La Maison du Cafe Najjar – great food & lively ambience

Every now and then you stumble across a hidden gem, which is sometimes not so hidden, but just hasn’t received the spotlight it deserves. One such place is La Maison du Cafe Najjar. Located right opposite to Dubai Mall, and towered by the mighty Burj Khalifa, La Maison du Cafe Najjar is a stylish restaurant and cafe that serves a mix of Arabic and Lebanese specialities, drinks and juices, an extensive coffee selection and sheesha flavors – all with a touch a continental appeal.

Some of the bestselling features include live music, terrace seating, ladies night with free sheesha for the girls and a very happening NYE package. Read on to find out more.

Mocktails – made to impress

Let me tempt you first with a handful of drinks we tried from a pretty long list of options.

Peach Treat – made with peach, apple and 7 up

Blue Hawaiian – layered with blueberry, strawberry and pineapple from bottom to top

Healthy Najjar – a mix of fresh pineapple and lime juices, topped with cream, and served in a pineapple shell

The last two are quite famous, and we can see why. They also have some more mocktails, each with its own unique personality and some lovely milkshakes that are quite the bomb.

Which drink is your favorite? Tell me in the comments below 👇🏻

Falafel Platter

For me, falafel is one of the most signature items from the Lebanese cuisine. And my love for tahina makes it even more special.

This falafel platter at La Maison du Cafe Najjar checks both the boxes. Crispy on the outside, and smooth inside, the falafel portion comes with khubz bread, veggie sticks and a generous amount of tahina sauce (which I licked clean).

When I eat falafels, my biggest concern is them being too dry, but fortunately these were not. And that presentation was simply top notch.

You can have them as is – just dunk a piece in tahina sauce for a creamy kick. Or wrap them in a khubz with sauce and veggies for a quick and filling roll.

Grilled Halloumi with Pesto

Have you ever had grilled halloumi? If not, then you should! I always disregarded this item at most restaurants, simply because in my head I thought: “It’s just cheese! How can it be an entire dish?” But alas, I was wrong.

Halloumi doesn’t feel heavy like other cheese varieties. Moreover, it has a stringy, slightly slimy texture, which balances really well when you wrap it up in a warm tortilla with crunchy cucumbers and a dash of that creamy pesto.

In my honest opinion, the pesto on this dish was the game changer. I would have definitely liked a more generous dollop of it on top of the grilled Halloumi (or maybe some on the side).

If you like Halloumi, then you should definitely try this one @cafenajjaruae. The portion is large enough to share between two people.

Sundried Tomato Chicken

This dish was quite appealing, both in terms of quantity and taste. The Sundried Tomato Chicken La Maison du Cafe Najjar is essentially four pieces of crispy fried chicken that are rolled and stuffed with melted cheese.

Take a look at how that cheesy goodness oozes out from the chicken rolls. Drizzled on top with a creamy sundried tomato sauce, the chicken is served alongside sauteed veggies, mushrooms, potato mash and wedges. That’s right! They have all your favorite carbs in one place.

Order this for a complete meal for two, and you’ll probably still end up packing up some for a take away.

Mixed Fruit Crepe

Desserts. Can’t live without them, can we? So La Maison du Cafe Najjar, we went with their recommended item on the menu – Mixed Fruit Crepe.

Presented sweetly on a heart shaped plate, this one came with fresh strawberries, bananas and pineapple slices stuffed within, and was covered in a rich layer of Belgian milk chocolate.

Somewhere deep down, I was secretly wishing for the topping to be a nutella based sauce. Nonetheless, the Belgian chocolate did justice to the creaminess of the crepe.

La Maison du Cafe Najjar has a lovely selection of different waffles as well, so if crepes are not your thing, you can always try something else. For my next visit, I’m definitely ordering the chocolate fondant.

New Year’s Eve

For NYE 2017-18, La Maison Du Cafe Najjar is offering a fancy package to their guests. Located right opposite the Burj Khalifa, this restaurant boasts of surreal fireworks views that will definitely last in your memories for a long time. For only AED 650 per person, you get to enjoy an unlimited food buffet, soft drinks and sheesha + performance from a liver singer + party essentials and a gift. And of course, the chance the witness the Burj Khalifa NYE fireworks!

La Maison du Cafe Najjar

Location: Tower 2, Emaar Boulevard Plaza, Downtown Dubai, Dubai
Contact: 04 5597870

View this restaurant on Zomato!