Clinton Street Bakey - Burj Views, Dubai

All day breakfast? Yes please! All the way from NYC, Clinton Street Bakery brings good ol' American homey food to Dubai, where breakfast is served any time of the day, full of fresh ingredients, unique dishes, and brilliant baked goods. In NYC, Clinton Street is somewhat a weekend ritual for the residents, and in a place like Dubai where decedent weekend dining is a normal right of passage for any UAE resident, this joint is quickly becoming overly popular, with many customers swapping the usual boozy brunch for a carby one at Clinton Street.

The menu houses a selection of dishes from standard breakfast specials including omelettes, eggs benedict and homemade granola to the more exquisite plates including buttermilk biscuit sandwich comprising of scrambled eggs, melted cheese, homemade tomato jam and hash browns, crispy potato cakes with apple sauce and cinnamon sour cream and the infamous fried chicken and waffle.

Right round the corner from FlyBarre and FlyWheel, the two locations go hand in hand with most people at the weekends heading down for a work out before indulging in pancakes or brioche french toast, and as you can imagine, on a Friday morning the queues become vast with everyone lining up to reward themselves to a post work out treat. Due to living the other end of town from this brilliant bakery, I haven't quite made it for breakfast yet, however dinner was not dissimilar. Before heading for my massively anticipated dinner, I headed for a quick spin to work up my appetite (which worked a treat). For dinner, my friend and I started with homemade lemonade which was delicious and full of sweet and sour flavours, before settling down for the main event. Between us we shared a portion of the famous fried chicken and waffle and the Mexican favourite Huevos Rancheros accompanied by a small pot of sweet potato mash doused in maple syrup and melted butter. Even though all dishes hit the spot, as expected, the fried chicken won the race. Covered in their signature maple butter, with a crispy aspect to the dish, it was the perfect way to end a busy day. Never did i expect three completely different components could go so well together.. i was proven wrong at the first mouthful.

This little gem also offer takeaways, and a range of cakes, pies and biscuits giving customers the chance to take a little piece of Clinton Street home with them. Martha Stewart approved, it is clear to see each dish is made with a lot of love (as well as a lot of butter) and is a definite 'must visit' for all Dubai residents.

The Farm - Al Barari, Dubai

The Farm was definitely the kind of place I didn't expect to find in Dubai... Even though I had heard of its wonder. From driving down the bleak and unscenic Emirates Road towards Al Barari, you are all of a sudden welcomed into the arms of greenery - winding roads bound by large leafy hedges, grass and flowers which not only lead to incredible villas but also to The Farm which is tucked away in the heart of the complex.

Probably one of my favorite types of restaurants, The Farm understands the words organic, gluten free and dairy free which is something that hasn't completely caught on in Dubai yet, and not only offers a menu full of options for everyone but also has a small shop giving customers the option to take a slice of 'The Farm experience' home with them. Set among exotic flower beds, tidy lawns, trickling lakes and kitchy furniture and bridges, you have both a tranquil indoor area plus outdoor seating on decking among the vibrant oasis. Not only is it great to go for breakie, lunch and dinner, in the cooler months I can see myself taking a book and setting up camp in one of the idyllic hammocks whilst consuming copious amounts of coffee and dozing in the winter sun.

On this occasion the sun was beating down, however The Farm had it covered.. quite literally. The outdoor areas were covered and cooled so you could still enjoy the scenery without sweating. Breakfast was a mixture of eggs, fruits, amazing smoothies and truely scrumptious gluten free coconut and blueberry pancakes washed down with coffee. A combination of great food, perfect setting and friendly staff creates an incomparable ambiance of peace, calm and relaxation and even though you feel a million miles away from the flashing lights, The Farm is a mere 15minute drive away from MOE making it a weekend must! Be sure to treat yourself to a morning at the oasis of flavor and tranquility...

Tom And Serg - Al Quoz, Dubai

My new home away from home, this is the first place I have been to in Dubai which actually reminded me of London (minus the rain of course). Hidden in Al Quoz, its a slight pain to find (just round the corner from Ace Hardware off SZR) but its worth the trouble. Resembling an old iron warehouse, this all indoor haunt is as quirky as they come (well for Dubai anyway!) covered in large chalk boards, iron and wooden tables and chairs and the odd plant scattered around. With additional bench seating, cosy arm chairs and white brick walls upstairs, these digs keep in line with the arty farty galleries which surround it.

The line for a table was out the door when I finally pitched up at midday so i promptly made by way to the hostess to get my name on the list before heading to the counter to get a take away coffee to pass the time.. "Vanilla skinny latte please" i asked, which provoked a laugh from the man serving me.. apparently they don't offer flavored syrups OR skimmed milk..! Hungover, tired and now slightly grumpy I took their advice and got a bog standard Latte and boy o boy i wasn't disappointed - if I could trade this for my daily Starbucks I think i would in a heartbeat. It was tasty, rich and the perfect temperature (as well as being 15aed a cup!).. bliss. 

10 minutes later I was seated, my friends had arrived and coffee number two was on route. All of a sudden FREE water appeared in-front of us in branded Tom and Serg bottles.. tape water?! Indeed... however not from Dubai (thank god)! They produce it in Northumbria and send it over to Dubai for the happy people at Tom and Serg to consume.. This is definitely a first, and i hope the rest of Dubai catch on to this sometime soon! The menu isn't extensive but well crafted housing a mixture of healthy salads, breakfast favorites and meaty mains. It was clear to see that a lot of love and care had gone into creating the menu and each item was described to a point where you could imagine what it would taste like. This was going to be a tough decision.. then, as if he read my mind, Serg appeared with a smile on his face asking if he could help with anything. Finally, after a quick Q&A, the orders were made and the food was on route. I picked their Indonesian specialty , Our Gado: Fried egg/spiced quinoa/zucchini/eggplant/cauliflower/silken tofu/

steamed bok choy/gado sauce, whilst others opted for the roast lamb salad, sweet potato salad and smoked salmon and poached egg. The food was everything but a let down.. extremely tasty, decent sized portions, displayed beautifully and cheap! There were 4 very happy customers with very clean plates. 

Our Gado

Sweet potato salad

Smoked salmon and poached egg

Lamb salad

Following another cup of coffee it was time to go (3 hours later.. how time flies when you are having fun, eating good food and drinking good coffee). With a thank you and a wave (and a bit of a shake due to coffee overload) we left promising myself i'd be back soon. Best brunch/lunch spot in Dubai - excellent food, friendly and speedy service with a smile, owners who are more than happy to mingle with the guests, THE BEST coffee, really reasonably priced and a great atmosphere all round. 10 out of 10!