb loyalists must explore the bread station. Of all the baked treasures on display, I particularly liked the focaccia. There were two varieties: one was baked with rosemary and the other with sundried tomatoes, which lent it the colour of a sunrise.

The bread itself was springy like a mattress, perfect to mop the tomatoey goodness of my next dish – the Tagine Lamb Bechamel. This rustic creation was a warm hug on a plate. The epitome of comfort food, it sealed the meaty flavours from the lamb under a blanket of creamy, savoury Bechamel sauce and a crust of stretchy cheese. There was a vegetarian version too.

I discovered two whole counters just for dessert! There were cheesecakes, brownies, parfaits, mousse, Arabic sweets… I decided on the passion fruit panna cotta, which was creamy and had a rich vanilla flavour. This was balanced by the tarte and bitter passion fruit. You simply can’t do a Mövenpick brunch without exploring their range of ice cream flavours – I recommend the maple and walnut, and Stracciatella, a milk-based variety with shavings of chocolate. It was exciting to watch the chef make a berry flambé to go with my ice cream. However, I preferred the ice creams on their own.

Mövenpick sure knows how to do weekends well. If you want to start yours on a high note, this is the brunch you want to book. Good food, lively entertainment and a mood-boosting ambience – what more could one ask for? ✤

GO: CALL 1746 0000 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A RESERVATION.