A review of The Boutique Kitchen
Special Delivery
No matter how much you do (or more commonly, don’t) love your job, there’s always a nagging feeling you can’t shake whenever your weekend comes to an end. “Geez, I just can’t wait to go to work tomorrow!”, said nobody, ever. For me though, it’s less about the Sunday/Monday morning blues and more about the Saturday/Sunday evening blues. By the time you wipe the sand from your eyes and get ready for work, the worst is over and you just go about your day. But the night before is when the real torture happens. Even if you’re doing something that would otherwise make you have the time of your life, it’s always laced with a quiet sense of dread. I’m all too used to this feeling but there’s one thing I do to make Sunday/Monday mornings less of drag: eat.
The only thought in my mind that offers a silver lining to the start of the work week is food. “What am I going to order tomorrow? A salad? A sandwich? A burger, maybe? Just a good old manouche? Perhaps a little Indian?” Ah! The possibilities! I make my choice before I even have dinner the night before. The morning of, I schedule my day around my meals.
9am: 500ml of water. Nescafe (yes, I’m an unashamed lover of mass produced coffee. None of that gourmet stuff for me in the a.m.) I’ve gotten into the habit of having oatmeal for breakfast. Nothing like a piping hot bowl of Quaker Oats to kickstart your 9am. So much more satisfying then a cold bowl of sugary cereal.
12pm: I make the call. Obviously, I’ve decided what to eat the night before so the process is quick and painless. In the meantime, I indulge in my favorite snack (which I’ve gotten my entire office hooked on): pretzels.
Boutique Roast Chicken Salad
1pm: My food arrives. And I’m a giddy little school girl. This week, I ordered my favorite: The Boutique Kitchen. This place is awesome. First off, the service is great. A man answers the phone. He’s super friendly but not in the over-friendly obnoxious “just stop chattering and take my order” kind of way and very competent. He accommodates for changes in the menu (“I’d like avocado instead of goat’s cheese, please”, “Sure, no problem!”) and he never tries to oversell you. None of that “Would you like fries with that?” “No, just the salad,” “What about a side of mac and cheese?” “Nope. Just the salad please.” “How about a dessert?” “For God’s sake, just gimme the friggin salad.” I usually order the Boutique Roast Chicken Salad. Packed with shredded roast chicken, corn nibblets, halved cherry tomatoes (whole cherry tomatoes are the bane of my existence, halved ones I can deal with), dried cranberries, chopped dates, toasted pine nuts, and nuggets of goats cheese on a bed of mixed greens and tossed in their signature vinaigrette. The salad is really delicious. The chicken is moist and juicy, the lettuce leaves are crisp, the dried fruit add sweetness and complexity, the pine nuts add texture and a welcome nuttiness, the goat’s cheese adds heft and tangy creaminess, and finally the vinaigrette ties it all together very nicely. It’s one of the best salads in Dubai.
American Classic Cheeseburger
If you’re feeling particularly indulgent, another favorite is the Southern Fried Chicken. Bathed in a buttermilk brine overnight, fried and crusted with golden goodness, the chicken is crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, and overall very yummy. Served with a side of corn bread, this is an excellent option if you’re craving a little soul food. The Boutique Kitchen’s burgers are also very good. Somewhere along the scale between a McDonald’s burger and a gourmet wagyu beef burger, TBK’s burgers are made with USDA prime beef and hit the spot. And don’t worry, they’re not too heavy that they send you into an early afternoon food coma.
I’ve never tried their desserts but apparently they get them from The Dream Factory, the bakery that serves the Cheesecake Factory, so you can imagine what they’re like. So on those dreaded Sundays when you’d rather be mulled by a thousand tigers than go to work, bring a little cheer to your day and order your favorite take out. You’re week will be all the better for it.
The Boutique Kitchen, +971 600 546642, http://www.theboutiquekitchen.com
Worth a Taste 
Looks good! I’m always looking for new places to order delivery from. Thanks!