Over the weekend, I was at JW Marriott Hotel Dubai for brunch. But it wasn't just the usual Friday brunch. It was an Instameet, a photography workshop, a feast and a gathering of some of the most brilliant minds in social media all rolled into one!
The event was hosted by Illustrado (a lifestyle magazine dedicated to the thriving Filipino expat community in the Middle East) and Nikon Middle East and Africa. Ed and I are Nikon users ever since we took blogging seriously and I'm an avid Illustrado reader; hence I was so thrilled to be there!
At the workshop, we were introduced to Nikon D3400; a new entry level DSLR equipped with Snapbridge. The latter is a handy feature that automatically transfers photos from camera to smartphone; perfect for Bloggers and Instagrammers who like to share photos in instant while on the go.
And when brunch time came, we were ushered to JW Marriott Hotel Dubai's Bamboo Lagoon!
Bamboo Lagoon! Yay! I have heard about this restaurant and its impressive buffet so many times before. It is a Dubai institution for buffets, they say! It may sound petty, but to me, dining in there is dream come true!
My girls, Dece and Cindy, and our buddy Claudio are the only people who know where all these raves are coming from right now. Hahah! But, let me show you why...
My girls, Dece and Cindy, and our buddy Claudio are the only people who know where all these raves are coming from right now. Hahah! But, let me show you why...
 |
| Bamboo Lagoon in JW Marriott Dubai |
Bamboo Lagoon is an Asian restaurant located at the ground floor of JW Marriott Hotel Dubai in Deira. The restaurant exudes an exotic vibe in a tropical-inspired setting. With its small wooden bridges, winding waterways, rushing waterfalls, bamboo huts and Polynesian rhythms, I felt I was in a lush island paradise the whole time I was there.
 |
| Food selections are in bamboo huts. |
 |
| The waterway is actually a koi pond! |
 |
| The venue was filled with Polynesian music from the band. |
Bamboo Lagoon has a sprawling buffet for Friday Brunch. Asian dishes were laid out beautifully on bamboo counters. The food stations are scattered throughout the restaurant. I love this kind of setting as it eliminates congestion in the buffet and it builds up the appetite and the excitement (of not knowing what lies on the other side).
I found a variety of dim sum and dumplings, a made-to-order soup, a savory pancake, and a juicy roast lamb at the buffet section near the entrance. Traversing the bridge, I spotted a lovely bamboo hut which houses the live-cooking station for Peking duck rolls, satay and prawn crackers! Moving towards our table, I stumbled onto the sushi and sashimi bar. And adjacent to where I was seated is the live-cooking station for seafood (lobsters, huge prawns!) and a Mongolian bar.
The choices are endless at Bamboo Lagoon, but wait... there's more!
 |
| There's an Asian extravaganza at Bamboo Lagoon during Friday Brunch! |
 |
| Chinese and Japanese specialties from the buffet |
 |
| Peking Duck station... FAVE! |
 |
| an assortment of Japanese rolls |
 |
| Sushi x Sashimi live-cooking station |
 |
| Fruits from the tropics! :) |
The Family Friday Brunch at JW Marriott Hotel Dubai is held in three restaurants! Talk about being spoilt for choice! While Bamboo Lagoon highlighted the wonderful world of Asian cuisine, Hofbrauhaus offered a great Bavarian feast, and The Market Place gave us a glimpse of the world through its International buffet.
 |
| Diners can move around the 3 participating restaurants at JW Marriott Dubai's Brunch. |
 |
| Arabic Sweets at The Market Place |
 |
| And there's pork too! :p |
 |
| Brunching... and reading Illustrado Go's latest ish in between. | Photo taken by Doc Gelo. |
 |
| Green Tea cake! Weekly dose of Matcha sorted! |
 |
| Hofbrauhaus: restaurant serving authentic German Bavarian cuisine | Photo taken by Doc Gelo. |
Entertainment
A band from New Zealand serenaded us with cool rhythms at Bamboo Lagoon. Hofbrauhaus, on the other hand, was filled with exciting hits from the DJ. The hotel courtyard was decked with activities for the kids; face painting, kiddie tv show, bouncy castles!
Service
The staff were keen to give the diners an unforgettable Friday brunch experience. I was greeted with warm smiles upon arrival, while I was at the buffet counter contemplating on what to have on my plate, and when it was time to leave. They were also attentive to my needs; used plates were cleared out promptly, water was served immediately after I asked, food at the live-cooking stations were prepared based on my preference.
Overall
Bamboo Lagoon lived up to my expectation. Mind you, it was quite high! I love the tropical-inspired atmosphere and the freshly cooked food from the live-cooking stations. The staff are friendly and attentive. And the price of 199 AED (inclusive of soft beverages only) for all 3 venues is certainly a great deal!
All photos in this blog post were taken using Nikon D3400.
Check out more #InstaBrunch snaps on Instagram at #NikonSocial and #JWMarriottDubai.
Location Map:
Bamboo Lagoon
JW Marriott Hotel Dubai
Abu Baker Al Siddique Road, Deira
next to Hamarain Shopping Center
Contact No : +971 4 607 7977
Website: marriottdiningatjw.ae
We were invited to the Instabrunch and Photography Workshop by Illustrado Magazine and Nikon.
Opinions in this blog post are my own.
0 Blogger Comments
