Restaurants & Cafes
4 great places to get crème brûlée in Dubai
If you’ve never used your spoon to crack open the top of a glassy crème brûlée, you’ve been missing out. A dessert of baked custard topped with a sprinkle of sugar that’s caramelised under a grill or with a blowtorch is served cold, warm or at room temperature depending on where you’re eating it. No one really knows where it was born but the French, British and Spanish all claim it as their own. We know that the first printed recipe for it was from a 1691 edition of the French cookbook, Le Cuisinier Royal et Bourgeois by Francois Massialot, a cook at Versailles, but the Brits had their own version, known as “burnt cream” in 1630. Either way, just crack on is our advice.
Cardamom and orange crème brûlée at Jones the Grocer
We’ll admit that this fragrant and subtly spiced cardamom and orange crème brûlée is small. But then we realised it just gave us the chance to order another one. Disappointment over. This petite dessert’s cardamom and orange flavours pair perfectly, with the interior’s intense creaminess and the exterior’s crisp crack crafting one of the best texture combinations we’ve ever indulged in. If you’re coming for lunch, the Jones Wagyu Burger – minced and marinated wagyu, smoked beef bacon, mixed leaf salad and cheddar served in a brioche bun – is a little bit life changing.
Where: Jones the Grocer, Al Manara
Contact: +9714 346 6886,
Crème Brûlée with Biscotti at 3in1
This gorgeous, traditional dessert has the ideal caramelised spoon-cracking surface with a creamy collection of pale deliciousness beneath. Here, the clever chefs serve the treat with biscotto biscuits, ideal for scooping heaps of happiness into your mouth at regular intervals. Come with someone you like and have a sharing-style pizza board – choose between the Herbie (vegetarian), the T-Rex (meaty), and Poseidon (fishy in a good way) – before dessert, and a cheesy cake (butterscotch, popcorn, peanut powder) to savour alongside your crème brûlée at the end.
Where: 3in1, Vida Downtown Dubai
Contact: +9714 888 3444,
Coconut and Palm Sugar Brûlée at Jodhpur Royal Dining
Meet crème brûlée’s exotic cousin. This rich and creamy saccharine treat – with rich custard flavoured with coconut milk and palm sugar, topped with a contrasting layer of hard caramel and served with macerated berries – will take your tastebuds on a trip to India. If you’re looking for something different to kick start your meal, order the macaron chaat amuse bouche. A contemporary translation of pani puri, these sweet macarons are filled with a layer of moreish cream cheese with a slight tartness that complements the macarons perfectly. You won’t forget them.
Where: Jodhpur Royal Dining, Roda Al Murooj
Contact: +9714 355 9846, website