As a true blue foodie, I relish the adventure of discovering new places to eat, and my walkathon across The Dubai Mall last weekend was no exception.

The Dubai Mall, for those of you not familiar with the UAE, has been listed under the Guinness Book of World Records for the biggest number of retailers under one roof. You can therefore imagine the size of the place… its humongous! And its a great place to window-shop and burn them calories while you’re at it! 

Jam Bar

All this retail therapy sure whets the appetite, and my urgent need to satiate my sweet tooth saw me in Jam Bar.

Jam Bar in Dubai Mall has a breath-taking close-up view of the Dubai Fountain, and it was pretty zen sitting by the gushing waters as I dug into my sweet treats.

I love the look of Jam Bar. The cheerful red and white stripes look so retro and inviting, and goes perfectly well with the menu on offer: donuts, coffee and soda floats.

Although I walked in for a coffee, the retro theme along with a soda float seemed more apt. It reminded me of Archie comics, and the soda shop where Archie met up with his girls.

I went for the Italian Cream Soda. This is a decadent blend of vanilla ice-cream and soda that has been accentuated with the fizz of soda, and topped with whipped cream and a cherry.

Although it is essentially a thick, heavy milkshake, the soda makes each sip feel less sinful, light and airy. I avoided the whipped cream. Wonder how Betty and Veronica managed to stay in shape with all those sodas? Perhaps these are best shared… with Archie!

At a donut specialty place, of course I had to have a donut! The friendly staff pointed out the newest donut on the menu; the Coconut Mango Donut. It sounded so wonderfully tropical, that I had to give it a try.

I’ve read past reviews on Jam Bar, and many swore these were the best donuts they’ve had in the UAE. My first forkful was not very impressive. I found the donut pretty dry, and the coconut shavings added to the dehydrated first impression.

However, as I dug in, I was impressed to see the donut was really loaded with custard! The custard itself is delicately flavored with mango, and looks like its been whipped on the stove till it got all thick and creamy. Delicious! This Jam Bar donut is literally jammed with custard, and this itself elevates it in status over many other popular donut retailers.

Le Pain Quotidien

Located on the first floor of The Dubai Mall, the rustic wooden beauty of Le Pain Quotidien is hard to miss. The restaurant also has an alfresco dining space that looks out into the Ice-Skating Rink, but I opted for the privacy of a little corner in that cozy Parisian ambiance.

For AED 75, I chose their Angler brunch. This hearty meal includes a plate of smoked salmon, a soft boiled egg, a freshly baked croissant, two thick slices of baguette, a serving of butter and fresh guacamole, and a mini granola parfait. The meal also includes a hot beverage of your choice, and a freshly squeezed orange juice.

The presentation of the meal is beautiful! I could see other diners get click-happy too when their orders hit the table 🙂

This all-day brunch is great value for money, and the restaurant itself is the perfect spot to dine alone and catch up with a good book, or get on to more blogging!

Jamaica Blue Street Food Fest

I met up with a friend for coffee later into the evening at Jamaica Blue, Downtown Dubai. I’ve seen gorgeous outdoor advertising for the brand across Dubai, and assumed this was yet another coffee joint to hit the UAE.

However, there’s more than coffee on offer here! Jamaica Blue is currently running a Street Food fest, and their limited edition menu brings together Jamaican flavors with interesting meat and fruit pairing.

Unfortunately I was too full from my earlier foodie rendezvous to try out the Street Food menu, but I definitely want to give the Beef & Beetroot Relish Burger a try on my next visit.

Many of the world’s top restaurant chefs are increasingly experimenting and innovating with street food. One such chef is Danika Heslop, Executive chef at Jamaica Blue. She opines “The beauty of the street food is simplicity, the best street food serves beautifully balanced flavors in every mouthful, which gives it the wow factor.” Street food, she says, cannot be mediocre because the vendors focus on that one dish and people are willing to line up for it.

Three completely different foodie haunts from three different corners of the world, all in one shopaholic haul! This, truly, is the beauty of living in the UAE #foodiehaven