Café Bateel Presents Their Exclusive 2019 Iftar Menu

  • Category: Food
  • May 26, 2019

Café Bateel launched its 2019 iftar menu this year and we were invited to sample it. We visited the Mirdif City Center branch and like all of their venues, this Mediterranean styled café emanates a cozy ambiance with inviting Arabic hospitality. The journey of Bateel began in Al Ghat, a town in Central Arabia, known for its sweet water, rich soil, and ideal climate for date production. Here is where the idea of gourmet dates was born with Bateel’s premium dates harvested here. And globally, Bateel has a network of premium cafes, boutiques, and artisanal bakeries all over the world.

The gourmet Mediterranean iftar menu starts with a platter of Bateel organic dates and a Bateel date shake; followed by a basket of their assorted breads—rye, French, and whole meal. This is served with their in-house date balsamic vinegar and olive oil which we mixed together as a dip for the breads.

Then there is a selection of starters and main dishes—all healthy—as well as desserts. Of the starters, two are salads—including Bateel couscous and the antipasti plate. We opted for the other two starters which are soups—the black lentil soup was a thick and hearty soup with potatoes, served with crunchy lemon and zaatar croutons. My daughter opted for the Mediterranean Farro soup which was a medley of borlotti beans, faro grains, and fresh kale and extremely satisfying.

There are five main courses which are a well-thought out assortment of dishes highlighting protein, seafood, and vegetarian selections. Being the carnivore that I am, I ordered the lamb confit and faro risotto which was a tender lamb boneless shoulder served with Umbrian faro grains and chickpeas with a medley of caramelized onions and Greek mushrooms. It was accompanied by warm lamb gravy which imparted a juicy succulent flavor and made it even more moreish. The other dish we tried was the marinated tiger prawn linguine served with cherry tomato and crab bisque, generously drizzled with basil and lemon.

After all of this delicious food, we were still ready for a sweet treat. The Café Bateel iftar serves a wonderful selection of their signature desserts on a platter per person accompanied by their aromatic qahwa. The platter included Bateel date pudding, classic cheesecake, the Qahwa cake, and the dark chocolate Madagascar chocolate cake. My favorite of the four, though all were delicious, was the Bateel date pudding and the classic cheesecake. The mini sizes were just enough to satiate our sweet tooth without going overboard.

The Verdict: A healthy, yet extremely satisfying iftar menu, Café Bateel never fails to impress with their tasty, home-style gourmet menu. The service here is friendly and the entire iftar experience will make you feel right at home.

Visit:   www.bateel.com/en/cafe/concept/