God bless those Ramadan cravings. They leave you wanting everything and anything right before Iftar. Here to satisfy those crazy cravings, and give you a list of reasons why you should make chocolate a part of your every day routine is Before Chocolate Café. This boutique café and chocolatier by chocolate lover Raghda Al Essa will have you wondering what you did with your day before you came to find this destination. Trust us on this one!
Located in Salmiya’s all-new The Cube Mall, Before Chocolate Café will immediately grasp your attention as soon as you walk through the doors of this majestic glass structure. The space inside is always flooded with beautiful, natural light. The café is perfectly situated in the middle of the mall, and you can’t help but be drawn into the kitschy, vintage inspired décor that will make you want to bring your favorite book and wile away the hours sipping on their chocolate-infused delicacies.
The details in the display of their desserts are magical, as the café allows for the creation of calming facades from all sides that are visible to passersby. The design of this café is completely locally conceived, where owner Raghda brought in her vintage collectibles to make the space inimitable in every way. Before Chocolate Café is a soulful space and every corner of the café communicates this ethos. We loved the old typewriter, perched on the whimsical wall next to the cashier, and the conversion of an old wooden barrel into an almost invisible bin is genius. With every visit to Before Chocolate Café, you will uncover more beautiful corners and you will fall in love with the plush and cozy seating arrangements.
The boutique café prides itself on the highest quality of Swiss chocolates that were especially crafted for this café. Raghda spent at least six months working on Before Chocolate Café’s signature recipe. This chocolate connoisseur has been in love with the cocoa bean ever since she was a child, and creating this space is her dream come true. The handmade chocolate perfectly complements an incredible gourmet menu. According to Raghda, the name of the café means everything to her because it communicates the café’s story:
“Imagine that special moment just before you yield to the pleasure of chocolate. That one fleeting moment when everyday worries, noises, stresses, workloads, delays and disappointments are momentarily forgotten in anticipation of the bite that is yet to come. A bite that engulfs you in sweet indulgence and numbs your mind to the point that you cannot truly remember what was… Before Chocolate.”
The menu at Before Chocolate Café allows you to indulge in every way. You can start with a chocolate shot. With this drink, you will relish in this café’s signature dark or milk chocolate with a strong shot of espresso. If you’re all about the cocoa, have it without the espresso. You can come to the café for a coffee and one of their choice croissants or pastries like the Brioche with dates, or the chocolate cheese roll. Trust us when we say that the mélange between sweet and savory in this pastry will delight your palate. If you would like something savory before your dessert, their selection of sandwiches that are prepared with freshly baked, brown cereal sour dough bread will definitely impress. You get the best of both worlds at Before Chocolate Café, an exceptional chocolate selection that is delightful in taste and presentation as well as the perfect gourmet menu to complement.
For the main event, and by main – we mean dessert – we highly recommend that you come here for something sweet after Iftar with the family. Better yet, start off with their savory goods and spend hours feasting on their amazing creations! At Before Chocolate Café, you can mix your two favorite passions, freshly baked cookies and brownies, and design them to your liking! Choose from chocolate chip cookies with hazelnut or honeycomb toppings and milk or dark chocolate sauce, or you can choose a double chocolate chewy cookie. We picked the ultimate indulgence: The Davos Cake, with melted cookies and brownie fudge, and a hearty scoop of vanilla ice cream that simply melts with this concoction. Your taste buds will be screaming with joy! You can alternatively enjoy their homemade Tiramisu, or experience a Fondue with your closest friends. Their cakes are ridiculously delicious, and you can choose from a dark chocolate tart, a more decadent version with honey roasted whole pecan nuts, white chocolate cheesecake or a light and airy frost white chocolate berry cake.
The Chocolate Jars Shakers are reason enough to make your first visit to this café a repeat event! Imagine this: Ice cream based drinks, served shaken and not stirred. You have the option of sinful strawberry cheesecake, their signature St. Moritz shaker that offers a beautiful medley of traditional vanilla and blended oriental Basbousa with a honey topping and a crunch!
After all of the delights that we have sampled here, we promise you that your next cheat meal, or cup of coffee, will be an unforgettable experience at Before Chocolate Café.
Before Chocolate Café is located on the ground floor of The Cube Mall on Salem Al-Mubarak Street in Salmiya. For more information, please call 2205 6660 or visit www.beforechocolate.com. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @BeforeChocolate.
