All-time favourites
The Coffee Club’s Berry Pancakes with Nutella
If, like us, you’d rather drown your pancakes in something chocolatey instead of maple syrup, step up to The Coffee Club. A single serving includes a stack of three fluffy pancakes that are covered in a Nutella sauce. A heap of berries add colour and a healthy kick. We could easily have this as the first meal of the day. Or the second. Or the third.
Dhs55. Open Sat-Wed 8.30am-10pm, Thu-Fri 8.30am-midnight. Yas Mall, Yas Island (02 565 0865).
Caramel Restaurant & Lounge’s Chocolate Chunk Brownie
This swanky joint does an impressive job of modern American cuisine. While its menu features a range of classic desserts like fondant, crème brûlée and baked Alaska, its chunky brownie will satisfy any chocolate cravings. A chubby brownie square (these are American-style portions, after all), bursting with bits of chocolate, sits beneath a scoop of ice cream and is flanked by swirls of cream. A few slivers of almonds and a drizzle of chocolate sauce and this old-fashioned sweet treat is ready to be devoured.
Dhs49. Open daily 6pm-3am. The Collection, The St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Saadiyat Island (02 678 3344).
Rodeo Grill’s Chocolate Soufflé
This steakhouse has perfected the art of well-cooked meat and light, delicately-risen soufflés. This, the restaurant’s signature baked dish, peaks an inch above its mould waiting for you to dive in with your spoon. A cooling quenelle of ice cream works as a soothing contrast to the rich, warm soufflé. And if it’s been a long, hard day, we suggest emptying that cup of chocolate sauce onto it before you dig in.
Dhs45. Open daily 12.30pm-3.30pm, 7pm-11.30pm. Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi, Al Zahiyah (02 697 9126).
Fifth Street Café’s Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake with Nutella
Step inside this downtown café for a sweet treat on the go. These extravagant cupcakes come studded with mini chocolate chips on top. Break one open to reveal a thick raspberry filling and a stream of gorgeous Nutella. The flavour combination is our favourite and one that can’t be beaten.
Dhs12. Open daily 6am-1am. Courtyard by Marriott Abu Dhabi, World Trade Center, Al Markaziya (02 698 2222).
La Brioche’s French Hot Chocolate
Okay, so the weather outside may not be ideal to sip on a warming cup of deliciously smooth, intense molten chocolate, with floating, semi-melted marshmallows, but we are true chocolate-lovers and we do not discriminate on the basis of something as fickle as the weather. We can derive just as much pleasure from a cup of hot chocolate as we can from the café’s triple-layered, mocha fudge chocolate cake. And after a sip from this cuppa, you will, too.
Dhs51. Open daily 8am-midnight. Dalma Mall, Mussafah (02 552 5486).
Carluccio’s Tartufo
You can count on this popular Italian chain to satisfy any and all sweet cravings you or your family might have. Tartufo is the Italian word for truffle, but this dessert is nothing like the perennial French sweet. A ball of chocolate and hazelnut ice cream encases a runny chocolate centre and comes coated with a dusting of cocoa powder. A triple chocolate treat that will work well after any meal.
Dhs32. Open daily 10am-10pm. Eastern Mangroves Promenade, Al Salam Street, Eastern Mangroves (02 641 2231).
The Foundry’s Warm Chocolate Fondant
Popular for its melt-in-the-mouth cuts of meat, The Foundry also serves up a range of beautifully presented desserts. While the team takes great pride in their original creations, they also pay tribute to the classics. Take, for example, their fondant. A river of chocolate oozes out of the cake as you cut through it. Mop it up with the pieces of fresh fruit on the side (or lick the plate clean – we won’t judge). The slate comes dotted with drops of fruit purée, berries and vanilla bean ice cream. And no, the fruit doesn’t count towards your five-a-day.
Dhs65. Open daily 7pm-11pm. Southern Sun Abu Dhabi, Al Mina Street (02 818 4888).
Creative wonders
BU!’s ChocolATE PIÑATA
Whoever said you shouldn’t play with your food didn’t think something like this signature dessert was possible. Diners are invited to take a (gentle) swing and break a chocolate globe that hangs over a custom-made board. Unlike a normal piñata, this globe isn’t filled with hard candy. Instead, you will find pieces of fresh coconut, fluffy marshmallows, gooey peanut butter brownies, crunchy meringue pieces, fresh berries, tropical fruit and melt-in-the-mouth Spanish churros. And in case all of that wasn’t enough, the tray also comes with a variety of dipping sauces and ice creams. This ain’t no party prop.
Dhs250. Open Sun-Thu noon-2am, Fri-Sat noon-3am. The Hub at The Mall World Trade Center Abu Dhabi, Downtown (02 666 8066).
Butcher & Still’s Tribune Tower Chocolate Cake
Inspired by the 1940s Chicago steakhouse, it is only natural for Butcher & Still’s dessert menu to include a dish that pays tribute to The Windy City. This dessert is a nod to the iconic 34-storey Tribune Tower that was built in 1925. The signature cake is a gluten-free, 34-layered tower that will require at least a few mouths to demolish. We suggest you don’t waste time counting the layers and just dive right in.
Dhs80. Open daily 7pm-2am. Four Seasons Abu Dhabi, Al Maryah Island (02 333 2444).
Catch’s Melting chocolate sphere
The stunning seafood restaurant offers great views of the Arabian Gulf and an overdose of chocolate, if you so wish. While it looks the same as other melting spheres, once hot chocolate sauce is poured over this one, it cracks open to reveal a scoop of chocolate mousse, marshmallows and pieces of chocolate brownie. Don’t say we didn’t warn you about the overdose.
Dhs59. Open daily noon-midnight, upper terrace from 6pm-3am. Nation Riviera Boat Club at The St. Regis Abu Dhabi, Corniche Road (02 611 0909).
Central Grounds’ Freakshakes
If you thought desserts are not a meal in themselves, then you can’t have experienced the wonder of the freakshake yet. Get a taste of this culinary craze at the Marriott Hotel Downtown to know just what we are talking about. You can pick from a range of flavours – citrus, pumpkin and so on – but the chocolate option will knock your sweet little socks right off. The mug runneth over with chunks of brownies, decadent ice cream and fudge sauce. You will need both hands and two packs of tissue when you indulge in this one. It gets pretty messy.
Dhs45. Open daily 6am-midnight. Marriott Hotel Downtown, Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street (02 304 47777).
Cho Gao’s Chocolate Ball on Banana Cake
The popular restaurant has an interesting take on the quirky melting ball dessert. A slice of flavoursome banana cake sits beneath a white chocolate ball, instead of being inside it, as is usually the case with desserts like this. The sphere splits open when you pour some hot chocolate sauce over it. And seeing as it is an Asian restaurant, the dish is served with a refreshing coconut ice cream.
Dhs32. Open daily noon-11pm. Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi, Hamdan Bin Mohammed Street (02 616 6149).
The Drawing Room’s High Heel Truffles
Ladies, don’t be fooled, the stylish, perfectly-crafted heels you see above aren’t meant to be strut around in. (Though the pop colours are perfect for the season.) They are in fact made of premium chocolate and completely edible. Each heel comes holding a trio of truffles, each in a different flavour – cherry, pistachio and coconut. Now that’s a pair of shoes you couldn’t possibly mind spending your hard-earned cash on, right?
Dhs45. Open daily 8am-10pm. The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Saadiyat Island (02 498 8888).
Le Café’s Palace Cake
Needless to say, the decadent treat found here oozes chocolate from every pore and is fit for a king. A layer of chocolate praline forms the all-important foundation that is topped with a layer of chocolate biscuits, chocolate mousse and a layer of chocolate jelly. Chefs then run a glaze over the top, before its gets a dusting of, you may have guessed it, 24-karat gold flakes, because, well, why not? All that glitters here is, afterall
Dhs45. Open daily 6.30am-1am. Emirates Palace, West Corniche Road (02 690 7999).
Tamba’s The Break-up
Patrons of the Indian-inspired restaurant will be familiar with the sweet story behind its dessert collection. The saga follows the romantic journey of Mumtaz – an urbane, sophisticated woman who falls for the male protagonist in the story. Each dessert on the menu is linked to a milestone in their relationship. The break-up, as the name suggests, characterises the end – it’s messy, indulgent and requires you to dig deep to find true happiness. The dessert is served in a mortar and pestle and leaves you feeling everything you hope for when you’re coming out of a break-up. It is comforting, lifts you up and puts a satisfying smile on your face. Inside the golden sphere rests a mixture of dark chocolate mousse, peanut semifreddo and salted caramel. If only every break-up was so sweet.
Dhs52. Open Sat-Wed noon-1am, Thu-Fri noon-2am. The Hub, The Mall at World trade Center Abu Dhabi (02 672 8888).
Villa Toscana’s Magnum di tiramisu’alle mandorle
Dining at Villa Toscana feels like you’re in the home of a Tuscan aristocrat. Although we don’t think you’d find this indulgent and creative dessert there. What might look like two chocolate ice cream bars from the outside, is a twist on Italy’s most favourite dessert – tiramisu. Underneath the chocolate casing lies a sweet combination of ladyfinger biscuits and espresso-flavoured mascarpone cheese. The dessert is served with a handful of mixed berries that give the plate a lovelt tang. It’s a playful dish that is bound to cheer you up.
Dhs50. Open daily noon-3pm, 7pm-11pm. The St. Regis Abu Dhabi, Nation Towers, Corniche (02 694 4553).
Why stop there… more chocolate experiences
Alison Nelson’s Chocolate Bar
The New York chocolatier Alison Nelson has two branches of her chocolate bar in Abu Dhabi, though we wouldn’t mind a few more. And here’s why… Our friends over at Time Out New York lauded the original outlet as the “Best Chocolate Store in New York” and who are we to disagree? From pastries and fondues to chocolate elixirs and ice creams, you will feel like a kid in a candy store. We’ll see you there then?
Open 10am-11pm. Yas Mall, Yas Island (02 565 0578). Other location: Dalma Mall (02 575 8294).
Butler’s Chocolate Café
Coffee cafés are so yesterday. We’re glad that the chocolate café trend took off successfully in the capital. While there is a tasty savoury menu that you can browse through at this café, most people walk in for the sweet stuff. Pastries, shakes, multiple varieties of hot chocolate are plenty, but the hot chocolate lava cake is simply molten glory.
Open daily 10am-11pm. Al Wahda Mall, Al Wahda (02 446 5141).
Club Membership at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
The returns on investment of membership at this club are very satisfying, trust us. This popular American brand has two outlets in the capital and signing up to The Chocolate Lover’s Club entitles you to discounts and offers and special gift vouchers. You are also eligible for exclusive deals on selected products. And, what’s more, your immediate family can use your card for all of the above and reap the benefits of your love for all things chocolate. Sweet deal, wouldn’t you say so? Sign up now.
Al Muhairy Centre, Zayed the First Street (02 634 8222). Other location: Souk at Central Market (02 639 8400).
Get covered in cocoa at Zayna Spa
While Everything Chocolate would have worked as a suitable headline for this article, it is also the name of a luxurious pampering treatment you can sign up for at Zayna Spa. The decadent treatment begins with a 30-minute cocoa milk bath ritual, followed by a 30-minute chocolate scrub to help exfoliate dead skin cells. If you thought that wasn’t indulgent enough, the deal also includes a soothing 60-minute massage that will definitely help you relax and put you at ease. And, before you start shaking your head at the over-kill, you should know that chocolate moisturises your skin, decreases the aging process, increases the firmness of skin, improves blood circulation, and even does its bit to get rid of cellulite. Not so ridiculous anymore, is it? Count us in.
Dhs815. Grand Millennium Al Wahda, Hazza Bin Zayed the First Street (02 495 3822).
Godiva Café
The heavyweight Belgian chocolate brand has been serving up unrivalled decadence for decades. So, raise a cup of hot chocolate, and toast to good times and delicious offerings. Order your choice of handmade chocolates and savour them while enjoying the café atmosphere. So much more satisfying than a salad, right?
Open daily 9am-midnight. Ground Level, Yas Mall, Yas Island (02 584 4221). Other location: Nation Galleria, West Corniche, Al Khubeirah (02 667 1223).
