Perched on the top of West Bay, on the 43rd floor of JW Marriott Marquis City Center Doha, is Shanghai Club. This haven of Pan-Asian cuisine has views that will give you goosebumps, and food that is sure to delight you. Their new Koi Brunch is the perfect opportunity to sample all the best that Shanghai Club has to offer.

Under the feet of the huge dragon that towers over the restaurant, lies what the Doha community have been craving…. Live entertainment! This electric jazz band ignited the atmosphere at Shanghai Club creating the perfect bouncing brunch vibe.

In addition to the band, there was a huge coconut collection where you could sample exquisitely fresh coconut water to hydrate before your foray into Friday brunch. In addition to the fresh coconuts, there was an array of fancy mocktails, cocktails, wines, beers and bubbly on offer. And the drinks menu was a revelation – literally. At the centre of the table were two Chinese fans; if you open them up, inscribed on the fabric between the blades are all the luscious sips on offer.

After you have drank your fill, you can initiate the march of delicious food that is sure to come your way. The first treat to arrive was a piping hot bowl of sour and spicy Tom Yum soup. It was the perfect palette cleanser to began our parade of Pan-Asian delicacies.

When our bowls were licked clean, our appetisers arrived. Every dish was presented immaculately but the Assorted Sushi platter stole the show. With shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, lobster rolls crispy phili, shrimp nigiri and sashimi, and salmon nigiri and sashimi this assortment is truly paradise for sushi lovers. Continuing with our seafood theme, we were served a Soft Shell Bao – which looks very intimidating at first – but once you dive in, you won’t regret it! The Kani Salad paired wonderfully with the seafood as well, the yuzu juice and ginger garlic really paired well with the seafood palate.

Buried in ice, was the tuna tartar. Served ice cold this dish is a wonder for tuna lovers – and if you’ve never tried it before – this would be the venue to do it. You won’t find better anywhere I imagine! In addition to the classic chicken satay with lashings of peanut sauce, and mango salad, we were treated to corn tempura – which I had never tried before. The corn obviously sweetened the dish, but the tempura style of frying in batter added a salty flavour that was incredibly tasty.

In addition to the mocktails, cocktails and sparkling vino there was also a roaming cocktail cart shaking up a secret signature cocktail served with a delicate rose petal.

For our main course, as if we hadn’t been treated enough, we were served another fantastic array of delicious dishes. Including, Malaysian BBQ Mamak Chicken, and Steamed Seabass served and cooked inside a banana leaf, served beside Phad Thai Noodles, Wok Flashed Vegetables and steamed rice.

Despite the deliciousness of the dishes above, my two recommendations would have to be: the Peking Duck and the Short Ribs. The slivers of perfectly cooked Peking duck were served with thin pancakes, shredded leek and cucumber and oodles of Hoisin sauce to make your own mouth watering bites of sweet and savoury flavour. The Short Ribs had been cooked for 48 hours so you can imagine how the meat simply fell apart in your mouth.

Time for the sweet tooth’s to rejoice – it’s time for dessert! In addition to great savoury dishes, Shanghai Club also offers an array of sweet treats. These are actually some of my favourite desserts in Doha; not too sweet, full of fresh, fruity flavours. We enjoyed the passion fruit cheesecake (Giggly Cheesecake) – which is my personal favourite – a raspberry Sans Rival, a Matcha Espuma and of course the classic: Mango Sticky Rice.

A (Squid) Game:

Inspired by the hit Netflix show, Squid Game, Shanghai Club have created their own game to end your fabulous brunch experience. If you can break your heart away from the rest of your Dalgona Candy – without cheating! – you win a cute selection of signature shots! A wonderful, fun task to laugh about with your friends and family.

The Koi Brunch at the Shanghai Club in the JW Marriott Marquis is a MUST TRY! With spectacular views, incredible dishes, and a fabulous atmosphere this brunch is perfect for everyone. And the best news of all – it is one of the best priced brunches I have seen here in Doha – especially when you consider what is included.

About Koi Brunch:

When: Friday, noon – 3 pm
Price: QAR240 for soft beverages, QAR360 for enhanced beverages package
Contact: Call 4419 5510 or Whatsapp 6643 6890 to book your reservation


Author: Charlotte Wright

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