Switch restaurant at Dubai Mall is a chocoholic’s Paradise with a futuristic vibe

As the scary news of Nutella being sold in syringes did the rounds in the UAE, I visited Switch restaurant for two reasons.

The first being that the funky restaurant, located on the ground floor of Dubai Mall facing the skating rink, happens to look exactly like what I thought all the eating joints of the future would look like as a kid.

And thanks in no small part to Isaac Asimov and Douglas Adams, I was also convinced that we’d all be teleporting to work, have robots for pets and be eating chocolates and desserts for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

While I may be a bit off on my predictions about the future, it is entirely possible to do the last point on my list, which was the second and most important reason for me to drop by: a decadent afternoon of pure Nutella indulgence.

The restaurant recently launched its ‘Switch to Nutella’ dessert menu that serves Nutella in every 
possible manner — in a molten cake, on a pizza, between waffles, over ice cream and sizzling brownie, inside a soufflé, beside 
puffs — just not in syringes (thank heavens!).

A look at the menu and I have my childhood visions of ‘dessert for lunch!’ swimming before my eyes and — but I go ahead and order me a portion of garlic chilli prawns and cheese sticks instead (when, oh, when will I stop caring about what the world thinks?) for starters. While the cheese sticks turn out to be the perfect combination of crispiness on the outside and soft, warm cheesiness inside, the garlic prawns, although tasty, are a touch too lemony.

In addition to being a chocolate haven, Switch is also one of the few places serving camel meat in Dubai. I must admit that I have always found the idea of eating camel meat very unappetising, mortifying even (although not as much as shooting Nutella up my veins). My waitress insists on me trying the camel steak, a house specialty. High on the accomplishment of finally finding a place that looks every bit like the futuristic restaurant of my imagination and serves in abundance the future food of my choice, I decide to give it a try.

Moment of truth: as I cautiously take the first bite of my camel meat steak with mushroom sauce, my first reaction isn’t a gag reflex. I don’t hate it. In fact, I like it. Scratch that. I love it! While it lacks the juiciness of beefsteak, it isn’t dry like chicken. It fits somewhere in between and to me, that’s perfect. After wolfing down the main course and discovering a new favourite food (I’m certainly eating more of it!) it is now time for the sweet grand finale that I really came for.

As I said before, Switch has an incredible range of Nutella desserts. I decide to go for the bestseller and my personal favourite — warm chocolate brownie served with whipped cream and a side of warm liquid Nutella. It is every chocoholic’s dream come true. As I savour the plateful of chocolaty heavenliness, I’m transported, once more, to my vision of the future and it looks — and tastes — pretty darn sweet!  - megha@khaleejtimes.com

In seven words: 
Refreshing menu and even more refreshing decor

1. What we liked: 
The desserts
2. What we didn’t like: 
The small portions
3. Restaurant best for: Indulging your sweet tooth
4. Cost for two: Dh350-400
5. Did you know: Switch’s interiors are designed by the famous Egyptian designer Karim Rashid
6. Contact: Switch Restaurant, Dubai Mall (opposite Galeries Lafayette), 
04-3399131
7. Rating ****