Café Bateel

Luxury café with excellent dates 1 Reviews

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From Time Out Dubai Eating Out 2009

Not content with being known simply as ‘that date company’, Bateel has decided to colonise the Middle East further with its ‘five-star’ luxury cafés. The concept – a Mediterranean café run by a Saudi Arabian date company – may seem a bit dubious, but you will be comforted by the decor, which is awash in plush green throw pillows and sleek marble tables.

However, you’ll probably me made somewhat nervous again by a menu boasting so many odd date combinations. The signature couscous salad is brimming with lima beans, chickpeas, zucchini, tomatoes, figs and… care to harbour a guess? Alas, Bateel overplays it a bit, as the sweetness of the figs and dates overwhelms the salad.

The mains are lacking in flavour, and the pasta has an unpleasant, glutinous texture. The place comes into it’s own with dessert, however, and the dhibbs millefeuille (layers of buttery cream and date syrup sandwiched in puff pastry) is ideally light and a wonderful accompaniment to coffee.

Otherwise, the kholas date ice cream is creamy and has a thick, yoghurty flavour. Bateel Café isn’t a bad stop after a shopping frenzy, just stick to the pastries.

• Previous reviews
  • 13 September,2008- reviewed by Daisy Carrington

Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.