Restaurant review: Forever Rose Cafe

Walking into Forever Rose Cafe at Boxpark by Meeras, which is located near Roxy cinema at Al Wasl in Dubai, is like stepping into a fairytale world.

The monotone interiors, two-dimension illustrations, sketches, and replicas of artwork by classical painters such as renaissance artist and sculptor Michelangelo, as well as sketches of UAE leaders and other world personalities, will appeal to your aesthetic sensibilities.

The immersive black and white fantasy theme casts a spell on you, and it’s momentarily disrupted by a spot of red from the natural roses placed as centrepieces in airtight glass caskets on the tables. We were told that a special process was used to preserve the roses that stay alive for years.

From the furniture to the cutlery and crockery, everything has an aesthetic ring to it and seems to be inspired by a storybook.

The restaurant offers an all-day dining experience and serves international multi-cuisine favourites with an Arabic zing added to its breakfast, lunch, dinner and high tea.

Conceptualised by Ebraheem Al Samadi, the founder and the chief executive officer (CEO) of Forever Rose, the idea was to have a cafe, inspired by a London pop-up eatery but with a distinct Emirati identity. No wonder, all designs and styling in the restaurant are original.

“We wanted to create a unique experience with a positive vibe and a price-conscious menu, a place where everyone would feel welcome. The concept is to present and promote Emirati culture to an international audience that celebrates multi-culturism,” said Al Samadi.

Sitting inside this cosy cafe on a chilly evening, and watching the world walk past you as you dine in this uptown neighbourhood is an experience that would transport you to a bistro, perhaps, on the sidewalks of Paris.

As we settle down for the dinner, we notice a continuous stream of diners walk in, and a large section of the clientele was from the Middle East. Surely, there’s something more appealing than the Arabic-European menu that draws them to the cafe. And our guess was spot on – it’s the ambience that’s tailor-made for Instagram lovers, and, of course, the chance to have an intimate chat over a cuppa seems to be the main draw.

The menu offers an array of delectable main dishes, quick bites, a selection of classic coffees, signature lattes, desserts and a wide range of healthy choices. And if you step in for a coffee, you’re bound to be enticed by their sweet offerings such as milk cakes, pancakes, pastries and other high tea bites.

We settled down for a short and sweet three-course meal featuring Roasted Prawns and Blooming Cauliflower for starters, Lamb Ribs and Mamas Alfredo Chicken (Rigatoni pasta) for the main dish and rounding off with Umm on Toast and La Creme Brulee and washing it all down with sips of hot xpresso.

The entrees were interesting, but the cauliflower dish that combined chargrilled cauliflower, served with a Tahini sauce and pomegranate molasses was surely the pick for us – the combination of the special spices and the freshness of the cruciferous veggies were the standout.