The Boulevard Café, which opened on April 1 this year, is already a favourite with Downtown Dubai residents and passers-by especially during weekends.
I spent a lovely night chatting with my friend in the café's boulevard, which offers fascinating views of Burj Khalifa and The Address hotel. And although cooling fans in the outdoor boulevard area kept the heat at bay, I would recommend sitting outside during the winter or late evenings in the summer.
Christian Antoine, the Mauritian chef, said the menu revolves around freshly made pastries, croissants, crepes and Danish bread. Antoine recommends the bestselling Boulevard Brekkie for breakfast.
If you plan to visit for lunch or dinner, the Croque-Madame is a good, filling option and comes with a choice of crisps or salad. My companion tried the Salade Nicoise and mixed fresh-fruit salad. The food came in generous portions.
If you choose to visit the café at night, small reading lights are provided to help you read the menu on the dimly lit table.
And if you like to smoke shisha (hubbly-bubbly), you can choose from a range of flavours, single or mixed — including the mint-and-grape shisha.
A bonus to the regular shisha layout is an ice fridge that is used to provide a cooling sensation to the throat when smoking. The café also offers hygienic, disposable shisha pipes.
Whether you're looking for a hearty and healthy breakfast with reasonable prices and friendly service, or a romantic night out with your loved one, or simply want to chill out in the evenings, Boulevard Café is worth a visit.
Overview
- Location: Al Manzil Hotel, Dubai
- Cuisine: French Bistro
- Design: Modern and elegant furniture in romantic ambience
- Seats: 38 seats inside, 20 seats on the terrace, 28 seats outside on the boulevard
- Opening hours: Breakfast daily from 7am-1pm, (Fridays and Saturdays until 2pm); lunch and dinner daily until midnight
Visit: www.almanzilhotel.com
