Mariam Nihal Saudi Gazette Typically when a new place opens in Dubai, it's a rage, one people follow blindly. But here is a place that opened up not long ago by chef-couple Neil Kleinberg and DeDe Lahman, from New York City, and it is worth a visit. It is said that the couple's only mission was to make the best baked goods in the city, but as soon as fantastic reviews poured in, the culinary splendor made its way across the Atlantic to one of Saudi's favorite neighbor, Dubai. But keep in mind prices pay for the journey of the brand. The Spanish scramble eggs for instance, is a dish that serves one person three eggs for AED 66. Too much? Humble poultry farms would agree. But then again for those who want to be seen or actually want to enjoy the chic breakfast joint, they have to pay the price. Considering this limitation, many are prompted to order what they have tried, not surpassing the menu prices or if they are smarter, they stick to what instagram recommends. Nevertheless, having paid the price mentally you have made your way to the eatery, which is thankfully not that, posh, but the ambiance is surely friendly, the place, spotless and it has a jazzy feel to it. ‘Eat' in huge, red block letters is inscribed on the white brick walls and specials are written over the see-through kitchen walls, through which you can see the chefs in hairnets whisking away cream and all the goodness. But lets come down to why we are really here. To experience the romance of fried chicken and waffles. These Belgian vanilla buttermilk waffles are served with honey-Tabasco and their signature warm maple butter. Are they the right combination? For those of us who are skeptical, this is a safe jump out of your comfort zone. For those who love it, this combination is a classic and an American favorite for a reason. The saccharinity of waffles dipped in maple sauce with a bite of fried chicken neutralizes the sweetness and makes for a powerful duo. Their tasty kale and quinoa salad is made of organic kale, quinoa, cherry tomato, avocado, onion, spiced pumpkin seed, lemon vinaigrette with grilled chicken. The serving is big enough to share. Of course the eatery also offers a variety of soups, sandwiches and breakfast feasts like smoked salmon benedict- poached eggs with house smoked salmon, classic hollandaise, over a toasted buttermilk biscuit. Try their fried chicken sandwich with lemon-pepper mayo, shredded romaine, pickled green tomatoes, on a crusty roll, with house slaw and a sour pickle. Add a portion of truffled grits with mushrooms with Parmesan cheese. Team it up with their super chunky and flavor-invested shakes like maple butter pecan, extra thick vanilla shake or salted caramel shake. But here is the most interesting part, one that is not talked about so far. The dessert station. Their banana-chocolate cream pie is a blessing. It is made up of 72% Venezuelan chocolate, sliced bananas with bourbon vanilla cream and graham cracker crust. The delicious creamy assortment is bliss. If Clinton is famous for its waffles, then people are missing out on the real line up. Maple pecan pie comes with organic roasted pecans, maple syrup and a crisp butter crust. Try the German chocolate cake if you are a cocoa lover. It is a dark chocolate cake with pecan-coconut filling and chocolate-caramel frosting. Surprisingly these mouth-watering dishes are quite modestly priced, just over AED 30. If you are in a rush, grab their peanut butter blondie, banana walnut bread, chocolate chunk scones or a classic NY cheesecake with blueberries from their bakery for a late night snack. Until then, enjoy a special recipe. Chocolate Chunk Scones Makes 6 Large Scones
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar 1⁄2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 cup chocolate chunks 1 cup heavy cream 3 teaspoons turbinado sugar Instructions: 1. Preheat the over to 350° F 2. Combine the 2 cups flour and the next four dry ingredients in the bowl of a mixer with the paddle attachment, using the low-speed setting (or mix by hand). 3. Stop the mixer and add the heavy cream to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dough has combined (less than 10 seconds) 4. Dust your counter with flour and dump out the scone mixture. Pat the dough into a circle, about 3⁄4 to 1 inch thick. Cut the dough into 6 even triangles. Roughly form each triangle into a round shape. Place the round scones on a parchment-paper-lined sheet pan (or use nonstick cooking spray) 5. Top each scone with 1⁄2 teaspoon turbinado sugar. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and baked all the way through. Rotate the pan halfway through for even browning. Location: Burj Views, Dubai Reservations: +971 4 428 1331
