The Coffee Club { Al Bateen}




As Abu Dhabi continues to grow, new areas of the city just keep popping up...like Marasa in Al Bateen.  It is a brand new development of some really nice eateries, an outdoor area and it all overlooks the yacht harbor of Al Bateen....not a bad view. I went specifically to check out the new Australian cafe, The Coffee Club.  While they already have some international locations, it is still a rather newcomer to Abu Dhabi! 

When I arrived a little before noon, the place was packed!  Breakfast is one of their biggest pulls so it was no surprise.  Their menu is vast with everything from fluffy pancakes and egg dishes to grilled salmon and hearty salads.  I always feel bad for chefs at those places, having to memorize such a variety of dishes.  But, The Coffee Club does it well. It actually reminds me of The Cheesecake Factory...a huge menu, but somehow everything is pretty tasty. AND I really appreciate that they use organic eggs and UTZ coffee (which supports sustainable farming).And the coffee is delicious. More about that in a minute...  
I started with a taste of breakfast and quickly discovered they serve up some super creamy scrambled eggs, and decadent pancakes and french toast.  Think Cinnamon Ricotta Pancakes with salted Caramel and Caramelized Banana...but what are weekends for?

The lunch options are not as indulgent but equally delicious.  They change their menu every so often and are currently featuring a quinoa spinach salad with lots of satisfying texture and flavor.  The grilled Salmon Nicoise is another new menu item.A generous piece of salmon sits on top of crispy green beans, cherry tomatoes, fingerling potatoes, and black olives in a bright mustard vinaigrette. Now all of you meat eaters, plug your ears, but one of my favorites was actually the house-made veggieburger. A large patty made from beetroot, goat cheese and butternut squash is topped with guacamole, tomatoes and rocket, enclosed in a buttery brioche bun. Totally flavor-packed. 

But if you are passing The Coffee Club and you just want to stop in for a coffee or sweet, you are in luck!  They do some amazing coffee.  Strong, flavorful, and the lattes/cappuccinos are creamy and rich.  While they thankfully stick closely to creating pure traditional coffees, they do have a separate offering of a spectrum of sweet shakes and frappes. Perfect for the heat.  The barista, I believe must be an art school grad because these were serious works of art.  Each swirl of whipped cream or caramel sauce was placed intricately and perfectly (and quickly!).  As Lotus flavor seems to only be getting more and more popular (I know I am certainly not getting tired of it), The Coffee Club has created a Lotus layer cake: White cake layered with Lotus butter cream.  They feature their sweets in the window at the counter, so you may find it a bit hard to resist...     

Marasa, AL Bateen 
(Other locations at Yas Mall and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque)
Usually open 7:30 am to Midnight- check location specifics










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