5 April, 2018
Dubai Coffee Scene
I’ve recently returned from a short family break to Dubai. A much needed fix of Winter sunshine, although it seems a lifetime ago following the ‘Beast from the East’ parts 1 & 2! We stayed at Atlantis, the Palm which was a perfect destination with the kids. They loved the Aquaventure Water Park, Lost Chambers Aquarium and Cold Stone Creamery ice cream parlour! As is the case with most of my travels, I was on the look out for decent coffee!
I didn’t have to venture far for coffee with a view! Illy Caffe at Atlantis serves very good coffee and a range of fabulous pastries with a view unlike any other in Dubai. You are looking directly into the mesmerising Ambassador Lagoon – home to 65,000 incredible marine animals including sharks and rays.
I actually viewed the coffee shop from the other side too, when I explored the Lagoon by Aquatrek! Pretty Cool!
My search for speciality coffee took me to Dubai Mall, the world’s largest and most-visited retail and entertainment destination. There are over 1200 retail outlets and 200 food outlets at the Mall! There is also an Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, Kidzania, 22-screen Cinema complex and Olympic-sized Ice Rink! As well as the world’s tallest building – the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Fountain! It was little wonder I needed coffee!
Located on the lower ground floor of the Mall is ‘Walter’s Coffee Roastery’. Founded in Istanbul, this is a coffee laboratory specialising in freshly roasted coffee. Their slogan ‘we have coffee down to a science’ refers to the fact that everything from extraction and brew temperature to espresso machine pressure and grinder configuration is given careful consideration. The theme is ‘Breaking Bad’ – the story of a terminally ill Chemistry teacher turned drug lord! The decor includes yellow hazmat suits, like those worn by Walter & Jesse in the television series, and all sorts of chemistry glassware (even the succulents were in glass beakers)! As a coffee enthusiast and science teacher I felt quite at home here amongst the periodic table wall art and conical flasks! The branding and social media platforms of Walter’s are on point, their Instagram feed is full of clips of coffee brewing techniques involving special effects!
So, what about the coffee?… I had a flat white (standard!) with Colombian beans, served in a bright yellow cup. The latte art was insane! The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable and more than happy for me to browse behind the counter and take photos.
I also purchased some Ethiopian Heirloom beans (my current favourites) to bring home and brew on the V60. From the Yirgacheffe region, these had tasting notes of caramel, candied lemon and apricot.
Another coffee shop I’d heard a lot about and so had to visit was ‘% Arabica’. Located on the ground floor of the Mall near the Aquarium, they have a reputation for perfect yet simple cups of coffee. Originating from Japan, this unique speciality coffee concept serves and roasts the best coffee from around the world, including from their very own coffee farm. Their mantra is ‘see the world through coffee’ and founder & owner Kenneth Shoji states ‘we only live once, so let’s explore the world we live in, set goals, and enjoy our time together over an amazing cup of coffee’. I love this ethos, it truly resonates with me. At ‘% Arabica’ they serve a range of espresso and drip based drinks with a choice of beans. There is the % Arabica blend, with rich body and intense, strong flavours or a range of single origins from El Salvador, Guatemala and Brazil, as well as decaf. Their best selling drink is the Spanish Latte which can be served hot or cold and with the blend or choice of single origin beans. As I had read many good reviews of it, I opted for the hot Spanish latte with the blend of beans. I didn’t know exactly what was in the drink, but on tasting it there was a very familiar flavour. It took a while to work out what it was! But it was actually condensed milk! So it turns out that a Spanish Latte is espresso with textured milk and a small dose of sweetened condensed milk. It was delicious and sweet, without being as sweet as a coffee with a sugar syrup. Needless to say I have been experimenting with the Spanish Latte since I returned from Dubai! (Recipe to follow on blog). Unfortunately my phone battery ran out before I got to my Spanish Latte, so there are no photos of % Arabica! But I would highly recommend it!