DUBAI’S COOLEST From camel milk to fresh The diet killer: chilli, we’ve licked our way through litres of ice-cream doughnut ice-cream, and sandwich at Jam Bar frozen yoghurt to find our This brand-new café, opened by Qbara’s former pastry chef Elizabeth favourites in the city. Stevenson-Hocks, specialises in handmade ‘artisan’ doughnuts, ice- Edited by Penelope Walsh cream and retro treats such as soda floats. The most outrageous item he naughtiest and nicest way to on the menu here is the ice-cream keep cool this summer, as the sandwich, which allows you to choose temperatures soar into the 40s any filled doughnut, which is then Tand beyond, is undoubtedly with a sliced in half and stuffed with any scoop (or more) of ice-cream. While Dubai flavour of ice-cream you choose. Opting has long had a roaring trade in big-name for a cinnamon-doused doughnut brands from across the globe, in recent (which is already filled with custard) months we’ve seen an invasion of and chocolate ice-cream, what we get gourmet gelato joints, as well as a new looks like a mini burger. Stuffed to the high-tech trend for à la minute, uber-fresh brim, it’s suffering from a doughnut- ice-cream made with liquid nitrogen. hernia, with custard bursting through We’ve eaten extravagant , camel the dough at the top. Eating this like milk concoctions, Iranian iced treats and a burger in its wrapper, the sensation even bargain basement cones at the is similarly messy, as the ice-cream world’s best-known burger chains. begins to melt and ooze out a little Whatever you need to survive the around the sides. The result is no summer, budget-friendly or grown-up and doubt a diet killer, but a surprisingly gourmet, we’ve found it, tasted it, and pleasant experience. Every time we rated it here. take a bite, there’s an explosion in the mouth of cinnamon and sugar from Chocolate cranachan the dusting. The doughnut itself has at Fortnum & Mason a more dense and freshly prepared Show-stopping At Fortnum & Mason’s upstairs ice-cream quality than the average commercial parlour, the selection of sundaes are not doughnut, and the oodles of creamy cheap. Take the ‘ultimate white chocolate filling offset any sensation of dryness sundaes gold’ recipe (topped with sevruga caviar this might cause. and gold leaf) and it will set you back Dhs22. The Dubai Mall, Downtown Banana Royale at Morelli’s Gelato Dhs210. In other recipes, this London Dubai (04 330 8737). Scoops of caramel and vanilla gelato are brand channels some Scottish spirit with topped with fresh banana, caramel sauce, a chocolate sundae version of Scotland’s a flake and a maraschino cherry, but to famous cranachan dessert. Here, your that the signature sundae here comes make it really special, we recommend base of toasted oats comes mixed with piled high and smothered in extras. swapping the vanilla scoops for coconut. a little crushed meringue and chocolate Three scoops of vanilla Häagen-Dazs are, This gives it a fresh, tropical lift without popping candy, topped with plentiful honestly speaking, more than enough compromising all-important creaminess scoops of creamy chocolate ice-cream, for anybody, but at TCF they’re topped off and preventing it from becoming overly raspberry sorbet, fresh cream and fresh with approximately six inches of whipped rich. The super-silky gelato melts quickly, raspberries. It’s a combination that cream and almond pieces, and it comes so by the end you’ll be fishing pieces of goes perfectly, and an adult version of with a side dish of rich fudge sauce. banana from the soupy depths of the indulgence, but the prices here are truly Although the Dhs36 price tag is cheaper cavernous mocktail glass that the sundae eye-watering. than a comparable sundae at the nearby is served in. The little edible chocolate pot Rating: 3/5 Häagen-Dazs parlour, we still can’t help that holds the dulce de leche sauce is a Dhs120. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid but think that this is less of an indulgent definite highlight, but sadly, also the root Boulevard, Downtown Dubai treat than the many cheesecakes on offer of our only complaint: there is nowhere (04 388 2627). and suggest looking elsewhere for a pure near enough of it to cover the sundae. ice-cream fix. Rating: 4/5 Rating: 3/5 Dhs36. The Beach, JBR, Hot fudge sundae at Dhs36. The Cheesecake Factory, Chocolate cranachan sundae www.morellisgelato.com (04 427 9618). The Cheesecake Factory Mall of The Emirates, Al Barsha, at Fortnum & Mason Other location: The Dubai Mall Anyone who has eaten at The Cheesecake www.thecheesecakefactory.com (04 339 9053). Factory will not be surprised to learn (04 419 0497). 12 Time Out Dubai May 27 – June 2 2015 May 27 – June 2 2015 Time Out Dubai 13 La Fragola Coppa at The Time Out Sundae at Reform La Fragola Gelateria Social & Grill Does fruit cancel out ice-cream? This Exclusively made for us here at Time Out, sundae had equal amounts of both, so to celebrate the very issue you hold in we felt that finishing off this towering your hands, Reform Social & Grill’s Time creation must at least have been half- Out Sundae truly is something to behold healthy. La Fragola Coppa, served in a (see the picture on the cover) and taste wide, tall sundae glass was a riot of fresh (read on). Made bespoke in a frozen strawberries, pineapple, kiwi and mango, approximation of our ‘Time Out colours’, tucked into creamy scoops of ice-cream it’s a decadent mix of multi-textured – we detected strawberry and vanilla. The chocolate brownie ice-cream – the chunks whole thing was topped off with squirty within either chewy or crunchy, depending cream and rich strawberry sauce. Service on the mouthful – and beautifully sharp was slightly slow, but when we peeked cherry ice-cream that offsets the richness over the counter, the server was busily with a punch of tartness. Inlaid with cutting up the fruit especially for us, so we lashings of whipped cream and drizzles knew the whole thing was genuinely fresh, of deep cherry compote, it is, frankly, fruity and fantastic. an absolute treat – and the perfect Rating: 3/5 companion on a hot summer’s afternoon Dhs40 for sundae. La Fragola Gelateria, lazing by the pool. Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai Rating: 5/5 (04 4473628). Other location: Ground Dhs45. Available until June 10. Reform Level, Bay Avenue, Executive Towers Social & Grill, The Lakes, Emirates Hills, (04 422 8105). www.reformsocialgrill.ae (04 454 2638).

Peanut Butter Indulgence at Marble Slab Creamery With no tables and chairs, the Mall of the Emirates branch of this American import is very much about getting a varied sundae on the go. With dozens of flavours and mix-in options (candies, sprinkles, biscuits, nuts, fruits and chocolates), at Retro Feasts there are literally thousands of combos. Those expecting a traditional tall glass To keep things simple, we went for the bursting with ice-cream, syrup and ready-made Peanut Butter Indulgence. whipped cream with a cherry and wafer Eye-wateringly sweet but pleasingly creamy on top might be slightly disappointed by at the same time, all the ice-creams are the version served at Retro Feats. But freshly made on-site every at just Dhs20, it’s a steal. The vanilla day. A single helping could ice-cream is served in a small glass lined easily feed a family with tinned peaches and is topped with making this a good pre- fresh blueberries, strawberry syrup and or post-cinema treat. chopped mint. It’s a unique take on the Rating: 2/5 classic dessert and the fresh mint adds Dhs28. Marble Slab an unusually refreshing and cooling quality Creamery, Mall of – a great antidote to the summer heat. the Emirates, Rating: 3.5/5 Al Barsha, Dhs20. The Beach, JBR, www.thebeach. www.marbleslab.com retrofeasts.com (04 361 3596). (04 341 1182).

WIN! Reform Social & Grill is giving away five WIN… exclusive Time Out A month’s supply of gelato at Scoopi Café for you and a friend. The café has just Sundaes. For a chance launched new summer flavours such as fig, watermelon and tropical fruit. You can win a month of free scoops by answering the question below. to get your hands on one, enter our competition at What does Scoopi Café use to freeze its ice-cream? www.timeoutdubai.com/ before competitions a Liquid nitrogen b A freezer c Snow June 3. Enter at www.timeoutdubai.com/competitions until Wednesday June 3.

14 Time Out Dubai May 27 – June 2 2015 Grown-up Mr Freeze Hokey Pokey at Burgerfuel European chocolate Burgerfuel pedals its ice-cream options as at Scoopi Café 100 percent natural, and the Hokey Pokey scoops Don’t be put off by the soft consistency It’s all in the liquid nitrogen: Scoopi flavour doesn’t necessarily disappoint. of the tasters offered at this new ice- Café demonstrates its ice-cream It’s rich, it’s smooth, it’s sweet and it’s cream parlour on Jumeirah Beach Road. freezing process creamy but other than that, it lacks any Belgian dark chocolate They are made fresh each day, and for defining wow-factor. If you’re passing the and vanilla at Godiva display purposes only, since your chosen drive-through or visiting for the burgers, it Godiva makes delicious fine Belgian scoop will then be made fresh before will definitely make a satisfying dessert chocolates, so when it comes to ice- your eyes using liquid nitrogen to freeze for the sweet-toothed among you, thanks cream, the company simply sticks to what it. The process and helpful service to its big pockets of gooey toffee sauce. it’s good at, serving just two flavours makes this feel more like a boutique But on the whole, it leaves us with the – chocolate and vanilla – made on-site experience. Moreover, the finished product impression that we could probably find the and served with a restrained swirl of has an excellent, creamy, but not heavy same thing in most toffee-flavoured tubs chocolate sauce and a thin square of dark consistency. Plus, because it’s freshly in a supermarket freezer. chocolate. The dark chocolate flavoured made (with minimal ingredients and Rating: 3/5 ice-cream is rich and the vanilla acts as a minus many additives used in commercial Dhs14 per scoop. Various locations classic complement to this sophisticated ice-creams), the flavour has a clean including Jumeirah Beach Road, treat. The two flavours may not be as intensity of earthy cocoa to it. In addition www.burgerfuel.com/uae creative as some of the city’s other to new summer flavours coming soon, The process begins with cream (04 338 6924). offerings, but the richness of them will you can also sample some extremely poured into the mixer definitely appeal to a grown up palate. sophisticated-tasting Peanut Butter ice- Rating: 4/5 cream here, too. Salted caramel at Desert Island Dhs30 per cup. Citywalk, Al Safa Street Rating: 5/5 So new is this gelato spot on Kite Beach (04 511 4670). Dhs15 per scoop. Jumeirah Beach Road, that when we last visited, it didn’t even Umm Suqeim 2 (050 113 8497). have a phone number yet. The parlour has a varied selection of flavours on offer, but Coconut and hazelnut chocolate by far our favourite is the excellent salted gelato at Sapori di BiCE Hazelnut and salted caramel caramel gelato, which is just as richly The selection is small and the flavours gelato at Grom creamy as it is rich in flavour and perfectly classic. Opt for the paper cups and The nutty, sweet and salted flavours balanced between sweet and salty. Just choose as many flavours as you’d like combine excellently in this fresh, natural steer clear of the disappointingly icy to fill it – you pay per cup rather than and creamy gelato. Grom prides itself tiramisu flavour. per scoop. The coconut and hazelnut on inventive flavours – including some Rating: 4/5 chocolate flavours prove to be a dreamy, made with sheep’s milk and eggs. It uses The cream is cooled with liquid Funky Fresh Green Chilli at Flavours Dhs15 per scoop. Fazza Marine Club, indulgent mix; like a light and cooling recycled and biodegradable materials in nitrogen applied from the outside Add this to your ice-cream bucket list Kite Beach, Umm Suqeim nutty-flavoured chocolate Bounty. its cups and spoons, and 100 percent immediately. The flavour is a moreish (no number). Rating: 5/5 organic fruits grown on its farm, Mura flavours combination of something sharp and From Dhs13. The Beach, JBR, Mura, in Italy, making this a delicious, sweet (not unlike what we image a sweet www.saporidibice.com (04 344 2550). guilt-free, guilty indulgence. Camel milk gelato green pepper jelly bean would taste Rating: 5/5 at Geewin Café like), a hint of creamy pistachio with an …And now for From Dhs19. Box Park, Al Wasl Road, Geewin’s small gelato stand, the only spot unexpectedly refreshing kick. Not enough www.grom.it/en (no number). in the city exclusively selling camel milk to set your mouth on fire but enough guilt-free treats gelato, overlooks the Creek from beside to give you a pleasant, prickly tingling an Abra station. It’s a pleasant sensation. It’s most definitely Pecan Praline at Yogurtland Strawberry ice-cream spot to pause on a tour of sweet, but somehow there All of this fro-yo chain’s flavours are at Lab the souks, with gelato to is a savoury undertone, either low-fat or fat-free, but only a Yes, this is simply strawberry ice-cream, match. It doesn’t have too. Flavours also sells couple are usually sugar-free – and but this parlour is one of a new breed of The liquid nitrogen-cooled the silky smooth texture a number of traditional according to modern science, sugar Dubai eateries that use liquid nitrogen cream is churned that you’ll find in a Indian options such is the real culprit behind a world-wide to freeze their product instantly before traditional gelateria as , but the rose obesity crisis. So, if you fancy a truly your eyes. So what it quite literally tastes – it has an icier flavour filled with guilt-free treat while you’re trawling the like is fresh strawberries (complete with and less combined chewy pieces of rose mall, head here. Sweet, creamy and (of seeds and recognisable textures of fruit consistency – but the petal and cashew course, artificially) caramely, even the fibre) and cream. The result is still sweet hazelnut flavour is is similarly sublime: most seasoned palettes would struggle and creamy in all the right measures. The rich, nutty and verges crisp, creamy and not to tell it apart from its more calorific downside to this ice-cream shop, though, on chocolatey. And overly-perfumed as cousin, Yogurtland’s salted caramel is that there is no display case of tasters the camel milk some rose flavours pecan. Push the boat out and top it off and staff are overly keen to upsell (‘only makes it almost criminally Fresh Green Chilli can be. with fresh raspberries, banana and real a small cup? What about a waffle? What creamy, too. at Flavours Rating: 5/5 pecan crumbs for the win. about toppings?’). Rating: 4/5 Dhs7 per scoop. Flavours Ice Dhs2.99 per 28.53g (1oz). The Rating: 4/5 Dhs23 per scoop. Creekside, near Cream, Street 4a, Al Karama, Dubai Mall, www.facebook.com/ Dhs22 per small cup. The Dubai Mall, Deira Old Souq Abra Station, Deira www.flavoursicecream.com yogurtlanddubai (056 174 4081). Downtown Dubai (056 344 5567). Et voilà: nitro-goodness (no number). (04 397 8784). 16 Time Out Dubai May 27 – June 2 2015 May 27 – June 2 2015 Time Out Dubai 17 gelato isn’t organic or anything fancy, but it is made with fresh cow’s milk and cream. The Snickers gelato is a chocolatey delight packed with pieces of peanut, milk chocolate and caramel. There are no ice crystals in it, so you get a smooth finish with every mouthful. And the tub fits about three generous scoops. Rating:4/5 Dhs10 per small cup. Bacio Gelato, City Stay Hotel, Al Barsha, www.bacio-gelato. com (04 323 2949). And even more… Billo Ice-Cream An ice-cream parlour, decorated in colourful Desi style, selling faloodas, and ice-cream flavours such as chikoo or rose. Near Lamcy Plaza, Bur Dubai, other great import to the area – saffron. www.billoicecream.com (04 396 4426). Cash-friendly Rating:4/5 Other location: Damascus Street, Dhs5. Jaffer Biman Ali Cafeteria, Spice Al Qusais (04 259 2933). Souk, Deira (no number). cones Ice Factory This ice-cream spot on JBR has Ice-cream cone Mango Fusion a uniquely ethical philosophy. All at McDonald’s at Burger King materials used are recyclable or This simple treat is pretty In this limited-edition ‘fusion’ recycled, from the cups and spoons straightforward. For just range, swirls (not scoops) of ice- your ice-cream comes in, down to the Dhs1 you get a small, sweet, cream are poured into a cup and staff uniforms and chairs you sit on. vanilla ice-cream served in a ‘fused’ with a variety of flavours The company also donates a monthly wafer cone. It’s a cooling and such as cookie and chocolate percentage of their profits to local satisfying treat on the go and brands. The mango flavour charity Dubai Cares. great value for money. It can, complete with super-sweet sauce The Walk, JBR, Dubai Marina, however, melt quickly due to and chunks of fruit make this one www.theicefactory.ae (055 889 4400). its watery texture, but for the of the best-value options in town. value of getting down to the Rating: 3/5 Silk Gelato cone, it’s easy to just eat Dhs7. Burger King, Various This new gelato store serves a it faster. locations including The Dubai selection of flavours such as green Rating: 4/5 Mall, Downtown Dubai, apple, Oreo or Snickers. Dhs1. Various locations www.bk.com (600 522 224). European Business including Dubai Media City, Center, Green www.mcdonaldsarabia.com/uae Community, (600 588 885). Snickers gelato at Bacio Gelato www.silk For just Dhs10 you can’t go wrong with the gelato.com gelato in this little ice-cream shop. The (052 884 9610). Iranian faludeh at Jaffer Biman Ali Cafeteria This hole-in-the-wall stall has been serving this iced Iranian treat to sweaty Spice Souk customers for more than 75 years. The mixture is a cup of frozen vermicelli, rosewater, lemon juice and rose syrup. It combines sweetness, aromatic flavour and fresh sharpness with an icy cold temperature and offers the perfect way to cool down while bargaining over Iran’s 18 Time Out Dubai May 27 – June 2 2015