Monday 06 / May / 2024
Last weekend I came across a fancy-looking bistro-café, intriguingly named “Cannella Cheesecake Café”. Who doesn’t love the rich, creamy indulgence of a slice of cheesecake? I resisted the urge and drove on by.
Later that week, as I parked in front of Somerset Hotel at Panorama Mall, I spotted the beautifully scrawled gold lettering shimmering across the shiny glass of the café. Just the site of the curvaceous word Cannella, which means cinnamon in Italian, made my mouth water and my curiosity too much to resist.
I walked into the modern shop and went straight to the display counter. There I agonised over the variety on offer — cakes in funky flavours like date and carrot, fresh breads, Danish treats, coffees, teas, a selection of savoury bites, and their namesake cheesecakes in plain, fruit-topped, whipped, and baked varieties.
I stood, paralyzed by indecision. Finally, I accepted that I couldn’t just try just one piece, I had to go all the way here. I ordered caramel cheesecake; brownie cheesecake; and a date cake, along with a cold cappuccino to round things out. Not wanting my professional research to appear gluttonous, I took my test subjects to go.
By the time I reached home, the plastic cup that had held my cappuccino was empty (blame the heat), so I made myself a nice homemade cardamom Omani kahwa before turning my attention to the cakes. Though I’m not a big fan of brownies, the brownie-topped cheesecake was heavenly, the subtly sweet cheesecake peppered with brownies that weren’t too dense, which had been cut into miniature pieces. I’d recommend pairing this heavy, decadent sweet with dark, bitter coffee.
The date cake, it was a soft spongy cake, super moist thanks to the carrots, and naturally sweetened by the dates. It was utterly delicious, and as you might imagine, I highly recommend it paired with delicate Omani kahwa.
I’m a hardcore caramel lover, so saving the best for last, I dove into the final slice, which was dripping in caramel. At one bite, I regretted not ordering more. The meltingly soft baked cheesecake, served on a sugar cookie base, was draped in luscious caramel, which perfectly played against the palate of the creamy, simple cake. This is a cake I’d have all day, everyday.
At Cannella they also serve savoury dishes such as gourmet burgers, shuwas, and pastas with an Omani twist, which I’ll surely go back to try (first on my list is their shuwa risotto). And I’ll definitely add the attractive little cafe to my rotation of meeting places for both professional and personal chats in their quiet, chic ambiance. Sure, I’ll come for the atmosphere, I’ll come for lunch, but really, I’ll be there for the dessert.
WHAT TO ORDER
Caramel Cheesecake: OMR2.1
Brownie Cheesecake: OMR2.2
Carrot Cheesecake: OMR1.9
Date Cake: OMR1.9
Cold Cappuccino: OMR1.8
Gourmet Burger: OMR3.4
Location: Panorama Mall
Call: +968 2459 1942
Click: instagram.com/cannellacafe
