Healthy bites with Bob Marley tea

DUBAI: Salad bars, sushi bars, ice-cream bars. Why, you probably have even heard of yoghurt bars here in the UAE, but cupcakes served over the counter? That surely has to be a first, right?

Well, novelty or not, Mellow Yellow is surely the place to be for your very own designer cupcakes.Take for example the Mellow Yellow Red Velvet cupcake with vanilla frosting (Dh12). Made with natural colours and organic ingredients, it’s a unique treat for anyone, cupcake lover or not.

“During Ramadan in 2009, my then 10-year-old daughter Mahabah started baking cupcakes for family and friends. They became so popular that she started taking orders. Soon I stepped in to perfect it with an eye on extending it to a wider audience. So here we are today with a bespoke cupcakes station. You can create your own cupcake experience by choosing from a selection of fillings, frosting and toppings just like how I once saw at a cupcake parlour in New York,” says Maha Al Mazrouei, the Creative Director - MAZ Investment LLC, the company that owns Mellow Yellow.

But then Mellow Yellow isn’t just about cupcakes.

The chic bistro, if you like, which opened in Uptown Mirdif just before Ramadan, also has an extensive menu that offers hot and cold dishes including a range of healthy choices and vegetarian options.

“It’s where you can grab a bite on the go all day long and head straight back to work without feeling heavy,” says Al Mazrouei.

If you want to start with a beverage, the herbal Bob Marley tea (Dh14) with chamomile, violet and rose, may just be the perfect idea. Not a tea lover? Don’t worry, there’s the refreshing Watergranate (Dh22), a cool blend of watermelon, pomegranate and mint.

Time for some real food. If it’s lunchtime, it has to be the hearty big-sized Beef Lasagna (Dh24) served with a green side salad. Light and golden baked, it’s sumptuous and meaty but incredibly light for a meal that does look ‘calorific’. Those who like to go light on meat can opt for the Roasted Rosemary Chicken and Lemon Zucchini Focaccia (Dh15). It’s the bread – crispier and tastier – that makes for a much healthier substitute for a pizza.

Health freaks have a number of salad options including the beetroot, feta and bulgur wheat salad (Dh24), chicken and roasted vegetable quinoa salad and the pumpkin, walnut and rocket salad (both Dh22).

There’s more for the vegans in some truly mouth-watering quiches (Dh24) served with green side salad. You could either try the dried tomato and feta quiche or the dried tomato and sauteed onion quiche. I went for the roasted cauliflower and bell pepper quiche though and loved it to bits.

Time to end the affair exactly the way I had begun, but this time it was with some very different kinds of cakes, like the Profiterole filled with blueberry cream (Dh16). Then there’s a zucchini cake served with date cream for the more exquisite ones.

You could also try the Cronut with a coffee cream filling and chocolate ganache topping. And yes, in case you are wondering, it’s a tasteful cross between a croissant and a doughnut. It’s the best of both worlds, and you’ve got to taste to believe it!

Details

Meal for two: Dh150

Location: Uptown Mirdif

Timings: Weekdays and weekends 10am-10pm

Ramadan: 6pm–3am

Call: 04-259 1500