A new neighbourhood eatery has opened its doors…

Way up on your way to Al Qudra cycling track is a new Emaar development of residential communities called Nshama Town Square. The area is up and coming, with young individuals and families snapping up the affordable selection of apartments and town houses.

At the heart of Town Square is a fresh and modern neighbourhood eatery named Caya. Intrigued by its minimalist aesthetic, both in design and menu, we went to check it out on Saturday afternoon.

Finding the restaurant was easy, and the public car park allows visitors to stay for three hours for free. The area is very clean and pretty, with plenty of green space, which Caya’s terrace looks out onto. Inside there’s a bright and warm vibe, with Mediterranean inspired decor and spacious seating.

We missed the breakfast rush, which finishes at 1pm, instead opting for a lazy late lunch. The venue has a buzz within it, attracting a wide range of guests from young families to friends catching up over a coffee.

The menu is split into starters, pizzas, pasta and risotto, mains (fish, chicken, steak) and desserts. We went all out on the starters, with no regrets. Highlights included the classic bruschetta (Dhs35), a light and crunchy entrée to kick off the meal, as well as the crispy calamari (Dhs35) which was beautifully battered and super fresh with a punchy dill wasabi tartare.

We opted for a spaghetti carbonara (Dhs65) next, which arrived well-presented and we can’t wait to dig in. The pasta was cooked just-right, but could’ve done with some more of the sauce. The dish was topped with a combination of crispy and soft beef bacon pieces and a sprinkle of parmesan, making it an all-round pleasant choice.

You might also like

A beautiful new fish restaurant has opened at The Pointe
The hottest restaurants, bars and beach clubs opening in Dubai 2021

Another main you need to try is the fish & chips (Dhs65). The portion was very generous, with two light and crunchy batter, flaky cod filets and plenty of hand cut wedges. For the price point, we were impressed with all of the dishes we tried.

Finishing the feast, we tried the chocolate fondant (Dhs30). Another generous size, made for sharing, the soft chocolate cake poured its chocolate molten onto the plate. The dessert was well-paired with silky vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of cherry compote.

You can easily enjoy a decent three-course meal at Caya for under Dhs150, and if you live in the surrounding area it’s an ideal choice. One thing that would improve the new spot would be an alcohol license, but we’ll happily enjoy a delicious lunch in the sun, sipping on a freshly squeezed juice.

Caya, Nshama Town Square, Al Qudra Road, daily 8am to 10pm. Tel: (04) 564 6689. @cayauae

Images: Provided