A relatively new Cafe slash Delicatessen held a media morning for bloggers like myself to taste their breakfast offering.

Pantry Cafe has the same concept as Jones the Grocer, just in a more intimate setting. 

I love the interior of the coffee shop. It's sort of an open kitchen for the salads, antipasti, beverage sections but of course the hot food section remains semi hidden. I can see the oven and the chefs moving about but I don't necessarily see or know what they're preparing.

When we visited Pantry Cafe, it was also their market day. The day where independent suppliers tied up with RIPE (organic producers) exhibit their products. It was a fun experience having your meal and getting all sorts of food-tastings from these suppliers, but not fun to be interrupted though. Of course foodies like us do not mind it at all, I just wonder how other paying customers feel about the constant intrusion in the middle of conversations. Me? I got to taste chocolate nibbles from an NYC chocolatier (super sweet!), cocktail olives (super yum!), Italian olive oil with bread, and so much more.  

I'd like to think that Pantry Cafe is a cross between the TV show Friends' Central Park and the Aussie Jones the Grocer. Quirky yet a tad upmarket.

We sat down and chit chat about everything under the sun while we wait for other bloggers to arrive. Once the dishes started arriving, it was non-stop and in big portions!

We tried, Shakshouka, Middle Eastern Breakfast, Spinach and Feta Crepe, French Toast, Organic Oats, and mini croissants filled with Caprese, Grilled Chicken Mayo, Turkey Ham, Wagyu Bresaola, Norwegian Smoked Salmon. We were too full that we needed to take a break and plead with their Chef's to stop sending out more food until we get the rest we need. There are a lot of hungry people in the world so we know we will end up munching it just to make sure we did not waste any.

Over all, we enjoyed the food, some we were indifferent but most we were quite happy.

I will come back and will definitely order the Spinach and Feta Crepe as well as the ShakShouka. I know my husband and kids will lot every morsel of them breakfast.

If there there is anything I will say for improvement, it will be the service and coffee. During my time in the cafe, of course the server is on standby but not for the rest of the diners. They do take a while to get served. I remember my coffee getting cold too quickly, I'm not sure if it's the percolator's fault or it was served on our table after a long time it's been on the cup. And the coffee that I got was not anything special... granted I'm very low maintenance when it comes to coffee... I always order the boring Cafe Americano. Maybe if I order something fancy and complicated they'll whip out something super special... I'll have to come back and see.

Decor
I love their decor, open plan with rustic elements. I even love their washroom, it's like your Aunt's old place in the country, meets industrial era.

Market day with RIPE. Eat Fresh. Local. Organic.

Breakfast treats in uber generous portions!

This is my second post about Oushe... they are indeed one of my fave but mostly because they offer something no one should ever, ever, ever miss.

Moist Fruit Cake, Festive Legendaries and Gingerbread cookies for everyone to decorate... now tell me that's not enticing enough!

It's like moist Turkey, this was my first fruit cake that I didn't hate... it definitely was not dry, hard as rock and it didn't have alcohol! It was just a glorious piece of art and love from Reem to everyone.

Festive Legendaries which I hope will be a staple, served me from insanity couple of times. Just a pop of it made me literally happy and so I must drop by and get my supply before crazy meeeh appears again. That and hot coffee... aahhhh feet up, relax and enjoy the flavour.

I and my kids enjoyed decorating our gingerbread cookies.... I have never attempted to make one and  so it was the first for me and the kids... such fun! I tell you if you have kids, nephews, neighbors (which all of us has)... you must buy them in boxes!

It's the 23rd.... go run to Oushe or call them quick!

Humming what? You ask? Hummingbird Bakery I say.

I have never heard of Hummingbird Bakery and do not know about their story. I normally am the type who prefers the small and personal bakeries over the big kahunas of the industry. I'm the type who always go to corner shop bakeries back home or any other countries I had the pleasure of visiting. Those are the places that tells me stories, and who doesn't like an interesting story?

In this bustling city of Dubai however, bakeries ala corner shops are few and far between. I do have strong affiliation to the Davids in this battle with the Goliaths, but as a foodie, I have to think that Davids can't be the underdog forever, at some point in their business lives, they'll hope to grow and belong with the giant leagues.... and so with an open mind and a great appetite, I marched down to Hummingbird Bakery to give it a shot.

The entrance of the bakery is a welcoming sight to behold. It's open and airy and you feel like you're either being welcomed with a humongous hug or you are being enchanted by the gorgeous treats. I love the motif a whole lot. The varying colours of pink contrasting the brown screams "scrumptious" and "decadence". It's classy without being snobbish. Their décor says WELCOME to all walks of life, young and old, man or woman as long as you have sweet cravings, ENTER (at your own peril... hee hee hee! *witch's squeaky voice)

Right from the counter and cashier are seven tables that could sit fourteen customers. I know, we had the same thoughts,,, a bit of a small area to dine in or hang out. They serve hot and cold drinks which will be ideal after a loooong walk roaming the mall. Plus their treats are indulgents... one will require extended sitting to fully enjoy the HBB experience. 

Maybe they'll take some space outside their shop once they get inundated with customers' request or maybe they will not and just promote customers to grab and go. Either way, it's worth a trip.
 

Seated smack in the middle of the sitting area with a good view of HBB traffic and mall roamers, I waited longingly though patiently for the selection of cupcakes to arrive. I had fun admiring the cupcakes on display by the window. I counted all 100 of them. Real cupcakes with real icing of different colours. A little sad to find out that it's disposed of after three days. I just consoled myself with the fact that not all of their creations will be sold before it's expiration so why not recycle them as part of their décor.

And so... after just few clicks... tasting begun.

It is a clever thing that they use the actual crumbs of the cupcake to know the flavour. I supposed with the selections they have, it is easy to get confuse.

The one in front is the Red Velvet Cupcake with cream cheese frosting. Next to it with brown bits on top is the Black Bottom and the one with the mint colour frosting and confetti on top is the Vanilla Cupcake. The adopted child next to BB sporting a walnut on top is the Carrot Cupcake

I started with the controversial name, the Black Bottom. Wowser! It is chocolate indulgence. I'm not much for the icing, it's hard to please me with icing. I'll look at it, adore it, taste a little of it but that's just about it. I always go straight to the essence and these baby has flavours reminscent of a cross between Chili's Molten Lava Cake (yes, unless you've been living under a rock, you know what I'm talking about) without the caramel & ice cream, and yummy fudgy brownies. It's so good, it's obscene. Dessert glory indeed.

Next in line was the Red Velvet, it's what you expect from a red velvet, it's chocolatey cupcake garbed in red robe. The cream cheese frosting adds a good dimension to the cupcake but still... too sweet for me.  

The Vanilla Cupcake is the mellowest of them all and so if you are not into scientific combinations or you want to balance out the other sinful treats in front of you, make Vanilla your breather cupcake. :P

Last of the cupcake I tasted was the Carrot Cupcake. It had a wonderful texture, balance flavour, it's almost close to home for me... almost tasting like a home-made carrot cupcake and that's how I want carrot cupcakes to make me feel.

As if I'm not yet full to the brim... additional goodies were asked for tasting.

Up there is what's called, Red Velvet Whoopie Pie. I stubbed it, ate a little bit and stared at it. It is soooo pretty. It's my first time to eat whoopie pie and I have no point of comparison. The texture of the pie is a cross between a really dense brownie and a cookie. The filling is cream cheese and marshmallow mixture. A bit on the sweet side for me. Whoopie pie seems to be just not my thing. I researched about how it should be and it seems like HBB did as per the recipe. So for anyone who loves Whoopie Pie... head to HBB and go whoop-a-doodle-doo! They also have Chocolate Whoopie Pie where the filling is much simpler, it doesn't include marshmallow. Anywho, for Whoopie Pie experts, please let me know if it taste how it should be :)

Last but not the least and my second favourite... Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownie. This surprised me more than any in the shop. The raspberry whipped cream was fresh and light. It's so fresh that it has to be eaten an hour after it's bought. Doubt though that it will last untouched for an hour. It's like biting on clouds. The cream cheese added another level to the overall taste and married the light whipped cream and the dense rich chocolate brownie in harmony. What a beautiful dessert.

Of all the goodies given to me for my boys, one stood out... the BLACK BOTTOM, hands down. My youngest even did a pause, a stare and a "WOW, that . is. so. good!"

I didn't get the chance to taste the others because frankly, though I would l ike to be the epitome of a true fooderati, I'm still human and I cannot taste every single thing on offer no matter how much negotiation I made with my will power.

It was an enjoyable tasting day but here comes a tiny wee bit of my constructive suggestions: more tables, better quality paper bag (mine started deteriorating before I reached the car), hummingbird dusting on some drinks just like on the brownie bar and a little less grainy on icing, unless of course that's how it's always been, then pppfffft! DO. NOT. MIND. LOONY. ME.

I took lots of pictures of the other ones though, they look yum. Enjoy the rest of my humble shots!

Hummingbird Bakery is in the lower ground floor of the Dubai Mall, across Patchi.

If you're like me who have not heard of Hummingbird Bakery... then CLICK HERE to know a little of their history.

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