Abu Dhabi If you are looking for a meal made from farm-fresh organic ingredients, Café Mandarina is the place to go. But be warned, you will have to rely on the GPS and drive through a rustic landscape to get there.
Located near Deerfields Mall in Shahama, the family-owned restaurant uses produce sourced from local farmers and its own organic farm.
Set inside the Mandara Equestrian Club, the place offers horse rides and tree planting activities.
“It is like we’re cooking dinner for our family. We put in the same care as we cook for ourselves at home,” says Juwayryah Perez Urfali, owner, who plans to open another branch in Abu Dhabi this year.
Of horses and homes
What started out as a small family venture two years ago is now set to be a home grown brand with a fresh twist. “We never intended to have a restaurant here. The land on which the café and the equestrian club were built was supposed to be our family weekend retreat,” says Urfali.
Her husband developed a penchant for horses which led him to buy 10 of them.
They built a stable which caught the attention of some of the neighbours.
“They proposed to have a riding school. Once we opened that, the riders asked for beverages. We decorated what was originally supposed to be our living room to cater to the few visitors we had at that time. I brought my housemaid to help prepare some sandwiches. In a whizz, it grew into a full-fledged restaurant,” says Urfali
Fresh approach
Originally from Spain, Urfali was born and brought up in Lausanne, Switzerland. A cooking enthusiast from her early years, she has created a menu that features an interesting mix of Arabic, Mediterranean and English dishes.
“We use our farm products to make sauces, dressings and juices. We also source ingredients such as pure Swiss honey that substitutes sugar in the preparation of desserts and sweet beverages,” says Urfali. The organic farm from which most of the ingredients are sourced is just a 10-minute drive from the café. If they have surplus, they sell it to local stores.
“Despite the challenging location, the number of our visitors is increasing. We have noticed that there is a high demand in the market for healthy homemade food. Hence, we have decided to develop the brand, to cater to this need within the UAE as well as in other regions,”she adds.
For more information visit www.cafemandarina.com
