Sunday Champagne Brunch at The Lounge of JW Marriott is an indulgent experience. Combine Piper Heidsieck champagne, with luxury food items, comfy sofas and an open view, with good company, and you have all the ingredients for a memorable day.

Bubbly Good Start

A glass of champagne was the perfect beginning while I waited for my ex-food writer friend to arrive; he is always 5-10 minutes late. While I was waiting a waiter came out with one of the "pass-around" plates, more traditional breakfast items that come straight from the kitchen to the diner to indulge in or not. In this instance he was offering Scrambled Eggs with Truffle. Of course I said yes. Buttery, creamy, with good bite and wonderful pieces of truffle. Off to a good start I thought.

After my friend arrived and had a chance to relax we hit the buffet. The buffet looks small, but has a deceptively varied selection as you will read. We both began with some fresh seafood and caviar.

I had three varieties of prawns, de-shelled crab claw, a spiny lobster, and two varieties of oysters. My dining companion had almost the same, but added a Boston lobster.  All the prawns had a good flavour and texture, especially the sweet Tiger Prawns - some of the best I have eaten for a while in fact - and the oysters were fantastically fresh. We were both a little disappointed with the lobster. While both varieties had great texture and lots of roe the flavour was a little weak.

The caviar and lumpfish were enjoyable, especially the salty lumpfish. Fresh bilini and all the traditional accompaniments, such as sour cream and egg yolk are on offer to create your own experience. My friend also had a plate of create-your-own salad, in his case, a Caesar Salad with lots of anchovies.

More Seafood

A recent addition to the buffet is a choice of three ceviche options - tuna, prawn and scallop. I tried both the prawn and the scallop. I really enjoyed the freshness of the ingredients and it was light and refreshing to eat. I did find the red onion to be a little overpowering of the other ingredients in both, but this is just one of those things and would definitely have some on a return visit.

I also enjoyed three types of salmon, each with a distinctive flavour, such as the unusual green tea, plus some smoked salmon. Bagels and bagel chips as well as a variety of complementary goodies are available to create your own salmon bagel, or indeed any type of bagel as you can see in the below pictures. While we were both enjoying some salmon a pass-around dish of homemade hash brown appeared, and the buttery potato paired perfectly with the creamy fish.

Meaty Highlights

On to some meat next and who could resist the Peking duck. You can choose to just have some of the duck or have it in a pancake with the usual partners, I had both. The duck was divine, the skin crispy and the meat tender and flavourful. 

We also enjoyed the selection of four salamis including the fabulous Iberico Chorizo, with its chilli and sweet flavours that left me wanting more. A major highlight for me was the must-try 5J Iberico Bellota ham, that has been aged for at least three years. Carved off the bone, the sweet and tender meat balanced by a natural saltiness was heaven on a plate, with a unique flavour that is a result of the pigs' acorn diet. To see such a high-end product generously offered as part of a buffet is reason enough to return. You could just spend the time eating it, the salami, olives, pickled onion and delightful cheeses on offer. But it was my duty to move on in an effort to try as much as I could.

Beaten by the Selection

Duck Salad, Artichoke Hearts, Fried Scallop with Tomato Salad, Bocconcini and Cherry Tomato Salad, and Seared Tuna Salad, all served in small individual dishes, were our next choices. The standouts for me were the duck with its wonderful berry dressing, the scallop salad with its ginger dressing and the tuna salad, which my friend was enamoured by. 

I could not pass up the pan-fried foie gras cooking station, pure decadence, especially paired with the fig compote and its notes of cinnamon and faint hints of clove. There is also a selection of pate.

At this point, as you can imagine, I was beginning to feel full and still had desserts to go, so I just went back for a few more prawns and ham. As a result I did not get to sample the selection of hot dishes, such as dim sum items, pasta made to order, Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup, Beef Vindaloo, Pan-Fried Sea Bass with Dill Cream Sauce, Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Chanterelle Mushroom (with a wonderful aroma), and more. 

Sweet Finish 

Hitting the dessert counter I selected some truly flavourful fresh strawberries that were destined to be paired with the thick fresh cream. I also enjoyed the Banana Ganache Tart, and the Passionfruit Mango Mousse. We found the Chocolate Wine Jelly to be too acidic and a little odd. While I would have liked to try the Ivory Creme Brulee, and the Chocolate Gateau, plus the other tempting items (and there were quite a few) I was done...no more room, not even for a wafer thin mint. Two excellent double espressos ended the meal.

Overall, I thought that brunch at The Lounge was great, the dishes look good, they tasted good, the ingredients are of quality, and there is enough choice to ensure a return visit will bring something new. I left feeling relaxed and satisfied.

Service, Ambiance, Price

As to be expected in a fine hotel the staff are efficient and friendly. I did find that the attentiveness started to slacken towards the end of the buffet, with glasses (both of bubbly and water) being refilled less regularly and dirty plates began to build up on the table. I also noticed that the cooking stations were often void of staff members towards the end, which I think is something that really shouldn't happen...as this was my first visit to the Sunday brunch perhaps it was just a one-off. The restaurant manager Martin Dell, deserves a mention as he does his best to ensure that each table has all they need.

The Lounge has a relaxed vibe, that is upmarket without being formal. With its high ceilings and large windows there is a sense of space and openness that I liked. The tables are well spaced for a sense of privacy. If you want to secure one of the window tables with a view you will need to book ahead, perhaps up to several months ahead. 

The brunch is priced at $610 with unlimited champagne. There is also a selection of serve-yourself white and red wine available with chef's recommendations on which wine pairs best with which dishes. We stuck with the bubbles as my friend has a strict only-champagne-on-Sundays policy. For non-drinkers, a good selection of unlimited fresh juices and other soft drinks are available, with the buffet priced at $510. The cost for children is $310. The buffet is available every Sunday from 11am to 2.30pm. I would suggest to book in advance to ensure you get a table.