Going for gold with a gold flake cappuccino to match? You must be headed to Emirates Palace’s Le Café.
But, come early and plan ahead. Le Café’s afternoon teas need to be reserved – and paid for in full – at least 24 hours in advance and there’s no refunds on the Dhs485 set for two. Gulp.
After you’ve paid, you are emailed a few pointers of what to do (no videos of the other guests, please) and wear at the afternoon tea. Don’t let these put you off because you’re not going to be turned away at the door for not wearing your tuxedo or diamond tiara. The dress code is smart casual and guests are relaxed in demeanor and dress on our visit.
It doesn’t matter whether this is your first time or fifth (lucky you) at the iconic Abu Dhabi landmark, Emirates Palace takes our breath away every time, and walking gown the grand hallways to the afternoon tea setting will already leave you feeling awestruck. (Like we said: Come early to get in some ‘gram time and because you’ll get your steps in).
Le Café is vast and open so it feels like you’re taking tea in the grandest of gold-tinged living rooms (we can dream) with the occasional guest or tourist ambling about. With such a prized setting, our expectations are sky high. After being sat in a boujie chaise lounge, we are given a welcome drink, topped with edible gold leaf in a glass to match, of course. With the experience likely being new for so many, we would have appreciated guidance about what was in the drink, let alone what’s to come.
We are left feeling slightly clueless but dazed when the afternoon tea’s cake stand is brought out with sandwiches and desserts. The cake stand itself isn’t a splashy gold stand but a minimalist (gasp) thing of beauty. Rest assured, there is enough gold on the patisserie and even savoury selections. (We’d love to know how much gold leaf Le Café goes through in the average day.)
Ingredients are equally flash, including house-smoked salmon, lobster, caviar and a rose, foie gras, and 24-karat gold dust macaron that might be the fanciest bite we’ve ever eaten. Le Café accommodates dietary requirements, if the latter isn’t your bag.
The confusion continues with wondering when to order our hot beverages and where the scones are, and it takes flagging down a server to get our orders in. Our advice: Order when you can because the grand hall means staff sometimes do not see you, or it will be a while before you get your drink. On our visit, we had to reorder our second cuppas, and the time it takes to get them creeps toward 20 minutes. It appears to be a problem not exclusive to our table, yet it doesn’t feel overly busy.
Getting a hot drink might be on the slower side, but the advantage of Le Café’s afternoon tea is you choose more than one kind of beverage, meaning you can try Emirates Palace’s signature gold-flaked Palace Cappuccino or its equally iconic Camelccino, made with camel milk and more gold leaf. (We do.)
Wondering where the scones are at? Scones (and surprise rose madeleines) come out hot, when you’re ready for them after you’ve tucked into your sandwiches, arriving paired with passion fruit curd, date jam (with dates from the palms at Emirates Palace), strawberry jam and whipped cream. We scoff the plain and pistachio scones, but the raisin are a bit sad, with just four raisins stuck on the outside of each one.
If it’s a glitzy afternoon tea you’re after, make your way down the grand hallways for an equally grand experience. We’re hoping on our next visit service will be as golden as everything else.
Dhs485 per set. Daily 2pm-6pm. Licensed. Emirates Palace, W Corniche Rd (02 690 7999).
