Fast food

Working for Abu Dhabi Week, we are lucky enough to get to eat in some of the Capital’s finest restaurants – all in the name of research, of course! We’ve sampled a huge variety of different cuisines and visited eateries that range from the ridiculous to the sublime.

However, this week was a slightly strange one, even for us, as we paid a visit to the Pitstop Café at the Mercedes-Benz headquarters in Mussafah. Yes, that’s right, a café in a car showroom.

Anyway, finding ourselves with an hour to kill in Mussafah while waiting for our car to be serviced, we decided to visit Pitstop for a quick refuel.

If you’re looking for an intimately decorated, romantic setting and beautifully presented gourmet food then this isn’t the place for you. But, if you’re a huge car fan like us, then the café is actually a very pleasant to be.

Located towards the rear of the huge, airy central showroom, the seating area is surrounding by all of Mercedes’ latest models, sparkling brightly in the sun. A faux wooden shack hides the kitchen area, while the large U-shaped bar is dominated by a glass counter filled with a tantalising selection of freshly prepared sandwiches and other bready delights.

One thing we particularly liked was the Pitstop ‘Plate of the Day’. For just AED 20, the café has a different hot daily special that this week included dishes such as chicken Marengo with fried eggs and baked potato, grilled Dory fillet with saffron potato and blanquette de voue (veal cubes with potato, carrots and mushrooms).

On the menu for our visit was the surprisingly tasty beef Zurich – a really well-cooked slice of succulent beef coated in a thick creamy sauce served up with velvety garlic mash and a veritable garden of steamed vegetables.

Another high point was the absolutely delicious coffee. Being bean crazy we indulged in a creamy latte as well as a powerfully strong Turkish coffee, which kept us buzzing for the rest of the afternoon.

While we’re not suggesting that you go to Mussafah solely to visit this café, if you work in the area or are passing by then it’s a great place for a quick pit stop.

Jon Muller

Where? Pitstop Café
Where? EMC Mercedes Showroom, Mussafah
How much? AED 30 for a main course, sandwich or pastry and a drink
Why? Putting the fast into fast food
Contact: 02 656 7755