The world famous Café Najjar makes a debut in Dubai setting up home on the stylish Emaar Boulevard. Joanna Andrews went to sample its delights…
La Maison du Café – Café Najjar, which has taken the Lebanese market by storm, opened its doors at Boulevard Emaar Plaza on January 6, 2013 providing a whole new world for coffee connoisseurs in the UAE.
The location is outstanding. Situated in the fashionable Emaar Boulevard in Downtown Dubai, the café is nestled just a stone’s throw from Dubai Mall’s Fashion Avenue and a few steps away from the world’s tallest building – the Burj Khalifa. The world's most-visited boulevard has just been renamed ‘Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard’ after the Ruler of Dubai.
A WORLD OF ITS OWN
The internationally renowned Lebanese coffee concept that was set up by coffee kings Café Najjar has been in the market for more than 50 years and has come to be known in 57 countries.
As soon as you step into La Maison du Café – Café Najjar you feel like you have entered another world. The Arabesque décor, intermingled with French flair and a touch of art deco, makes you feel right at home. From the vaulted ceilings hang red crystal chandeliers, and the aroma of coffee is divine.
The Dubai-based café has already become known as the place to come for a traditional Lebanese coffee. But there are many other delectable delights to get your taste buds working. The bistro offers excellent coffee in a wide range of aromatic flavours. Diners are spoilt for choice with a selection of 17 blends of coffee; from a local coffee to the more traditional Latin American blends.
At Café Najjar, preparation is key. The drinks are prepared to perfection by experienced barista’s. The most expensive coffee on the menu is Jamaica Blue Mountain – which costs AED 750 ($205) per kilo, or AED 35 ($9.50) per serving.
The menu explains the characteristics of each coffee and how it should be served. For example, the Dubai Blend, which represents the power of the desert, is best served plain or medium sweet.
Louay Moursel, operation manager at the café, says, “We serve our coffee as fresh as it comes. The beans are roasted in Lebanon and ground here when the customer orders it. We do not grind in large quantities, and it’s never kept for the next day.”
To top it off there is a wide choice of salads, sandwiches, main courses, followed by tantalizing homemade desserts. Signature dishes include the ‘Chef Special Salad’ or the ‘Philadelphia Steak Sandwich’, and you can finish it off with the famous ‘Fondant au Chocolat’.
Of course no Arabic café would be the same without Shisha. The café offers a vast array of flavours from two apples, a variety of mint combinations, lemon, orange, strawberry to Ajam and Sall Oum.
With the Middle East’s love of fine coffee and a touch of Lebanese and French flair, Café Najjar is sure to be a great success with locals, resident and tourists alike.
La Maison du Café - Café Najjar
Boulevard Emaar Plaza
(Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard) Tower 2
Tel: +971 4 449 1177
www.concettouae.com
SPOILT FOR CHOICE!
Coffee selection at La Maison
du Café - Café Najjar
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Beirut Blend
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Brazilian
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Blond
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Brazilian
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Colombian
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Costa Rican
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Dubai Blend
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Espresso Italian
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Espresso decaffeinated
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Ethiopian
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Ethio-Mocha Blend
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Harrar
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Ivory Cost
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Indonesian
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Jamaica
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Blue Mountain
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Mocha
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New Guinea
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Santos