The Food Byte: Eat Artisanal Bakery, Dubai

I love the fact that quaint little cafes with visually appealing interiors and quality food are popping up all across Dubai. In a city inundated with shopping malls and restaurants, the cafes in question are unique in their own league. Gone are the days when a milkshake was just that- a milkshake. Now, you have crazy looking milkshakes topped with macarons and generous chunks of decadent double chocolate brownies (hello, cheat day). How about the unicorn ice-cream? Oh, and have you head about the Nutella coffee? Sounds divine, doesn't it?

You will never run out of places to eat; we are quite grateful and thankful for that. And when you discover a new eatery that checks off all the boxes, it's happiness galore! Located in the cosy Bay Square of Business Bay, is a new, tranquil cafe called Eat Artisanal Bakery.

You step into this brightly lit, spacious cafe that is perfect for all-day breakfast(!), lunch/dinner or a quick coffee/tea break. It's the ambiance and service along with the menu that makes you fall in love with a place. The breakfast menu features fluffly pancakes, bruschetta, eggs in various forms while the lunch menu has a variety of salads, soups, sandwiches, main courses and the likes.

In addition to this, Eat caters to the kids through their specially crafted Kids Menu. It's not a secret but there are options that don't appear on the menu, such as the freshly baked melt-in-your mouth almond croissants, muffins and similar (make sure you ask for it).

We initiated our meal with with a tall glass of cooling Pink Hydration, a combination of watermelon, pomegranate, lemon and mint. While we waited for the first plates to make their way, a warm fresh baked, fluffy bread was served. I've tried making a Rosemary Focaccia bread at home and clearly, I've missed out the ingredients that make bread this fluffy.

Soon after, the Quinoa Salad with Spiced Chicken and the Crispy Chicken & Hoisin Salad arrived on our table. The portions of the freshly prepared salad are satisfying; I did taste a vinegar dressing in the Quinoa Salad.

The Crispy Chicken salad had quite an interesting blend of ingredients making it even more delicious considering I always skew my salad selection towards a quinoa-based one. 

Our main course comprised of a Butternut Squash soup (you must try it!), Baby Stuffed Chicken and Slow Braised Lamb Shank. The deboned chicken stuffed with traditional freekeh (smoked bulgur wheat and lamb mince) served with mint & cucumber yogurt will tantalize anyone's taste buds! The chicken was tender and flavorsome. Quite a fulfilling option for lunch. 

The Slow Braised Lamb Shank was served with roasted garlic mash and balsamic roasted root vegetables. The meat was cooked to perfection and is a lamb lovers delight. I appreciate the fact that none of the main courses were too "heavy" to eat (aka you don't feel like taking a quick nap after lunching). 

I always say no meal is complete without dessert. From a spongey Carrot Cake, decadent Devil's Food Cake to lemony tarts, Eat has a selection that will make you a bit overwhelmed (but that's a good thing!). 

I love a good Carrot Cake slice but I fell in love with the Lemon Cake. I have a confession to make. While I have a sweet tooth (and I'm not afraid to use it!), I always go for my favorites- either a chocolate-something or a carrot cake (can you resist that frosting?), I've never consumed Lemon Cake until I visited Eat. I ordered it on a whim because I was fascinated by the glaze- a rich, white as snow blanket sitting atop a moist looking angel cake infused with lemon. 

The first bite was beyond incredible. The cake was not only baked to perfection but struck the right balance of sweet and sour- I was in awe! If I only knew that lemon cakes tasted this good, I wouldn't have waited this long! Right after I got home, I searched for a vegan Lemon Cake recipe (it was a disaster making it since the cake did not rise enough...more on that later). 

If you aren't into cakes, try the Cinnamon Cruffin, it's swirly layers of cinnamon goodness made with a melt-in-your mouth pastry. Alternatively, try the Chocolate Pastry which is equally delicious. 

I left the cafe with a smile on my face knowing that I had discovered a place that's become a favorite and one that I will visit several times especially for that slice of Lemon Cake. 

The service is at par, the pricing is appropriate and the portions of food served is satisfying. There's ample parking in the Visitors Lot, so you won't face parking hassles. I recommend you try the Crispy Chicken & Hoisin Salad, the Baby Stuffed Chicken and the Lemon Cake. 

A meal for two will cost you approx. AED 120-150. Eat Artisanal Bakery is open from 7am-7pm and is located at Business Square Building 11 in Business Bay, Dubai.