She tried to get out of it by studying fashion design and had an entire plan set up to open a little mid-range boutique in Abu Dhabi. But a bit of a hiccup and a few deviations later, fate intervened and Marjon started Nolu’s Café . This was four months ago. And if you’re wondering where the name means or came from, it’s from her children NOah and LUjayn. Smart, huh? Smarter still was her decision to fuse Afghani traditional culinary influences with classic American dishes. Located in picturesque Al Bandar, overlooking the marina, Nolu’s Café is a little piece of gastronomical heaven.
Tempo visited the restaurant recently. We were greeted warmly by the staff of Nolu’s and led to comfy green sofas and soft lighting. We were first served “The Juice of the Day” which was a delicious mix of orange, cranberry and mango fresh juices; a perfect blend of sweet and tangy.
Then came the most delicious soup I’ve ever eaten….barley soup, which may put a lot of people off but this soup was creamy (without the cream) and delicious and lemony and just brilliant. It was a soup that reminded me of home cooked meals and comfort food on a cold winter’s day.
Our next dish was Bolani, a typical Afghani flat pastry filled with a mixture of potato, onions, cilantro, scallions and a variety of spices. It was seared to perfection and served with chutney and yoghurt. The mixture was the perfect blend of spices and potato and the chutney and yoghurt complimented each other to combat the spice of the chutney and enhance all the flavours.
Next came some delicious dumplings… the steamed pastry melted in my mouth to give way to the most succulent, juicy and delicately spiced meat called Mantoo.
Borani Banjon and Borani Kadoo followed; and these are eggplant and squash (respectively) sautéed in saffron, cardamom, tomatoes and other spices all dipped in a bed of yoghurt. Now, I’m not a huge fan of squash but Marjon’s preparation had me begging for more!
This glorious meal was brought to a triumphant end with a soft creamy filling and a buttery biscuit base… it was the perfect ending to a memorable meal.
While I may have stuck to the more traditional Afghani dishes on the menu, Nolu’s Café has something for everyone, including a variety of burgers and pizzas to sandwiches and a salad bar of over 40 toppings and mixings. An all round thumbs up, I say.
