The Nutella Spot: A slice of heaven for Nutella lovers

With every product having the ingredient, owners make sure there is no overdose

ISLAMABAD: If there is one thing that sells and is loved by practically everyone, it is without any doubt, Nutella. That is precisely why it did not come off as much of a surprise when The Nutella Spot opened up in F-11 recently. A small bar with wooden interiors, Nutella jars used in racks for décor and posters with witty statements about the ingredient on the walls, the food joint is a Nutella heaven, which promises a sweet experience to anyone who comes.

The entire menu revolves around Nutella, as it is the main ingredient in each of their offerings. What comes off as a surprise is how diverse the menu is and how experimental they have been. Who could have thought of Nutella pizza otherwise? The menu includes a range of items from pancakes, crepes and French toasts to éclairs, doughnuts, brownies, tarts, pastries and cakes. The place serves Nutella shakes with a combination of brownie and Oreo and they have their own take on coffee, which is the rather interesting Nutella Cappuccino.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Saqib, one of the two founders of The Nutella Spot, said he has lived abroad and travelled all over the world. “I am a foodie because I love experiencing cuisines and the inspiration of opening a café dedicated to Nutella items came from living in the US, where it is a hit product since years,” he said.

Considering the target market of the place, it is appropriately priced with all items priced within Rs150 and Rs450. The most expensive offering on the menu is the lava cake, which is well worth the price. Served with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream, the cake is an absolute treat with the outer part perfectly rich and gooey and the Nutella filled lava oozing out of the cake when you cut it.

The highlight of their menu is the Nutella pizza as they are the first ones to bring it to Islamabad! It is a perfectly baked pizza crust topped with a hearty serving of Nutella along with bananas and kiwis. The servers admit that kiwi is an acquired taste and, therefore, ask customers if they want it or not.

Another item that is a must try is the Nutella French toast. It is a thick yet fluffy and soft French toast topped with a layer of Nutella that makes it just the perfect breakfast to start the day.

One of the most interesting features of The Nutella Spot is that it has a live baking station, still a relatively unique concept for eateries in Pakistan. Everything they bake is done right in front of you, which ensures that there are no hygienic concerns. Muhammad Rimmel, the other co-founder of The Nutella Spot told The Express Tribune that he has been in the food industry since four years and wanted to bring the concept of an open kitchen to Pakistan. “A live baking kitchen is not just great because it ensures that everything is clean but it also helps the customers to build a relationship with their food. They feel more loyal to the place when their order is made in front of them,” he said.

He further explained that even though every product at the place has Nutella in it, they have ensured that it is the appropriate amount of Nutella and there is no overdose because too much of everything can be bad for health. “We have developed all the recipes ourselves after much experimentation and the idea is to offer the highest quality products to our customers,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2016.