German Doner Kebab - Jumeirah Lake Towers - Cluster W

[caption id="attachment_4347" align="alignnone" width="470"] German Doner Kebab[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4345" align="alignnone" width="470"] shaving of Meats imported directly from Germany[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4354" align="alignnone" width="470"] Me enjoying the Doner kebab box(chicken/beef or mix with salad) - Dhs 30[/caption]

Love Doner kebabs for their veal shawarmas. Doner kebab which originally is a turkish dish, has now come with a new iteration by the German Doner kebab. The whole style of making remains the same except there is a change in sauces and meats used. The meats are directly imported from Germany. It's one of those fast food chain where you don't feel unhealthy, infact you just want to have more of it. German Doner kebab is located in multiple locations in Dubai and the one I've showcased here is their venue at Jumeirah Lake Towers. Service has been quick and of course shawarmas have the least waiting time.



[caption id="attachment_4342" align="alignnone" width="470"] Ayran - Dhs 10 - Yoghurt based drink[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4343" align="alignnone" width="470"] Juices powered by Berry Company - Dhs 12[/caption]

The only in house speciality drink for them is the Ayran which I thought was excellent. It's a yoghurt based drink with pepper mint (the same you would normally get complimentary in an Iranian restaurant when you order a meal). Otherwise they just have the packed juices supplied by the berry company and soft drinks.

[caption id="attachment_4348" align="alignnone" width="470"] Beef/veal Doner Kebab sandwich - Dhs 28[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4349" align="alignnone" width="470"] Doner kebab box with salad - Dhs 30[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4350" align="alignnone" width="470"] Durum Doner Chicken - Dhs 32[/caption]

Having eaten years of different of shawarma in Dubai, I feel the veal Doner kebab sandwich is the best tasting beef sandwich. If you've not eaten doners before then you must try as the taste is completely different. The German Doner kebab makes it even better with their special sauces, juicy tasting veal and super load of vegetables in their sandwiches. Wish these sandwiches started at a lesser price so I could visit them more often specially when I have a cravings for shawarmas. You can even mix chicken and veel for the same price. For those who love to eat more meat and no bread should try their their Doner Kebab box which is packed with meat and along with it, you could either opt for fries or salads. My combination for the kebab box was salads and veal which was awesome. I was disappointed with their fries though. Too thin to be exciting for me, wish they made better fries. The DURUM doner sandwich meant you will be getting your sandwich in a tortilla wrap instead of bread.

[caption id="attachment_4344" align="alignnone" width="470"] Fresh salads that go into every sandwich[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4351" align="alignnone" width="470"] Veggie Doner - dhs 25[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4353" align="alignnone" width="470"] A piece of Veggie Doner - Dhs 25[/caption]

There was this hidden gem at doner kebab which was their veggie doner. The veggie doner was suprisingly very good. I would prefer to have the veggie doner than the chicken sandwich. Rarely does a vegetable sandwich win over chicken. All their sandwiches by default contains lettuce, tomato, onion, red cabbage with 3 different sauces which is spicy, garlic and yoghurt. For veggie doner they add egg plants, carrots, red bell pepper and potato with cheese which is not found otherwise. This is a must try for all the vegetarians they are going to love this bite!

[caption id="attachment_4352" align="alignnone" width="470"] Onion rings - dhs 15[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4355" align="alignnone" width="470"] Lahmacun with cheese - Dhs 20[/caption]

I tried the Lahmacun with cheese and felt this one would be more suitable for kids. As it felt a little too bland after tasting those heavy duty doner kebab sandwiches. One thing they don't have for you is the desserts :( So maybe some good dessert and better fries would be a nice change to see at the German Doner Kebab. They also have a toll free number that you can order which is 800-Doner(36637). Refer to their website to see their detailed menu which is http://www.donerkebab.ae. Click pictures below to see them in full screen view.

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Brownie Blues competition

[caption id="attachment_4337" align="alignnone" width="470"] Entrance to Brownie Blues at Jumeirah Plaza[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4333" align="alignnone" width="470"] Brownies at Brownie bluess - classic brownie - Dhs 12 and flavoured - Dhs 15[/caption]

It's competition time! I had visited Brownie Blues this weekend and had the privilege to meet Mrs. Arva Abbas who is the founder of Brownie Blues. Besides baking quality brownies, Brownie Blues make brownies look elegant in their adorable packaging and can be a perfect companion for that special occasion. Arva who first started baking brownies for her children at home got overwhelming demand for her brownies from families and friends for occasions and parties. After selling of over 8000 brownies from home alone, decided to open up a store in Dubai specializing in brownies covering the gap noticed in the market. A classic brownie will cost Dhs 12 and a flavoured brownie Dhs 15. Thanks to Brownie Blues, 3 participants in this competition will win a dozen of these magnificent Brownie Blue brownies. So scroll down to read more and participate to win. All the best!

[caption id="attachment_4334" align="alignnone" width="470"] Flavoured brownies - Dhs 15 per piece[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4338" align="alignnone" width="470"] Me holding the PEANUT BUTTER brownie - Dhs 15 per piece[/caption]

Besides the classic brownies, you can also order brownies of different flavours which is again a unique offering by Brownie Blues. The main ingredient remains the same for all their brownies which is swiss dark chocolate, butter, free range eggs, flour, fresh cream and a flavour gets added to the main ingredient like peanut butter and peanuts or ferrero rocher chocolate with hazel nut paste or philadelphia cream cheese with a dash of white vinegar or coffee with vanilla extract or Dates & almonds with vanilla extract etc depending on the kind of flavour you choose. Some of their flavoured brownies would be:

• Oreo cookie brownies


• Orange brownies


• Rocky road brownies


• Red velvet brownies


• Fruit & Nut brownies


• Peanut butter brownies


• Ferrero Rocher brownies


• Mocha chunky fudge brownies


• White chocolate brownies

[caption id="attachment_4336" align="alignnone" width="470"] Brownie Blues Counter[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4335" align="alignnone" width="470"] Brownie Blues signature wraps and packages to offer. Perfect for special occasions.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4340" align="alignnone" width="470"] Me unboxing my brownies(box of 6) - dhs 80 from Brownie Blues[/caption]

Brownie Blues emphasizes on their packaging as much as their brownies. It begins by wrapping their brownies in a grease proof paper. Then placed inside a sturdy gift box. Followed by custom colored stickers/notes based on the occasion along with matching ribbon in color. Once unpacked you will find a wooden spoon along with descriptive cards describing each brownie found inside the box. The first time I opened my box of Brownie Blues, I remember how elegant and exciting it was to unveil these brownies from their gift box. An impressive gift to anyone with a sweet tooth. Brownies at Brownie Blues can be ordered online at https://brownieblues.com.

[caption id="attachment_4339" align="alignnone" width="470"] Me holding the winners prize( a pack of 12 brownies) along with Arva Abbas, Founder of Brownie Blues[/caption]

So the gift box which is in my hand in the above picture can be all yours. I am holding that 12 Brownie Blues gift box which will be taken home by 3 participating winners. The contest is simple as always. With an interesting concept and elevating brownies to the next level at Brownie Blues, tell me "How would you spend an hour, if you were left at Brownie Blues". Feed me the answers in the form below and winners will be announced on March 1st evening on the top right of my page.

[contact-form subject='Brownie Blues competition'][contact-field label='Name' type='name' required='1'/][contact-field label='Email' type='email' required='1'/][contact-field label='Mobile Number' type='text' required='1'/][contact-field label='How would you spend an hour%26#x002c; if left at Brownie Blues ?' type='textarea' required='1'/][/contact-form]

Pie Face bakery cafe - Dubai Marina Walk

[caption id="attachment_4298" align="alignnone" width="660"] Entrance to Pie Face at Dubai Marina Walk[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4297" align="alignnone" width="660"] Pie face interiors[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4302" align="alignnone" width="660"] Custom designed regular pies - follow dubaicravings on instagram and twitter[/caption]

In your face, Pie face! Here's a bakery, a little different from the usual in Dubai who has specialized in sweet and savory pies alone. The pies always reminded me of the tom and Jerry cartoon where we often see pies thrown at each other. Pie face which is originally from Australia is now steadily growing in UAE. Their first store is in Yas Mall, Abudhabi but this one at Dubai Marina Walk is in a much better spot with great views of the Yachts and tall Marina towers. The smileys on the pies make them attractive and somehow I was able to connect to it with all those smileys we often use today ;)

[caption id="attachment_4301" align="alignnone" width="660"] The marina view from our table at pie face[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4299" align="alignnone" width="660"] Ice blended - Dhs 22 - From left: strawberry shake and Mocha[/caption]

We sat out as we wanted to take advantage of the wonderful weather and beautiful views. We first started with 2 cold blended drinks. The strawberry shake was a burst of fruit freshness. It is my recommendation to any of you who is planning to make a visit to pie face bakery cafe. The cold mocha got better during the later sips than in the beginning.

[caption id="attachment_4300" align="alignnone" width="660"] mini pie - Dhs 8 per piece and Dhs 20 for 3[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4303" align="alignnone" width="660"] The inner content of mini minced beef pie - dhs 8[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4305" align="alignnone" width="660"] regular sized chunky steak - Dhs 20 - half eaten[/caption]

I love puff pastries and the ones here are butter based pastry finished with a golden top. Pie face mainly sells chicken, beef, lamb and vegetable pies. You can actually see freshly baked pies getting refilled every now and then at their counter. I would just stare at those smileys initially figuring out which one to pick. When the pies came onto our table I had to match each smile to the respective flavour looking at their menu. so for example some of the smileys meant the following:

• U - chicken and mushroom


• V - curried chickpea(V)


• O - Thai chicken


• P - peppered steak


• L - Arabian Lamb


• Z - Pizza


• M - classic minced beef

My favorites would be the peppered steak, pizza and classic minced beef. There are only 2 veggie options, pizza and curried chickpea. If you are a veggie go for the pizza which is much better than curried chickpea which has an in house made tomato chutney in it, so no ketchup required for these pies. What I really didn't like at pie face were the plastic cutleries which wasn't really helping. Hence I quit the fork and ate comfortably with my hand.

[caption id="attachment_4306" align="alignnone" width="660"] mini sweet pies - Dhs 8 per piece[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4307" align="alignnone" width="660"] mini apple crumble sweet pie in focus - Dhs 8[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4308" align="alignnone" width="660"] my favourite - chocolate pie - dhs 8[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4309" align="alignnone" width="660"] sweet pies - dhs 8 per piece - from left: caramel, berry white chocolate and chocolate[/caption]

They make sweet pies too. I am not really a fan of sweet pies but I tell you that mini chocolate pie did hit me hard with its' rich chocolate taste. Others like the caramel and berry white chocolate also had the same texture but felt closer to cream in taste. Apple crumble looked pretty from the outside but after a bite realized not my kind of taste. Any of those pies that had creamy texture like the above picture were to my liking.

[caption id="attachment_4310" align="alignnone" width="660"] cappaccino - Dhs 12 - small[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4311" align="alignnone" width="660"] Me with faces of pie face[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4304" align="alignnone" width="660"] win a pie or coffee at pie face after meal[/caption]

They make good hot coffee. In fact their coffee has even won an award in the Golden Bean Awards. Sweet or savory, the pies comes in two prices and sizes. Regular size at Dhs 20 and mini size at Dhs 8. Also note they use quality products for making their pies like they use canola oil and meat like premium lean beef etc hence the pricing is a little on the higher side. Plus it is located in a magnificent location. Here's an interesting one, all customers at pie face get a chance to spin the wheel for a chance to win a coffee or a pie :)

Click pictures below to see them in full screen view:

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Vintage chocolate lounge - Dubai Mall

[caption id="attachment_4267" align="alignnone" width="660"] Me lost at Vintage Chocolate Lounge[/caption]

Love chocolates? then this is the post for you ;) Vintage chocolate lounge is a lounge for chocoholics. They've got so many treats and tricks to offer you that you will be mesmerized. This lounge is a regular sight for movie viewers at Dubai Mall as their store is located just opposite to reel cinemas. Surprisingly they even serve breakfast at their chocolate lounge which I doubt anyone would know until they have a look at their new menu. Infact, my breakfast was so good here that I thought they make better breakfast than chocolates.

[caption id="attachment_4258" align="alignnone" width="470"] Vintage Chocolate Lounge - interiors[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4261" align="alignnone" width="660"] Vintage Hot aztetc chocolate - Dhs 28 - blended with hot chilli[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4260" align="alignnone" width="660"] drinks - From right: shrek - Dhs 24 (mint chocolate ice cream shake) and Passion fruit - Dhs 30 (blend of passion fruit, orange and pineapple)[/caption]

An elegant looking lounge from the outside with a dark theme inside having illuminated designs on the walls. A perfect spot for those love birds :D We first started with their drinks. Firstly I was happy to see their quality menu with big wide pages and pictures which was useful in guiding us to make an order. For the drinks, the green shake did attract my eye for the color. The shrek shake which was a blend of mint chocolate ice cream was pretty strong in taste that the passion fruit juice felt tasteless. Maybe it's a good idea to sip the juice first then try the shake. When I drank their hot chocolate I got two reactions. The first reaction, you appreciate the quality of their chocolate and what a divine sip it was, the next one was a frustrated one which was a spicy sensation in the mouth. I then realized I've ordered a spicy hot chocolate which got me frustrated. Later I noticed, the description clearly mentions blending chilli with their hot chocolate. I think it's good if they reconfirm with their customers if they prefer to have spice in their hot chocolate cause not everyone should necessarily notice that chilli coming.

[caption id="attachment_4259" align="alignnone" width="660"] Chocolates made by Vintage Chocolate Lounge - Dhs 4 per piece[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4264" align="alignnone" width="660"] Eggs Benedict - Dhs 31[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4263" align="alignnone" width="660"] Eggs Benedict - Dhs 31[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4262" align="alignnone" width="660"] Hallomi sandwich - Dhs 26 - hallomi cheese, olives, rocket leaves, mint, zaatar and fresh olive oil dressing[/caption]

We then started with breakfast but they said my eggs benedict will take around 15 mins to prepare. So to kill time we tried some of their quality chocolates which were made in house. They had truffles, milk and dark chocolates with different fillings like almond, caramel, honey etc. I was quite impressed with their honey filled dark chocolate where you can actually taste real honey inside the dark chocolate. If I wanted to try the same one at Godiva I'd have to pay Dhs 8 so this is affordable by half the price. Then came in our breakfast which was unbelievably good. It's one of the best eggs benedict I've had. Those plain croissants on top of eggs benedict really defined a croissant. I never appreciated a plain croissant until I had this one. Crispy, light, puffed and so fresh in the mouth. It's surely one of the best I've had. Quite surprising that a chocolate lounge can be so good with their breakfast that's totally non-chocolate. Everything so perfect with it including the mushrooms which tasted so good.

[caption id="attachment_4266" align="alignnone" width="660"] Fruit tarts - Dhs 37 - 7 types of flavour strawberry, blueberry, cranberry, pecan and almond[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4269" align="alignnone" width="660"] choco - sushi - Dhs 45 - assortment of raw cocoa rolls[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4268" align="alignnone" width="660"] Cocoa Crepe - Dhs 27[/caption]

If you don't like sushi don't worry. Here's one that you'll love to try. Although I feel assortment choco sushis are a little over priced(dhs 45) but it's got some interesting combinations for you to enjoy which also includes mini cheese cake wrapped with chocolate. Dip them in the sauces accompanied especially their chocolate one and you just want to have more of it. Actually majority of the items in the sushi assortment package reminds of crepes, so felt it was an over kill when we ordered the cocoa crepe separately. Their crepe was the only one I wasn't really happy at the vintage chocolate lounge . The crepe was on the thicker side which was a turn off :( I prefer them as thin as possible. I am sure they can make some improvement here. Assorted Tarts were made well and I loved their chocolate filled tarts.

[caption id="attachment_4272" align="alignnone" width="660"] Pecan Fondant - Dhs 37 - chocolate dessert with pecan pieces with your choice of ice cream[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4265" align="alignnone" width="660"] chocolate cake - Dhs 17[/caption]

Their hot pecan fondant was the man of the match from desserts or atleast I'd like to say it was my favourite. It came hot and once you crack open you see that hot chocolate lava flowing out. As you eat it you feel those pecan pieces which makes this dessert exciting. They have some cakes to offer and we tried their signature chocolate cake which was very rich in chocolate and you really appreciate the quality of chocolate they use in this one. Quite heavy as well.

[caption id="attachment_4270" align="alignnone" width="660"] Jewel Box - dhs 35 - chocolate dessert containing pecans, brownie, ice cream, truffle.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4274" align="alignnone" width="470"] Me with Vintage chocolate lounge staff[/caption]

So here's a valentine special. It's their special Jewel Box. You pour hot chocolate sauce over this beautiful golden dessert, melting open the top surface unveiling brownie, wafer and a floating vanilla ice cream. How cool is that? By the way, all ice creams they serve are made in house. Ice creams were ok in taste, it wasn't great like their chocolate. Overall I am quite impressed with Vintage chocolate lounge for their high quality and authentic chocolate experience. Even more impressive was their breakfast with eggs benedict. They might be a little over priced for some of us but here's a good news. They are giving away 50% off on total bill just for today(Valentine's special). Click here to view their facebook page.

Click here to view pictures in full screen view:

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