Review: We try the seafood brunch at Na3Na3 The Address Dubai Mall

Na3Na3 restaurant details Opening hours: Breakfast: 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Lunch: 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Dinner: 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Brunch: Friday from 12:30 p.m. until 4 p.m. Dress code: Casual Location: Lobby Level, The Address Dubai Mall Contact: dine@theaddress.com or 04 888 3444
DUBAI – “Why is it written as Na3Na3?” my best friend told me after I told her I was taking her to the Middle Eastern restaurant at The Address Dubai Mall to try their seafood brunch. “I don’t know either. All I know is it’s pronounced as nana,” I told her, “let’s ask the staff when we get there”. Finding parking space wasn’t an issue since the hotel had valet parking. I just need to have the parking stub stamped at the restaurant before I claim my car, the porter reminded me. We entered the hotel and walked into the lobby to the right, before taking another left turn to a narrow path just before the Dubai Mall entrance. On our left was Na3Na3. At the reception area, it appeared that someone forgot to take our reservation. “But it is not a problem,” the smiling head waitress told us, “please let me take you to your table.” I was pleasantly surprised by the restaurant’s modern décor—stylistically simplistic but elegant at the same time. I almost couldn’t tell it was a Middle Eastern restaurant until I heard live Arabic song wafting from the dining area. nana2 Since it was our first time to visit the restaurant, the waitress gave us a quick tour around the mouth-watering buffet. We entered a hallway that had a shelf full of freshly baked bread on the right, and a coffee-making machine with an array of Arabic sweets to the left. Right after this was an entire section of cakes and pastries that was a sweet tooth’s delight. I had my eyes on the cheesecake. Then we strolled past a section full of salads, Arabic starters, pasta, fresh seafood and trays of different kinds of sushi. On separate beds of ice were some fresh crab, prawns, clams and mussels—my favourites. nana3 To the left was the live cooking station, where chefs were busy preparing sautéed lobster, prawns, fish cutlets, beef medallions and lamb chops. Even before we were seated I had already made a mental note where to start in this seafood trip. Seats by the window were already taken, which had a great view of a huge fountain. Their al fresco dining area looked really cool, but it was a little windy so we opted for a table for two inside, which was also nice and cozy. But we didn’t wait to warm up our chairs and headed straight to the buffet section so we could start our seafood party. My first stop was the sushi section. I couldn’t contain my chopsticks at the array of nigiri, sashimi and maki. Finally, it was the beautifully made salmon nigiri and shrimp nigiri pieces that made it to my plate. They were so tasty I ended up going for seconds. There was something about the ambiance here that just made us want to enjoy the food and the free-flowing conversation. Most of the guests appeared to have the same idea. At least two celebrated their birthdays, with smiling restaurant staff bringing to their table a complimentary slice of cake topped with a lighted candle. It was time to head out to the buffet once again. My next stop was the seafood section where I filled my plate with fresh prawns and mussels perfectly blanched that they retained all their flavours. I admit I went back for a third helping. My dining partner, meanwhile, enjoyed the live cooking station where chefs made sure there was a stock of seafood and meat cooked to diners’ liking. She had pan-fried prawns and lobster as well as grilled lamb chops and beef medallions. “Verdict?” I asked her. She gave it a thumbs up. Service was prompt and efficient, although it wavered a little when the restaurant was full of guests at around 1 p.m. But it was only a slight inconvenience overshadowed by the overall dining experience here. The good mix of food certainly kept us occupied and the ambiance kept us so relaxed, we even had time for coffee to go with our mixed desserts of tarts and cakes. Before we knew it, it was already 3 p.m. and it was time to go. Why is it written as Na3Na? I enjoyed myself too much I forgot to ask! I guess I’ll find out after I next visit Na3Na3.
Seafood brunch at Na3Na3 Price: Dh320 inclusive of soft beverages or Dh420 inclusive of house beverages Time: Every Friday from 12:30 p.m. until 4 p.m. Contact: dine@theaddress.com or 800 BRUNCH (278624)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