Dubai: If leaving behind a carbon footprint while eating out is matter of concern for you, then this newly-opened restaurant may just be the thing for you.
Touted as Dubai’s first modern ‘green’ café that relies completely on solar energy, Inn the Park was unveiled last fortnight amidst claims of being the most eco-friendly restaurant in the emirate. “Everything inside the café – from kitchen appliances to the air-conditioning runs on solar power. I am certain we are the first such restaurant in Dubai,” says Aussie founder Josh Benson.
Located inside the Al Khazan park, relaunched last year as the country’s first park to completely run on solar power, the bistro will be open every day from 9am to 6pm and will serve modern café cuisine. “Unlike other restaurants, we have a lot of constraints like not being able to use a normal restaurant grade kitchen oven but as we keep working towards this green concept I am sure soon we will be able to open for longer hours and cater to more people when we become more energy efficient,” adds Benson, a successful restaurateur who also runs Bystro, a European-style bistro on Shaikh Zayed Road.
Running on three solar panel installations that generate roughly about 56kw of energy daily for the entire park, Benson says, his café - built around an open air library as well - serves a mix between proper sit down ala carte and a grab-n-go menu.
So the next time you enjoy one of their garden bowls of shredded kale and chickpea falafel or a breakfast classic like eggs benedict with a cup of golden latte over a best-seller, you can thank yourself for indulging in a truly eco-friendly meal.
