La Passion Cafe

La Passion Cafe

La Passion Cafe has been on my mind since the past 1 month. Though I honestly wouldn't even know about this place had it not been for the voucher I was gifted, reason being, it’s located in Reem Island and I haven't really discovered much in Reem Island as yet.

In fact I also tried visiting this place about 2 weeks back but ended up losing my way and did not reach the destination. Finally last weekend I decided to go here and try out Moroccan cuisine for the very 1st time with my family.

The manager of the outlet recommended the buffet they were serving, but that did not seem to impress either of my family members and hence we decided to go with a la carte. We ordered for chicken breast in mushroom sauce, chicken tagine, seafood tagine and brochettes chicken.

Tagine, I believe is referred to as a pot which is served with a semi-gravy dish. The chicken tagine was marinated in lemon and olives. This was very appetizing, however it wasn’t boneless (And just a reminder, I can’t stand chicken with bone)

Chicken Tagine

As for the seafood tagine, this was basically fish tagine and the fish was so soft that it almost melted in my mouth. The spices used in this dish tasted very Indian and masale-dar, in fact what’s funny is that my mom thought it tasted exactly like this ‘Punjabi Machli’ she has had before.  But nonetheless, it was flavorsome.

Fish Tagine

Moving on to the Chicken in Mushroom Sauce and Chicken Brochettes, both these dishes had one thing in common; they lacked tenderness, it was almost impossible to break the chicken into pieces. The mushroom sauce was mouth-watering and really blended well with the chicken. The chicken brochette on the other hand could have been a little juicier.

Chicken Brochette

Chicken in Mushroom Sauce

We also ended our meal with Moroccan tea that was simply out of this world and was one of the best I have ever had.

Mr. Taib pouring the Moroccon tea

The interior of this place is slightly random but not bad either, it's like any other ordinary cafe in a mall. In fact the mall this is located in, i.e. the Boutik mall is filled only with cafes.

The manager Mr. Taib was attending to us and he was extremely sweet and friendly. He also spoke to us quite a bit about Moroccan food and culture.

The prices are average; it’s about 45 - 50 per dish.

Overall it was quite a good experience trying out this new cuisine.

I would rate this place a 3.5/5

Zaatar W Zeit

Zaatar W Zeit has a very unique, or as we Indians would say 'Hatke' concept, it's a blend of Lebanese and Italian food. 

The menu comprises of salads, wraps, pizzas and a few appetizers. I tried out two variations in the pizza and two variations in the wraps.

To start off with the pizza, I called for the Ultimate Cheese Pizza and Chicken Barbeque Pizza. 

The ultimate cheese was a complete delight for a cheese lover like me; it was smothered in 4 cheese and oregano. There wasn't too much of tomato sauce thankfully. The crust was thin and crispy. This was priced for 33 Dirham’s.

Ultimate Cheese Pizza

Moving on to the BBQ Chicken Pizza, this obviously was loaded with barbeque sauce along with chicken that was very well cooked, mushrooms, green pepper, onions and cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Here again the crust was brilliant. Also I think it would be safe for me to say that it was one of the best BBQ chicken pizza's I've had. This was priced for 42 Dirham’s.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

The quantity of the pizza is suitable for 2 people.

Next we have the Wraps; we called for the Baked Falafel Wrap and the Spizy Chicken Wrap (and no that isn’t a typo for spicy) I'm usually not a fan of spending 30 Dirham’s or so on a wrap when I can have a main course for around the same price, but thought might as well give it a try.

Starting with the Spizy Chicken, this was basically marinated chicken with bell pepper, spinach, onions, melted cheese and a spicy sauce on top. The sauce was very mild, it was barely spicy, or maybe that's just the Punjabi in me talking. But the melted cheese was extremely breath taking. This was for 33 Dirham’s.

Spizy Chicken Wrap

Lastly the Baked Falafel Wrap which was a delicately spiced falafel mix seasoned with sesame syrup topped with parsley, tomatoes, turnip, radish and mint. I think it was absolutely bizarre for my friend to pay 22 Dirham’s on a falafel wrap, you could get almost 70 falafels for that (just saying) anyhow coming back to the wrap, it was no doubt good, it was minced falafel with all the right sauces complimenting it, but not sure I would want to spend that much on falafel. (I could be a little too judgmental sometimes)

Baked Falafel Wrap

The common factor between both the wraps was that it was really filling. 

The ambiance of the place is like any other fast-food joint, but their prices are slightly more than a casual fast food restaurant. Also since I visited the branch on Salam Street there were no tables catering for larger groups. But for that you could always visit the branch at Abu Dhabi Mall. 

What I absolutely adore about Zaatar W Zeit is that, it is one of those very few brands who go all out with Social Media presence and that has also helped them create such a strong brand identity.

Overall  it was a great experience, I would definitely recommend the place and looking forward to visiting Zatar W Zeit soon. 

I would give it a 4/5