Baker & Spice

Pricey UK chain seeks to source local and organic fare 2 Reviews

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Sourcing local produce in desert-bound Dubai is a noble and arduous task. And yet the Dubai outlet of Baker & Spice – an up-market deli-cum-café from the UK – has managed to fill its menu with organic produce plucked from Sharjah and sustainable fish from the shores of Oman. Its philosophy, plastered on posters tucked away throughout the halls of the Souk Al Bahar, is simple: ‘Organic. Local. Fresh. Homemade.’ It turned out that some of these things were mostly true. When I asked the waiter if the Al Ain chicken was organic, he frowned and shook his head, as if the question were a little ridiculous.

Still, the menu ardently claimed that sourcing ingredients was of the utmost importance, and that everything in the kitchen was made from scratch. Because nothing beats fresh gnocci, my date and I split an order made from spinach and potato. A bowl of airy little puffs arrived drowned in a creamy, over-salted tomato sauce, a bit like angels with wet wings. What is the compulsion in Dubai to kill tomatoes with salt and sugar? My date and I took to shaking the ethereal little clouds before us to free them of their dressing, an effort that was well worth it.

For a main, my date had four large, deep-fried Omani sardines. It was a lovely dish. The sardines tasted as fresh as the ocean itself and were rolled with lemon gremolata before being coated in a delicate batter. The only issue was that these were just too filling. The dish would have worked better if there had been less of it, and if it were a starter instead of a main.

I took a risk for my main and ordered a Canadian ribeye steak. It’s always scary ordering steak outside, well, a steakhouse really, and I wasn’t sure what I was in store for. But I was intrigued not only by the quality of the beef itself, but also by the accompanying side of Saudi potatoes. I can safely say that these were the best potatoes I’ve had in Dubai. They came out vibrant yellow, and seemingly mashed then roasted with a luscious salty crust. The steak itself – juicy, tender and devilishly buttery – was also prepared beautifully. A risk well worth taking.

Portions are large at Baker & Spice, so my date and I decided to split a dessert. Our waiter steered us towards the pavlova, which given the state of our stomachs proved a trifle too sweet. We appreciated the smattering of fresh fruit that topped the meringue, but we would have preferred it if there was more produce and less cream, meringue and other sweetening agents.

There are some unequivocally brilliant dishes at Baker & Spice, and it would be easy to forgive the occasional misstep if it weren’t for the fact that the restaurant is on the pricey side – especially as it bills itself as a cafe/deli. Of course, we appreciate that more thought is given to the ingredients than at many venues in the city, we’d just like a bit more thought to be given to customers’ pockets.

The bill (for two
1x Large bottle Tau water Dhs18
1x Gnocci Dhs48
1x Ribeye steak Dhs115
1x Sardines Dhs60
1x Pavlova Dhs42
Total (service excluded) Dhs283

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