Oxford Dictionary defines serendipity, which was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754, as a ‘fortunate happenstance’ or ‘pleasant surprise’. In a letter he wrote to a friend, Walpole explained an unexpected discovery he had made by reference to a Persian fairy tale, The Three Princes of Serendip.
The first-ever branch of Serendipity 3 in UAE has come to Dubai and is cooling us down with the acclaimed divine popularity of this dessert shop’s frozen hot chocolate. As a kid, I used to watch The Oprah Winfrey Show (no judgement there). There were many episodes that inspired me in so many ways, however, on one fateful day I was introduced to Serendipity, located in NYC, and their life-changing drink: frozen hot chocolate. Since then it has proudly sat on my bucket list.
Before I knew it, the movie Serendipity came out, and there it was again … no, not John Cusack’s hair or Kate Beckinsale’s British accent, but the frozen hot chocolate (FHC). And I knew that someday I was going to fulfil this wish of having tasted it at least once in my life. Bringing me to today, when I heard on the radio that Serendipity 3 has opened in Dubai.
Serendipity 3 is located in Festival City, Dubai, and overlooks a beautifully scenic view. The ambience is definitely comforting with vintage and feminine furnishings and upholstery, which are complemented by the highly enthusiastic and pleasant staff. The menu is elaborate, with something satisfying for everyone. The day I visited was my birthday, and a celebration was definitely in store for me, having ordered the pepperoni pizza (can we have a moment of silence for the beauty of pizza?) and the FHC. I was a happy camper.
The pizza itself was fresh and light, and I could have ordered three more of these … wait, did I say three? I meant four. The base was crusty and had a beautiful undertone of flavour running through it. The cheese was stringy, salty and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The beef pepperoni was a perfect complement to the base, cheese and tomato sauce. I loved every bite of it.
The FHC was everything I had hoped for and much more. It was beautiful inside out. There was a level of opulence and grandeur with how it was just sitting there on the table. The portions are definitely not shy. For someone like me who can eat A LOT, I had to share this, and finishing it was difficult. However, the chocolate-y ice crystals and freshly whipped cream topped with freshly shaved dark chocolate … whoa. This is a chocolate fanatic’s one-stop shop to nirvana.
Dubai Festival City, +971 4 284 3149, website
