The capital is building up a strong café culture, with more and more coffee shops popping up around the city. But not many boast a tasty selection of food that sets them apart from the rest.
Billing itself as a café during the day and brasserie at night, Leopold’s of London has been making a name for itself among residents since it first opened last year.
The style is warehouse modern – marble tables, black furnishings, steel grey upholstery – and the food is pretty cool too. A skin toner – a concoction of fresh coconut water, cucumber, pineapple and spinach – makes for a refreshing (and healthy) start to our meal.
For the main course – and with eyes bigger than our stomachs – we tuck into a deliciously fresh pizza. A perfectly thin crust peeks out from underneath a blanket of fresh artichokes, mushrooms and olives, herby tomato sauce and hearty shavings of parmesan. Meanwhile, our guest savours every mouthful of the grilled harissa chicken, scooping up chunks of tender marinated meat with fluffy pomegranate couscous, mint yoghurt and spicy harissa mayonnaise.
So far, we are impressed with the café’s fresh and flavourful take on urban eats – but as the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding. And the chocolate lava pudding certainly proves to be the star attraction as we scoop up gooey spoonfuls of moist chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, hazelnut chocolate mousse and tangy fresh raspberries. Meanwhile, on our other dessert a delicate sugar nest perches on a Chai spiced crème brûlée served with berry compote and a biscotti.
A hot beverage wraps up the meal. Intrigued by the sight of a fellow diner’s coffee, akin to a science experiment, we order the same specialty siphon coffee. The waiter arrives with a complicated glass coffee maker on a stand, under which he places a kerosene lamp. As the water in the lower bulb heats up and moves into the upper compartment, ground Ethiopian coffee is added. The waiter stirs for three minutes (the timing is critical) before removing the lamp, allowing the coffee to filter back into the bottom. The result is smooth and aromatic, the perfect end to an impressive café experience.
Rachael Peacock
Details
What: Leopold’s of London
Where: The Galleria, Al Maryah Island
Cost: Salads from AED 40, mains from AED 55, desserts from AED 25
We say: More than just good coffee
Contact: 055 735 1217
