This new Abu Dhabi eatery focuses solely on crème brûlée (specific). So are the desserts the crème of the crop?

You’ll find many cafés in Abu Dhabi focusing on one dessert – from cupcakes to doughnuts and even macaroons. But Le Crème Brûlée Maison is the first one to concentrate on crème brûlée. Thankfully, the puds are good enough for you to skip dessert on a night out and head here instead.

Le Crème Brulee Maison is a little hard to find, but it’s worth seeking out. Head towards Airport Road and the Holiday Inn and it’s just round the back of the hotel, in Al Dana Towers. Its hidden locale meant it was a tad empty during our visit, with only one other couple perusing the menu.

“The nutty yet smooth pistachio was a clear winner and left us wanting more”

The venue features simple, yet striking décor. Whites and creams dominate. The words from a poem are scrawled on the ceiling. Arched, white lampshades hang from the walls. It’s a modern take on Parisian chic.

So what about the brûlée? The camel milk with saffron reminded us of kheer, or rice pudding, and was rich and creamy without being overly sweet. The nutty yet smooth pistachio was a clear winner and left us wanting more, although we were slightly underwhelmed by the rich Nutella offering (the chocolate sauce seems to be the flavour of the month when it comes to puddings in the city right now). The restaurant also serves cheesecakes and the raspberry in particular was a winner. The base was made using Lotus biscuits by Biscoff – a type of treat many Abu Dhabians seem desperate to track down on Facebook groups at the moment, and with good reason. They elevated the dessert above good to great.

While a visit here really does depend on you being in the mood for a crème brûlée, the staff are friendly and the food is worth making the effort to seek out.

Al Dana Towers, Embassies District, Abu Dhabi, daily 7am to 11pm. Tel: (02) 4499996. Taxi: Dana Towers, behind Holiday Inn on Airport Road. lacbmaison.com

Food rating: B

Atmosphere: Casual    

Price range: Under Dhs249 for two