Note: I was invited to a complimentary meal at fournil de Pierre, with no obligation for a review.

My absolute first thought on entering fournil de PIERRE last week, inhaling the aroma of a combination of freshly baked bread and freshly ground pepper (oh my) was that my grandfather, an avid bread fan — his last trip to Dubai was spent eating LPQ bread for breakfast every day — would have absolutely loved the place!

Indeed, the place seems to have it just right. Its ambience, fragrance and decor transported us away from the Dubai hustle and bustle to a place where fresh bread, delicious soups and pastries can be had multiple times a day without any effect to your waistline. The influence was completed by French music playing away above us, and an extremely smiling wait staff. I think I’d have melted if they spoke to me with a French accent, but alas, that wasn’t to happen.

The menu is diverse, covering soups, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, pastries, you know the drill. I can confirm that the French Onion soup is the best I’ve ever had, served in a lovely crusty bread and I absolutely need to go back for a sandwich that had some combination of organic bread, green apples and goat cheese.

I was also pleasantly surprised by a mocktail — peach puree, pineapple and…spinach. I only agreed to try it out of utter curiosity — a spinach and peach drink? — and I learnt that it was not just possible but that spinach, when added subtly can enhance a peach puree brilliantly. We concluded that the chef clearly knows his combinations. Worth a try.

A visit to a patisserie cannot be complete without dessert. The chef’s recommended strawberry cheesecake was extremely fresh, and different compared to the usual American cheesecake varieties I’m used to. And the little star was the White Forest, baked with a hint of pineapple.

All in all, it was a lovely getaway, and thankfully not inside a mall. I’m not sure how they’d handle being packed to the brim, but if it was anything like the other night, you can safely bet I’ll be in that crowd.

Check ‘em out, mes ami(e)s. You won’t be disappointed.

*Yes, I know it’s spelt Paris, but I spelt it out phonetically for better effect. It sounds even better if you add a few more e’s to the end. Try it. Really.

fournil de PIERRE

StandPoint Residences, Downtown Dubai.
Somewhat opposite The Pavilion, near Reem Al Bawadi.

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Originally published on June 9, 2013