One of the Emirate’s most popular Friday brunch destinations has upped its weekday game.
Coya Dubai Pisco Lounge
There are certain venues that if you haven’t visited, you can’t truly claim to live in Dubai. Despite COYA – a Peruvian restaurant with seven locations worldwide – only opening its doors in December 2014, it’s already warranted such status. And for most people, a weekend brunch has always been the way to experience the eatery.
But recently, the restaurant located in Four Seasons Resort Dubai Jumeirah Beach’s Restaurant Village has launched a series of weeknight events to ensure tourists and residents alike can experience the charm of COYA any night of the week.
We head over to the Pisco Lounge – the colourful bar area of the establishment perfect for those after light bites instead of numerous indulgent courses – on a Monday night to experience it for ourselves.
Instantly on arrival, the allure of the low lighting and moody purple and blue hues pull us in. We sit with the view of the mixologists working their magic from the impressive selection behind them to one side, and night-time views of the Dubai skyline to the other, browsing the beverage menu as we wait for the music to start.
The eclectic drinks menu is made up of an unusual and inviting selection of local and global mixes, with the classic recipes added for good measure too. There’s certainly something for everyone.
As for bites, they are a far cry from a bowl of peanuts. We, of course, start with a bowl of freshly made guacamole. In signature style, the avocado dip is whisked up before us at our table, making it novel as well as inviting. Then we work through bites such as vegetarian sushi with avocado and spicy mushroom, invigorating salads with an element of crunch added thanks to cracked corn and pomegranate sprinklings and skewered mushroom which is surprisingly rich in flavour and meat-like in texture.
As these small-sized yet flavour-packed dishes arrive at our table throughout the evening, the music courtesy of the live band starts up beside us. With the right balance of enlivening but not overwhelming – chatter amongst friends can continue – the musicians cover a mix of Latin American tunes and classic hits that the bar-goers can sing along too. Occasionally, the singers deter from their stage in front of the skyline backdrop and walk among the diners, making for a pleasantly immersive show.
While it remains one of our favourite brunch options in the city, COYA Dubai has certainly proved it can hold its weight during the week, too.
Coya Dubai’s Azúcar live Latin music night takes place on Monday evening from 8.30pm. Visit coyarestaurant.com for more details.
