DETAILS: Dhs200 (soft drinks), Dhs365 (house beverages), Dhs500 (premium beverages). Fri 12.30pm-4pm. Radisson Blu Hotel Abu Dhabi, Yas Island (02 656 2000).
Sometimes in life it’s the littlest things that annoy us the most. The minor inconveniences that spiral and taint everything else around them.
So it’s a shame that our standout memory from the al fresco brunch at Filini Garden is the fact that the background music consists of just two jaunty songs on loop.
The stunning surroundings, the helpful staff, the delicious antipasti and the refreshing mocktails, all overshadowed by a small irritation we have to endure for two hours.
There’s usually a saxophonist playing live to provide the ambience, so if we had booked in for a different Friday, we would have probably had a better time.
But on this occasion, everything isn’t too rosy in the garden.
Now we’ve got all of that off our chests, we should tell you about an otherwise pleasant dining experience at the plush Italian eatery’s new brunch.
Set in an outdoor terrace at the Radisson Blu Hotel Abu Dhabi, Yas Island, the venue offers amazing views over the adjacent golf course and waters.
The antipasti selection is amazing, we must admit.
It stars a huge range of delicious cheeses, some tasty cured meats, gorgeous sun-dried tomatoes and the yummiest bread.
We wash it all down with a house mocktail – a strawberry blend that tastes like summer in a glass.
This brunch is a little different to some others in the city, in that a set menu of dishes is brought to your table, complimented by a small buffet. Of those dishes served to us, the pasta course is a delight – lobster ravioli and tomato tagliatelle with veal bacon are both gorgeous.
Squid ink risotto comes, too, but it’s not a dish we’re enamoured by.
A few slices of pizza – margherita, and buffalo mozzarella and goat’s cheese – make their way to our table and go down a treat.
The main course is a fisherman’s dream – a grilled seafood platter, grilled swordfish with Mediterranean vegetables and a delicious chicken cacciatore.
Not so great, though, if you’re not a fan of fish.
If that’s you, this brunch might disappoint you a little, because of the lack of alternatives to seafood on offer.
But overall, we can definitely see why Filini Garden is such a popular spot, with its beautiful décor and chilled vibe.
And at just Dhs200 for the soft drinks package, and Dhs365 for house beverages, it’s one of the more affordable brunches in the city.
The bottom line
Great food in a charming setting. The soundtrack needs work, though.
