I’ve developed a liking for long lazy Sunday brunches lately. It’s a nice way to bond with friends and spend time over something that I love and if you’ve read my blog on and off you won’t have any doubts : eating, of course.

I mean what can be better than 3-4 hours of conversation and chatter over prawns, dum biryani, dahi puri, aloo chat and marshmallows with chocolate sauce! I like the idea of catching up with friends and dear ones over tom yum soup. It gives me a nice warm feeling inside. And unlimited martinis. And sparkling wine.

I’m always on the look-out for good Sunday brunch places : they’re not always very reasonable though (is there such a thing anymore, but on the bright side the alcohol is unlimited :-). Over the years, I’ve had the chance to sample a few of Bangalore’s brunches. Here are a few.

Casa del Sol: The ambience is nice on Sundays. There is a live musician singing. You can make your own pot, get some face painting done. There are kids running all over the place. And there’s also unlimited wine and sangria and beer. The food is decent and the live counters : pasta, omelets are good : and usually crowded so get there early if you want your food on time! It’s priced at around Rs 600. 131, Devatha Plaza, Residency Road, Bangalore. Call 80 41510101‎.

Limelight @ Royal Orchid: I like the space that RO offers : the lawns are also there expansive and good for kids to run around. They have a decent spread of salads which I like. And also lots of truffles and goodies and chocolate covered delights. The main course usually has both continental Indian selection and the sparkling wine and beer is unlimited. There was even a tarot card reader who gave me the answer to my “question” (ask any question, she said!). She looked at the cards I picked for a minute and was ready with her answer in a trice, leaving me in a tizzy. Go forth and have fun! Rs 950 (all inclusive). The Royal Orchid, Airport Road. Call 080 25201330.

Olive Beach: This is sheer indulgence. But the spread is lavish and decadent to say the least. The salads are a delight and they have among other things : cheese and breads, live counters for pasta, seafood, and most of all, great cocktails. And of course, unlimited martinis : orange, pineapple, chocolate, kiwi, peach… whatever you want! That of course, pretty much settled it for me. The spread was priced at 1800 at one time and I’ve heard its gone upto Rs 2350. Which means it will probably be an annual pilgrimage for me now. Woods Street, Ashok Nagar. Call 080 41128400.

Lido @ Ista: I still remember the prawns from the lunch. Luscious, with just the right amount of seasoning it was prepared in the grill right in front of us. The desserts section had a variety of tricks and treats, which is a pity, because I like desserts more for their visual impact than for taste! The food itself was okay, I enjoyed the ambience of Ista most of all. The sun deck beside the pool is ideal for lazing around after a long and sumptuous meal. The one with alcohol is priced at around 1200+, but do confirm before booking! Swami Vivekananda Road, Ulsoor. Call 080 25558888.

Citrus @ the Leela: What can I say? I’ve never seen so much food together in one place at one time! I had a difficult time deciding where to start and for the longest time I took deep gulps of champagne while I mulled over the decision. They have all kinds of exotic meats cuts, cheese, salads, and besides Indian cuisine they usually have dishes from a few other countries. Basically, every kind of food available to mankind and that’s the brunch spread for you. You probably don’t need to eat for a week after. Thoroughly enjoyable especially under those umbrellas enjoying the lovely Bangalore weather! This was around 1800 the last time I visited and I’m sure it’s gone up now. Airport Road. Call 80 2521 1234 .

If you know of any other brunch buffets worth sampling, please leave a comment.

(This post seems incomplete without tantalising pictures of food, I’ll get to it sometime soon!)