Hidden food gems: Fifth Street Cafe offers delicious breakfast options

Fifth Street Cafe at Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center. Delores Johnson / The National

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day – but restaurateurs in the capital don’t seem to think so, judging by the dearth of morning dining options in Abu Dhabi.

Hence my enthusiasm for Fifth Street Cafe at Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center.

Don’t worry, there is not a ­buffet in sight. The set up is a mix of homely yet slick, ­spacious and colourful.

The cafe is split into two sections. The first is dominated by the service-desk, with its fake-marble top and dark-­wooden bottom. There is a funky, and rather useful, chalkboard hanging on the white wall, giving details of the types of coffee that are available.

Serving Arabica coffee, the options include less common treats such as con panna (Dh18) and flat white (Dh16) (as an ­Australian, I can confirm the latter is legit).

The other section is a dedicated dining space. There is a row of green couches on one side, while the middle is taken over by larger tables suitable for ­family meals. A row of small tables line the warmly lit, stylised, sandy-brown walls.

Best of all, underneath every second table or so is a power socket where you can plug in your laptop and make use of the complimentary Wi-Fi.

While the menu is expansive and gourmet enough to elevate it above the level of pub grub (note the grilled halloumi and quinoa salad, and the Salmontini Bagel), my visits solely focus on breakfast menu. The dozen or so options are fairly standard but delivered with an ­understated quality.

The eggs avocado (Dh37) boasts poached eggs, perfectly cooked, on a slightly chunky pile of avocado, smashed with cottage cheese, all on top of crunchy brown bread.

If you fancy something a bit different, try the ricotta toast (Dh35): served on sourdough bread – the mildness of the Ricotta cheese complements the tang of fresh berries, pecan nuts and maple syrup.

If you are on a health kick, the chia seed pudding (Dh 35) is a good choice. It is a great-looking dish, served in what resembles a jam jar, in which you can see the beautiful layering of strawberries, black berries and banana, with the chia seeds mixed in low fat yogurt.

A mention must be made of the shrewd staffing. While many hotel restaurants change personnel like the seasons, Fifth Street Cafe boasts a ­dedicated team who by my third visit were able to pick up on my regular orders and food quirks – they quickly became aware of my penchant for having my coffee scalding-hot, for example.

It all makes for a comforting start to the day.

• Fifth Street Cafe is at Courtyard by Marriott, World Trade Center, Abu Dhabi. For details call 02 698 2222. Reviewed meals are paid for by The National and conducted incognito