This chic patisserie and all-day restaurant at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk is well-known in Dubai for outstanding pastry offering, as well as one of the city’s most popular afternoon teas. Much of this is thanks to executive pastry chef Romain Castet, who boasts a serious pedigree - Castet has worked alongside celebrity chefs like Philippe Joannes, Jean Christophe Jeanson and Amaury Guichon, as well as working in some of the best pastry kitchens in the world before coming to Dubai.
Inside the patisserie is typically elegant, as you’d expect from a restaurant of this nature. Black marble floors, high ceilings and an assortment of hanging pendant lights lend the space a touch of class, and there’s a black marble counter on one side of the room that displays all of Castet’s creations, which are available to order or takeaway individually.
Bijou Patisserie is best known for its ‘Le Gouter’ afternoon tea - ‘bijou’ is French for jewel, and the Bijou afternoon tea arrives in a sophisticated jewellery box, which the guest unlocks with a special key. Inside are a range of sweet treats, from delicate patisserie items like classic eclairs, milk chocolate millefeuille, choux buns with raspberry cremeux and canneles Bordelais in various flavours, such as vanilla and salted caramel. That is followed by a savoury selection, including the likes of raclette cheese and turkey baguette, brie and caramelised onion quiche, mushroom crepe and brioche feuillette with chicken terrine and dried apricot.
Bijou Patisserie also offers all-day menus, starting with simple breakfast items like fruit platters, acai bowls and seasonal birchers. Lunch and dinner is broadly made up of Mediterranean-inspired dishes, from fresh salads to tartines and sandwiches, like a club sandwich and a croque monsieur.
Bijou Patisserie also holds an aperitivo hour between 5pm and 7pm, and offers a drinks menu that specialises in fine teas from around the world.