ISLAMABAD: A novel concept brought to the capital by the chefs at the Marriott Hotel, Hi-brunch is a great way to fill a Sunday afternoon with international cuisine.
Launched this Sunday, Hi-brunch combines Hi-tea and brunch by offering diners the best of both worlds in a single buffet. Bite-sized portions of Hi-tea favourites served as an interesting counterbalance to lunch entrees, resulting in a creative combination of cuisines on every plate.
The most enticing features were the chocolate and hummus stations and the sushi bar. Marriott staff also attended to diners at live stations, where food was prepared fresh and to the diner’s specifications.The chocolate station featured truffles topped with nuts, powdered sugar, toasted almond slivers and more.
Made in house, the milk, dark, caramel and white chocolates tied the meal together with their full, rich flavour.
“I loved the chocolate and hummus stations. I never thought that beetroot hummus could be so exquisite and delectable,” said Eisar Haider, adding: “And to watch the chefs make the chocolate truffles right in front of me was a mesmerising experience. I don’t think you can experience such eclectic food elsewhere in a single visit in Islamabad.”
He added: “As you follow the natural progression of the buffet as it is laid out, by the time you reach the dessert selectio you have taken a gastronomic journey around the world and sampled a selection of staple favourites and unusual bites from various regions.”
Sous chef Mohammad Shabbir was born in Gujranwala, raised in Karachi and studied and worked in New Zealand before returning to Pakistan.
“The executive chef and I are relatively new to Marriott, and we are sharing our experiences here and bringing new tastes to the hotel,” he said.
“As a philosophy I would say that we want to introduce perfection of cooking here. Everywhere in Islamabad you get different cuisines but with the Pakistani touch. We want to produce authentic and distinct flavours which you can experience through the Thai, Japanese, Mexican, Mongolian and Lebanese selections. That said, we have a strong Pakistani food selection too.”
Executive Chef Thomas Figovc, originally from Austria, joined Marriott from Beirut.
“I have been here for about five months and we have now reconceptualised everything in the Sunday Hi-brunch. The idea is new for Pakistan and we have adjusted the meal offerings given that what used to be offered was a very large lunch buffet followed by a smaller “Hi-tea, but where the lunch was slower and the hi-tea very popular. It made sense to take the best of both and combine them to create the Hi-brunch.”
He added: “What is also special about this new Sunday Hi-brunch is that we can bring in, and do bring in, our specialty cuisine chefs, as the Asian restaurants in Marriott are closed for lunch on Sunday.
“So every Sunday we will have this Hi-brunch which will run for the whole afternoon for both the lunch crowd and the Hi-tea crowd. The menu caters to the tastes of both as we have Western food selections that people can pick up and try, and lighter assortments as well as the more meaty fulsome dishes for the Pakistani palate. I think the Thai salads are excellent.”
More festive dishes also drew the interest of guests, such as the roast Turkey served with cranberry sauce and gravy.
Shehneela Khan, a frequent visitor to the hotel, said she enjoyed the ambience and the food.
“I have been a regular at Marriott for brunch, and this time around there was a diversity of cuisine that is a new and welcome addition to the brunch experience. The sushi bar in particular was wonderful, and something I have not seen elsewhere,” she said.
Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2017