Presenting the ocean’s freshest catches, Estiatorio KEIA (read Foodie’s earlier review) balances its beautiful mosaic motifs with marine-inspired accents to create an interior of contemporary luxury. I’ve been to this restaurant five times since its opening, so I think I’m quite well-versed with the menu...
Dinners at KEIA are bustling and perfect for large groups, and brunch is just as bright and lively. KEIA offers a semi-buffet brunch at an affordable price of $488 per person. Add in cocktails of the week, soft drinks, beer and selected red and white wines for $288 as part of the deluxe package, and if you’re looking to treat yourself, free-flow champagne is $200.
The presentation for brunch at KEIA is quite extravagant. A lot of effort has been put into the semi-buffet savoury spread and the dessert table. Fresh whole fish and catches of the day that sit on ice during dinner service are replaced with fresh oysters, ceviche and tartares in the raw section. The buffet table is lined with piles of skewers and kebabs, pitta, flatbreads, large salad bowls and all the dips from the dinner menu.
As part of the semi-buffet brunch, each guest is entitled to one main course. We had the opportunity to try all four mains, but the choices were a bit hit-and-miss.
The rib-eye (+128) was cooked medium rare and served on a hotplate, which ended up cooking the steak to medium or medium well, becoming a bit too chewy for our liking.
The half-chicken was charred and crisp but slightly overcooked, and the gravy on the side was too salty.
The sea bass was delicate and flaky but had little to no seasoning, so the charred lemon alongside was needed for flavour.
The seafood bucatini was the best choice amongst the mains, incorporating handmade pasta, mussels and squid in a vibrant tomato sauce.
Dessert was also hit-and-miss, and while the presentation was beautiful, some of the cakes were soggy, sitting in liquid, while some of the macarons were flavourless. I was hoping for Mediterranean and Greek desserts that were either traditional or contemporary, but most of the options seemed to be Asian fusion.
Verdict
KEIA’s reasonably priced semi-buffet brunch is essentially all the salads, raw dishes and starters from the à-la-carte menu, with the quality remaining up to par with dinner. The mains and desserts for brunch do need some tweaking, but overall, Estiatorio KEIA’s brunch is well executed and attracts a fashionable crowd.
2/F, H Queen’s, 80 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2677 7737, book online
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