A brilliantly executed concept, Baker & Spice is a restaurant like no other in Dubai.
It brands itself as an ‘ethical cafe’ and purveyor of ‘artisan food’ and and I must admit I was impressed.
Besides serving what was one of the most delicious cookies of my entire life – and I mean it – and it was vegan and gluten-free – and, believe it or not, a chocolate cookie made with tahini!
Just look at it…
But let’s start from the beginning…
Baker & Spice is an elegant corner of The S Hotel, with pleasant high ceilings and a central display area with an open kitchen behind it.
Simple, yet classy
And in the glass display are ready-made foods: perhaps a half-dozen salads, about the same in main dishes (serious chunks of slow-cooked rib meat on-bone, and slabs of kingfish, and grilled prawns, and all sorts of heavy-duty this-is-not-birdseed main courses), and probably around two dozen types of desserts.
Additionally, there is an assortment of jars, quite a variety, from pickles to savory nuts and jams.
I didn’t quite understand how it works at first, so please inquire with the well-informed wait staff – you see, there is also an a la carte menu, but here’s the heart of the matter: everything you see that is edible is made from scratch in their kitchens – even the ketchup and sauces.
And not only that, it is made from local organic produce, where possible. In fact, Baker & Spice retails and wholesales in the region, and in UAE alone partners with 25 organic farms, and uses their produce as well as hosting weekend pop-up fresh produce markets for the public.
You can see the passion for wholesome freshness in the salads!
So a quick nip-in on the way home or instant delivery will have you sorted with delicious healthy food in a jiffy – but there’s also a lot more to Baker & Spice!
Dine in and at the table arrives fresh bread, with superb freshly-pressed olive oil, pomegranate molasses, and exceptional creamy butter.
You start to realize the depth of thought that has gone into Baker & Spice – they are serious about their ethos, and about serving an exceptional dining experience – casual and relaxed, yes, but at the same time deep and focused.
The Spinach Falafel starter arrives, and it is a work of art!
And absolutely delicious!
Here’s the depth I was describing earlier: the spinach falafel is accompanied by a sweet beetroot puree and tangy yogurt, a crispy sumac lavash, as well as flash-fried spinach leaves.
A fine-dining combination and presentation in a casual ‘ethical food’ restaurant!
Equally mind-blowing was the Handmade Beetroot Bucatini, a vegan pasta, with light and creamy Madras chickpea curry, spinach, lemon zest, and toasted coconut – see for yourself:
Followed by Grilled Thai Prawns, served with organic rice, coconut milk and leeks, and raw papaya salad.
Drinks span from a variety of fresh-juice combos to delicate and ornate teas, and soon you are drawn to the dessert section!
While the whole dining experience was above expectations up to this point, when you tap into the desserts you know you have become a regular client and friend of Baker & Spice…
I repeat that all are baked in-house, from scratch, and from organic and preferably local ingredients.
Alongside the previously-mentioned chocolate tahini cookie (which I’m still dreaming about!) allow me to present you with another most-delicious-in-my-lifetime petite morsel: the humble date ma’amoul.
Yes, we see these everywhere, even in supermarkets and open-air souqs – but no, Baker & Spice’s ma’amoul is in another spatial and mental dimension altogether. And in 20 years of living in the UAE I must have tried thousands of these traditional Arabian cookies – from homemade hot-out-the-oven to those served at the finest five-star hotels… try Baker & Spice’s. End of story.
Incredibly, there’s more!
Pistachio delights… mango and raspberry muffins…
And maybe two dozen more varieties of baked products, each one exceptional in its own way.
And so, from start to finish, whether you prefer to dine in and order a la carte from the open kitchen, or point out your choice from the display, Baker & Spice delivers on their promise, and more.
Their philosophy is: local | organic | fresh | homemade but I’m going to add superbly prepared and presented, and absolutely a treat on the palate!
