Yunza Brunch at Above Eleven

Recently we tried Yunza Brunch, which takes place every Saturday from 1pm – 4pm at Above Eleven on the rooftop of the Marriott, Palm West Beach. It’s Peruvian-themed, and whilst I’m a fan of the usual Pan-Asian theme you often get out here at brunch, this was a refreshing change.

We were sat indoors, which I was initially a bit disappointed about. But it is starting to heat up, and to be fair, the floor-to-ceiling windows meant we still had the views without melting.

It’s a table-service brunch, which for me is always a win. I always think the vibe is much better when you’re being served rather than serving yourself. Especially on occasions like this where I had a friend visiting who I hadn’t seen for almost six years so we needed as much time together as possible in the 30 hours I had her with me. 

The food here was far from average, it was genuinely brilliant. Favourites from the starters were the prawn tempura (classic fav of mine) sushi, and the aubergine salad, which was one of those dishes you didn’t expect to love but did. For mains, the fish completely stole the show. Melt-in-your-mouth level. They paced the courses well too, so you never felt rushed or like everything was being thrown at the table at once.

Drinks were pretty decent. House package covers beer, wine and spirits. I went with that because the cocktail list was a bit too “crafted” for me. No Aperol, no espresso martinis, and nothing that felt like an easy go-to. Great if you like the fancier end of the cocktail spectrum, but not really my vibe.

One of the unique bits of the brunch is the cocktail-making session halfway through. It’s optional but a really good & fun way to break things up. I made my first-ever pisco sour, and surprisingly didn’t hate it.

The place wasn’t sold out but still had a good atmosphere. DJ and live performers kept it going and by the second hour, most people were on their feet. Music hit the right balance, fun, familiar, and aimed squarely at the millennial crowd.

There’s also a bit of a twist at dessert. Every week they hide a gold coin in one of the platters, and whoever finds it gets their brunch for AED 11. Sadly, we weren’t the lucky ones, but it’s a fun addition either way.

They do run an after party too, but we skipped it and headed over to SoBe at W The Palm for another rooftop drink instead.

If you’re after something a bit different from the usual brunch circuit, but still want great food, solid service and a bit of a buzz, Yunza’s definitely worth considering.