This is our ode to le petit déjeuner. Breakfast or brunch, but served with the utmost flair and thought. While many choose to chase after trendy spots, we at bazaar enjoy a place that does a smaller, well-curated menu, executed to perfection. This is precisely what we discovered at the beautifully unassuming Madeleine. Tucked away in the elevator lobby of famed Japanese tapas joint Ora, we were in for quite a morning of epicurean discovery that will be truly hard to forget.
Cozy, pristine, and elegant, Madeleine’s might arrives in its menu. The location is not hard to find, and for busy mornings in Kuwait City, it is the perfect recluse. You will find a melange of city professionals taking a morning meeting here or even smaller groups of women looking to start their city errands at Madeleine. And with the weather beautifully turning, there’s the option of cozy, outdoor seating which is perfect to catch that early morning breeze. Inside, french paneled walls in neutral tones are instantly calming, and the white-table cloth-covered tables present an air of quiet elegance. The decor at Madeleine is obviously setting the scene for the main event: The food. We are firstly greeted with their in-house, signature madeleines, baked to perfection, and oh-so-fluffy, a small amuse bouche, if you may, for the amazing flavors to come.
With an easy-to-scan, digital menu, our eyes quickly perused the offerings. And once again, we were impressed by how well-curated the menu was. This fabulously curated menu first came together as a result of co-owner Fatma Razzouqi’s culinary creations. You will not get lost in the abyss of too many offerings, as Madeleine likes to do things well. Since we were there for brunch, we opted for the Kale Salad, Salmon Carpaccio, Truffle French Toast (we were so intrigued by this flavor pairing!), Crispy Cheese, Egg Tacos, Short Rib Hash, and Truffle Scrambled Eggs. We know that this reads like we just ordered a feast, but some of the dishes at Madeleine are designed as small plates. If you’re arriving in a large group, we advise you to double up on this list, trust us, it’s worth it.
While we waited, we were served some inventive, refreshing mocktails, The Blooming Lychee and Rosemary Passion. We loved how the Rosemary is set alight at the table to release such an appetizing aroma, it offered an amazing infusion to the tropical flavors of the passion fruit. Both Mocktails were fresh, and zesty and offered the perfect start for our brunch experience.
As soon as our savory dishes began to arrive, we were blown away by Madeleine’s attention to presentation. Everything looked absolutely spectacular, from the Kale Salad’s vibrant colors to the popping shades of red from the beet-cured Salmon Carpaccio, we were so ready to dive in. The Carpaccio’s ginger miso dressing paired extremely well with the richness of the salmon, and we loved every bite of the textural Kale Salad. Served with Parmesan cheese shavings, candied walnuts, and the citrus yuzu dressing elevated this entire dish.
The Truffle French Toast was the best surprise, as biting into the Parmesan-crusted Brioche, cut to an exacting size, we must add, revealed the deepest, richest, melt-in-your-mouth cream cheese. Pair this with the delectable Truffle shavings, and you’ve got yourself true indulgence on a plate! As for the Crispy Cheese, Egg Tacos, and Short Rib Hash, these plates might be small, but they pack quite a flavorful punch. We appreciated how the Egg Tacos delivered a fragrant, bite-sized taste of Mexico, and loved the spicy kick brought on by the Jalapeno covered Crispy Cheese rounds, with crisped-up parmesan artfully offering up beautifully scrambled eggs.
If our savory forway wasn’t enough, dessert at Madeleine brought it home for us. It is absolutely an affair to remember, and we couldn’t get over the thoughtful flavor combinations offered in Madeleine’s desserts. First things first, our full attention has to be given to the Apricot Brie, where flawlessly symmetrical, gorgeously presented French Toast Bites are topped with salted caramel, melted Brie, fresh nectarine pieces, apricot jam, and walnut. These flavor pairings sang with notes of sweetness, with the savory undertone of Brie taming the sweetness, and the fresh nectarines balancing out this dish perfectly. To the good people of Madeleine, two pieces are not enough.
We also adored the indulgence of the Pain Perdu Brulee, as this dish gives you everything you could ask for in a dessert, torched sugar, whipped cream (that wasn’t sweet, we have to add, so needed to offset the richness of this dish), berries and the most scintillating maple butter. If that wasn’t enough, we were also presented with a decadent pistachio-topped baked round of Brie. Served with a generous drizzle of honey, this warm, sweet, and savory dish was also a firm favorite of ours. We can’t wait to stop by when the weather gets cooler to dive into it again for some much-needed cozy vibes.
If you’re in the mood for an uplifting brunch experience this season, then you should look no farther than Madeleine. Immaculate vibes, a savory menu bursting with inventive flavor pairings with an unforgettable dessert menu to match, you’ll be spoiled for choice at Madeleine.
Madeleine is located in Wafra Downtown Tower on Ahmad Al Jaber Street in Kuwait City. For more information, follow them on Instagram @Madeleine.kw. Breakfast and brunch is served from 8:30 am – 3:00 pm, with desserts and coffee being served until 6 pm.
Madeleine also operates a pop-up at Ora Blu located in the Forum, The Avenues; Fridays and Saturdays, 9AM – 12PM Sundays to Thursdays, 9AM – 11:30PM.
You can now get to Madeleine easily without worrying about parking with Rove! Use code ‘Madeleine’ valid through Monday-Thursday from 8 am- 2pm and get 10% off your ride!
