Once a biker, always a biker. Through my teenage years when I started riding motorcycles for the thrills that could not be compared to bicycles, it was a liberating feeling. Being one with the elements. Zipping past other motorists. Reaching to new places that though were far flung by standards of walking or bicycling. Or not allowed by parents to stray too far. Motorcycles welcomed teenagers like me to the men’s club, a domain exclusive to college guys and older men with beard and leather jackets and all things macho. It was the time I, or for that matter any teenager, would want to become an adult quickly, for it promised endless possibilities – both forbidden and legitimate.
I may be getting nostalgic here. And Kawasaki Café is the one that brought back those memories. My recent visit to Kawasaki Café was nothing short of a nostalgia trip to the teenage years of biking, eating out and chasing the wind (and girls).
The Kawasaki Café sits on top of the Kawasaki showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road. May I take the liberty to pun that it has got enough ground clearance? So you go past their motorcycles, glancing and sighing and wishing you could ride one right away. The café welcomes you with a long wall on right teeming with bike images, and the reception wall where a large image of Ninja H2 sits proudly, teasing you, challenging you to be the able rider of this fastest bike. You’d want to grab a bike than a grub!
The sizeable café is divided into two parts, inside and al fresco. The al fresco setting is a different world; grassy floor, cabanas and seats overlooking the Sheikh Zayed Road and metros fleeting by. In the cooler months I am sure this place is going to be choc-a-block.
I went there with a couple of friends, so that we could sample everything off the menu without pinching our pockets. The coffees are from Illy, hence they couldn’t go wrong. Every coffee on the menu looks like a perfect photoshop-ed image, but when you order the coffee you’d be surprised to see exactly what you saw on menu. In fact, there were such lovely coffees that I wanted to just try all of them. Maybe I will have to be patient and have one on every visit. Darn!
The food menu is concise, hence no room for confusions and deliberations. We ordered Chicken Pizza Pie, Don Antonio Pasta, Chicken Wings, Chicken Tenders, Chicken Sandwich and few croissants. The pasta was bursting with sublime flavors, with every ingredient marking its presence like garlic, oregano, pesto sauce, lemon, basil etc. It’s much like a Bolognaise wherein tuna played the part of minced beef. The sandwich is big and yum. Chicken Tenders were a surprise hit as we didn’t expect them to be so delectable. Chicken Wings were dripping in the BBQ sauce, juicy and soft. Chicken Pizza Pie is a good option when you don’t want a whole pizza by yourself. The portion is good enough for snacking. What caught our fancy were the salads, which came as sides in the combos. I have never had such good salad anywhere! They were bite-sized because the chef placed bell peppers, leaves and dressing on individual pieces of lettuce. That’s a lot of work for a chef, but then, it was wonderful.
The desserts at Kawasaki Café are to die for. Don’t leave without trying the Banoffee Pie. It’s the star of the menu. Bananas, chocolate, caramel, toffee syrup, crumbled biscuits, cream and god knows what comes in this mini mason jar that is strictly not for sharing. In fact you might eat 2 or 3 bottles, time to apply ABS!
The ride at Kawasaki Café is smooth with no bumps. If you haven’t been there yet, rev up! Go full throttle on their menu.
