There are many restaurants that aim to offer something new and exciting, but this is a tall order that only a few manage. Döss Marbella has an advantage though, for its amenities stand out – offering everything from covered parking and an elegant patio terrace with Champagne bar, to an ambient dining room with sushi bar and unequalled hospitality and events facilities.

This highly versatile venue near Cabopino therefore can cater to a whole range of possibilities, from weddings and corporate events to family and romantic dinners. There’s a full programme of live entertainment to add to the atmosphere, and as Döss is a spacious but intimate restaurant, it sounds just right.

Sunday Brunch

One of the weekly highlights is the Sunday Brunch, which starts at noon and runs until five o’clock. It’s truly something to look forward to, for the spread is not only mouth-watering but it will have you sorely tempted to keep going back to the buffet bar. We joined a lively, joyful restaurant on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, to try this feast for ourselves. The Costa del Sol was basking in glorious sunshine, there was a bubbly atmosphere in the air and we looked forward to spending an afternoon in this very attractive restaurant.

After ordering a bottle of refreshing Pazo Casanova Treixadura from the region of Galicia, we started to work out our action plan; you see, there are so many tempting treats on offer that it does take some forward thought. Most of us decided to start with a light selection of beautifully prepared sushi and sashimi delicacies – one of the things that Döss Marbella is well known for – but you can also begin with a light salad or a combination of Mediterranean cold meats and cheeses.

Delicacies From Around the World

Having started in Japan, I moved on to Italy with a selection of Mediterranean vegetables drizzled in olive oil, Mozzarella di Buffala with fresh tomato, fried aubergines and one of my favourites: Vitello Tonnato. Others opted for fresh oysters, salmon cuts, sea bass cerviche, different types of vegetables and salads, and two of the brunch’s most popular dishes: succulent scallops au gratin with fresh prawns served in a beautiful shell, and freshly grilled lobster.

By now the restaurant was in full flow, awash with happy faces on a bright and sunny day. The ambience was delightful and in the background wafted the tones of a live pianist. It was mentioned more than once that this is living; an ideal way to enjoy the Marbella way of life and spend a Sunday afternoon. Now you might think we’d already had two courses, but this being a leisurely weekend day and also a first-class brunch buffet, we were almost honour-bound to go back and savour some more of the wonderful dishes still beckoning us to try them.

So next we moved to the warm dishes, selecting fresh vegetables and breaded aubergine strips covered in a honey drizzle. At the carvery we choose our preferred cut of meat with or without sauce – picking from belly pork, beef, lamb or chicken – and making a wonderfully relaxed day of it. In fact, eating out like this is even more informal and enjoyable than a conventional three-course meal, as you can eat as much or as little as you feel like, and are free to create your own combinations to suit your taste preferences on the day.

Remarkably, we still had space for some pudding, encouraged also by the enticing look of the beautifully presented desserts. We duly sampled a great selection of chocolate mousse, crème brûlée, fresh fruit compotes with naturally flavoured yoghurts and delicious mango and coconut creations. Together, with the visual and no doubt sensory delight produced by the homemade Easter eggs on display, the desserts at Döss Marbella are the work of Leo Dolcí, the restaurant’s talented Chef Patissier, who learned his trade from the traditional French pastry school. You can tell that he worked for three-Michelin star restaurants, and he certainly adds to the credentials of Döss Marbella, whose excellent Sunday Brunch is merely one of many reasons to explore what is one of the most exciting dining venues in Marbella.

WORDS MICHEL CRUZ PHOTOGRAPHY KEVIN HORN

Restaurante Döss Marbella Artola Alta, Marbella. Tel: 952 000 772.

www.dossmarbella.com