The Backyard at Cooper’s brunch relaunch.
You’re always guaranteed a good time when you cross the threshold of this Abu Dhabi establishment.
Famed for its friendly welcome and service, its superb offering for sports ball fans and a generous eight-hour happy hour, Cooper’s Bar & Restaurant is one spot that doesn’t come up short when delivering a top night out.
But Friday afternoons from noon to 4pm is all about brunching and with The Backyard at Cooper’s back in action for brunch after a summer siesta, Team Yalla made their way down to the venue for the terrace’s grand relaunching of brunch.
Showing up fashionably late (there was a dearth of taxis on Friday afternoon in the capital), we are greeted with a glass of bubbly and within seconds we know we are in for an enjoyable couple of hours. Taking our seats in the centre of the bar, the place is lively with numerous brunchers dressed in comfortable civvies. There’s no need for dress-up here as Cooper’s is all about having a good time and being yourself.
After settling in, it’s time to tame our rumbling bellies so we make our way to the outside terrace where there is a line of live cooking stations packed with grub. There are choices like prawns, chicken skewers, Mac N Cheese, and buttered chicken curry but the star of the show which gets the team very excited, is the carvery station with all the usual suspects that will have you dreaming about a Sunday dinner back home. We’re talking about some of the best Beef Wellington in the city, huge slabs of roasted beef, moist cuts of turkey, mash and roasties. As you can imagine, these plates are demolished as quickly as they are served by the chefs and we are soon back out for more.
For those looking for more of a fresh bite, there are stacks of fresh fruit and salad to please your palate (there is also a great cheese selection too) and for drinks, you can pick up a bottle (or as many as you like) of Mexican hops or create your own concoction at the juniper-based beverage station.
After your second helping of the mains (guilty), it’s time to for that sugar kick and it is almost like a scene out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory such is the vast array of sweet treats on display. Cakes, buns, doughnuts and popcorn galore and you know we went back for more.
Halfway through the feasting the DJ arrives and takes a hold of the decks playing classics from your dad’s era straight through to today’s modern hits. Our feet are tapping away and we all hope that dancing comes back soon as we can barely contain are seat shuffling.
Alas, 4pm arrives and with bellies full and smiles firmly in place over our faces, brunch is over. But we are chilling out at the locale for a little bit longer because at Cooper’s, the good times only stop when it’s closing time.
To book a table or for more information visit Cooper’s Bar & Restaurant
