Latest news with #DutyFree
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I tried the new viral Dubai chocolate ice cream served at a top London attraction – it was a huge disappointment
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) NEARLY every food brand has hopped on the Dubai chocolate trend - and I tried out the most recent one that has gone viral online. Made up of a concoction of pistachio cream mixed with shredded filo pastry, all coated in a silky chocolate case - it's no surprise this choccie bar has taken the world by storm. 4 I went to Borough Market to try out the new viral ice cream Credit: Alamy Chocaholics across the globe are so enamoured by it that Dubai's Duty Free sold an eye-watering $22million (£16million) of the bars in just the first three months of 2025. And now, the viral creation has landed in London's Borough Market, served in ice cream form. After clocking the gelato treat on social media - several chocolate-y scoops dripping in lashings of pistachio sauce and served in a pistachio-rimmed cone - I couldn't resist giving it a try. Afterall, we are in the midst of a heatwave and what better way to cool off? The treat hails from a small cafe, Gelateria 3Bis, at the edge of the market, which also sells flakey pastries and baked goods. I was pleasantly surprised to find no queue on a Tuesday lunchtime in 25C sunshine, but perhaps I should have taken that as a sign of things to come. Behind the counter were neat slices of apple and almond tart, slathered in a shiny glaze (£3.50); wedges of a crumbly looking walnut tart (also £3.50); and stacks of cannolis with thick ricotta filling oozing out of each case (£2). They certainly got my stomach gurgling. 'One Dubai chocolate please,' I say. I practically drooled as the lady leaned into the metal tub to scoop the chocolate-y mixture into my cone, waiting for the pistachio magic to happen. Foodies race to buy new Dubai chocolate Easter egg in popular supermarket - the 'filling is crazy' and it's selling FAST 4 The ice cream cost a huge £6.50 But then, nothing. That was it - and a rather naked-looking gelato was handed over to me. Where was my pistachio sauce? Where were the sprinkles I'd seen decadently splashed over the top? And, more importantly, where was the pistachio and filo filling that makes Dubai chocolate what it is? After shelling out a staggering £6.50, I walked away realising that this was a classic case of Insta vs reality trickery. Perhaps I had misordered, I thought. But it couldn't be that. I'd even mentioned that I'd seen it advertised on the cafe's Instagram. Unlike the sensation I'd seen on social media, my two-scoop treat was lacking in decadence. 4 The ice cream was delicious but not what I thought 4 It looked nothing like it I'd been asked if I wanted a 'special cone', not realising that the pistachio cone I'd seen wasn't part of this category – it had apparently been placed in a league of its own. The special cones cost an additional £1.50 and are essentially just a traditional waffle cone dipped in chocolate and then covered in some form of topping like hazelnut or sprinkles. I'm not sure why the pistachio hadn't been offered to me, but when I saw the price - over £2 - I was a little relieved. In terms of flavour, it hit the mark for a decent chocolate gelato: creamy, smooth and indulgent, but not too sweet. And after tucking in, I did notice the odd fleck of green accompanied by a few pastry shards, but these were minimal and the pistachio flavour did not come through at all. I didn't have time to ponder over how little filling was in there, though, as my scoops were melting rapidly. This is the sign of a well-made gelato, I am told, but this seemed a bit extreme. Barely a minute had passed and I was already frantically wiping the melt from my hands and arm. As for the cone, the chocolate rim added a little extra zing to the overall flavour. But I wouldn't be willing to shell out an additional £1.50 again. Perhaps I can't blame it all on the ice cream itself. Maybe the sauce costs extra and the sprinkles do too. But i couldn't see it advertised on the boards and the fact that staff didn't point it out to me when I ordered seems an oversight, not least to say, financially-daft. I reckon if I'd have had the full shebang I would have ended up forking out close to a tenner. So, Dubai chocolate ice cream? Let's not spoil something good. Especially not for prices like this. Here are three other ways to enjoy the Dubai chocolate trend.
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
I tried the new viral Dubai chocolate ice cream served at a top London attraction – it was a huge disappointment
NEARLY every food brand has hopped on the Dubai chocolate trend - and I tried out the most recent one that has gone viral online. Made up of a concoction of pistachio cream mixed with shredded filo pastry, all coated in a silky chocolate case - it's no surprise this choccie bar has taken the world by storm. 4 I went to Borough Market to try out the new viral ice cream Credit: Alamy Chocaholics across the globe are so enamoured by it that Dubai's Duty Free sold an eye-watering $22million (£16million) of the bars in just the first three months of 2025. And now, the viral creation has landed in London's Borough Market, served in ice cream form. After clocking the gelato treat on social media - several chocolate-y scoops dripping in lashings of pistachio sauce and served in a pistachio-rimmed cone - I couldn't resist giving it a try. Afterall, we are in the midst of a Read more on Dubai The treat hails from a small cafe, Gelateria 3Bis, at the edge of the market, which also sells flakey pastries and baked goods. I was pleasantly surprised to find no queue on a Tuesday lunchtime in 25C sunshine, but perhaps I should have taken that as a sign of things to come. Behind the counter were neat slices of apple and almond tart, slathered in a shiny glaze (£3.50); wedges of a crumbly looking walnut tart (also £3.50); and stacks of cannolis with thick ricotta filling oozing out of each case (£2). They certainly got my stomach gurgling. Most read in News Travel 'One Dubai chocolate please,' I say. I practically drooled as the lady leaned into the metal tub to scoop the chocolate-y mixture into my cone, waiting for the pistachio magic to happen. Foodies race to buy new Dubai chocolate Easter egg in popular supermarket - the 'filling is crazy' and it's selling FAST 4 The ice cream cost a huge £6.50 But then, nothing. That was it - and a rather naked-looking gelato was handed over to me. Where was my pistachio sauce? Where were the sprinkles I'd seen decadently splashed over the top? And, more importantly, where was the pistachio and filo filling that makes Dubai chocolate what it is? After shelling out a staggering £6.50, I walked away realising that this was a classic case of Insta vs reality trickery. Perhaps I had misordered, I thought. But it couldn't be that. I'd even mentioned that I'd seen it advertised on the cafe's Instagram. Unlike the sensation I'd seen on social media, my two-scoop treat was lacking in decadence. 4 The ice cream was delicious but not what I thought 4 It looked nothing like it I'd been asked if I wanted a 'special cone', not realising that the pistachio cone I'd seen wasn't part of this category – it had apparently been placed in a league of its own. The special cones cost an additional £1.50 and are essentially just a traditional waffle cone dipped in chocolate and then covered in some form of topping like hazelnut or sprinkles. I'm not sure why the pistachio hadn't been offered to me, but when I saw the price - over £2 - I was a little relieved. In terms of flavour, it hit the mark for a decent chocolate gelato: creamy, smooth and indulgent, but not too sweet. And after tucking in, I did notice the odd fleck of green accompanied by a few pastry shards, but these were minimal and the pistachio flavour did not come through at all. I didn't have time to ponder over how little filling was in there, though, as my scoops were melting rapidly. This is the sign of a well-made gelato, I am told, but this seemed a bit extreme. Barely a minute had passed and I was already frantically wiping the melt from my hands and arm. As for the cone, the chocolate rim added a little extra zing to the overall flavour. But I wouldn't be willing to shell out an additional £1.50 again. Perhaps I can't blame it all on the ice cream itself. Maybe the sauce costs extra and the sprinkles do too. But i couldn't see it advertised on the boards and the fact that staff didn't point it out to me when I ordered seems an oversight, not least to say, financially-daft. I reckon if I'd have had the full shebang I would have ended up forking out close to a tenner. So, Especially not for prices like this. Here are three other ways to enjoy the Dubai chocolate trend.
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I tried the new viral Dubai chocolate ice cream served at a top London attraction – it was a huge disappointment
NEARLY every food brand has hopped on the Dubai chocolate trend - and I tried out the most recent one that has gone viral online. Made up of a concoction of pistachio cream mixed with shredded filo pastry, all coated in a silky chocolate case - it's no surprise this choccie bar has taken the world by storm. 4 Chocaholics across the globe are so enamoured by it that Dubai's Duty Free sold an eye-watering $22million (£16million) of the bars in just the first three months of 2025. And now, the viral creation has landed in London's Borough Market, served in ice cream form. After clocking the gelato treat on social media - several chocolate-y scoops dripping in lashings of pistachio sauce and served in a pistachio-rimmed cone - I couldn't resist giving it a try. Afterall, we are in the midst of a heatwave and what better way to cool off? The treat hails from a small cafe, Gelateria 3Bis, at the edge of the market, which also sells flakey pastries and baked goods. I was pleasantly surprised to find no queue on a Tuesday lunchtime in 25C sunshine, but perhaps I should have taken that as a sign of things to come. Behind the counter were neat slices of apple and almond tart, slathered in a shiny glaze (£3.50); wedges of a crumbly looking walnut tart (also £3.50); and stacks of cannolis with thick ricotta filling oozing out of each case (£2). They certainly got my stomach gurgling. 'One Dubai chocolate please,' I say. I practically drooled as the lady leaned into the metal tub to scoop the chocolate-y mixture into my cone, waiting for the pistachio magic to happen. Foodies race to buy new Dubai chocolate Easter egg in popular supermarket - the 'filling is crazy' and it's selling FAST 4 But then, nothing. That was it - and a rather naked-looking gelato was handed over to me. Where was my pistachio sauce? Where were the sprinkles I'd seen decadently splashed over the top? And, more importantly, where was the pistachio and filo filling that makes Dubai chocolate what it is? After shelling out a staggering £6.50, I walked away realising that this was a classic case of Insta vs reality trickery. Perhaps I had misordered, I thought. But it couldn't be that. I'd even mentioned that I'd seen it advertised on the cafe's Instagram. Unlike the sensation I'd seen on social media, my two-scoop treat was lacking in decadence. 4 4 I'd been asked if I wanted a 'special cone', not realising that the pistachio cone I'd seen wasn't part of this category – it had apparently been placed in a league of its own. The special cones cost an additional £1.50 and are essentially just a traditional waffle cone dipped in chocolate and then covered in some form of topping like hazelnut or sprinkles. I'm not sure why the pistachio hadn't been offered to me, but when I saw the price - over £2 - I was a little relieved. In terms of flavour, it hit the mark for a decent chocolate gelato: creamy, smooth and indulgent, but not too sweet. And after tucking in, I did notice the odd fleck of green accompanied by a few pastry shards, but these were minimal and the pistachio flavour did not come through at all. I didn't have time to ponder over how little filling was in there, though, as my scoops were melting rapidly. This is the sign of a well-made gelato, I am told, but this seemed a bit extreme. Barely a minute had passed and I was already frantically wiping the melt from my hands and arm. As for the cone, the chocolate rim added a little extra zing to the overall flavour. But I wouldn't be willing to shell out an additional £1.50 again. Perhaps I can't blame it all on the ice cream itself. Maybe the sauce costs extra and the sprinkles do too. But i couldn't see it advertised on the boards and the fact that staff didn't point it out to me when I ordered seems an oversight, not least to say, financially-daft. I reckon if I'd have had the full shebang I would have ended up forking out close to a tenner. So, Dubai chocolate ice cream? Let's not spoil something good. Especially not for prices like this.
Zawya
03-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Dubai Duty Free records outstanding May sales of Dhs724.7mln
The month of May continued the positive sales momentum for Dubai Duty Free as it announced extraordinary sales of Dhs724.7 million (US$198.5 million). This marks a 12.5% increase over May 2024, and the highest monthly sales figure recorded this year. Notably, May 2025 is the second-highest sales month ever for a non-December period, trailing only behind November 2024, and ranks ninth among the all-time top 10 sales months when including December figures. Commenting on the May figures, Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free said, 'May continued the strong growth story of 2025 and I am especially happy that the increase in sales was seen in many of the major categories. As of May 31st, our revenue has exceeded Dhs3.5 billion (US$1 billion), reflecting a year-to-date growth of nearly 6.5%. These positive results are a direct reflection of the commitment and excellence shown by our entire team of staff.' The 12.5% sales growth for May is expected to outpace passenger traffic by 7-8% (based on DDF's internal estimates and pending DXB figures), which averaged approximately 242,000 passengers per day. Daily sales averaged Dhs23.3 million (US$6.38 million), driven by strong performance metrics: penetration rose to 28% (up from 26.3% in May 2024), and average spend per departing passenger climbed to US$46.7 – an increase of US$3 year-on-year. In May, sales growth was strong across all major product categories with Confectionery up 81% with Dhs73.9 million (US$20.2 million) sales, boosted by the continued success of 'Dubai chocolate'. Perfume sales reached Dhs132.8 million (US$36.4 million) showing an almost 15% increase over the same month last year. Cosmetics were up 10.8% with Dhs35.2 million (US$9.6 million) sales, Cigarettes and Tobacco climbed 14.4% generating Dhs77.6 million (US$21.3 million) in sales. Gold sales were up 11.65%, reaching Dhs70.7 million (US$19.4 million) and Precious Jewellery saw notable 31.75% increase with sales of Dhs20.2 million (US$5.5 million). Liquor sales rose to nearly 4% to Dhs89.9 million (US$24.6 million) and Electronics recorded a 5.4% increase with Dhs41.7 million (US$11.4 million) sales. The Fashion boutiques also performed well, recording a 4.7% increase over May last year with sales of Dhs71.3 million (US$19.5 million). In total, these increases contributed to over Dhs80 million (US$22 million) in additional sales compared to May 2024. Among the concourses, Concourse B in Terminal 3 led the growth with a 17.5% increase, followed by Concourse D in Terminal 1 at 10.7%, Concourse A rose by 7.8% and Concourse C by just under 1%. Terminal 2 Departures recorded an exceptional 20.8% year-on-year increase, while Arrivals shops across all three Terminals posted a combined growth of 6.25% following the completion of its renovations and refurbishment. All key passenger regions showed positive sales with Europe up 25.9%, the Russian region up 14%, the Far East up 5.2%, Middle East up 14% and the Indian-sub continent up 4%, despite recent travel disruptions. For further information, please contact Bernard Aquino, Marketing Department, Dubai Duty Free or call Tel: +9714-6019232 or email:
Mint
29-05-2025
- Mint
Spirited Picks: What India's alcobev insiders buy when they travel
Peak travel season is upon us. People you know, or barely know, are putting out shiny Stories from all over. Chances are your bags, too, are packed. And as a spirits enthusiast, you're probably wondering what bottles to snag — at Duty Free or your destination. If that's indeed the case, we've got reccos from some of the most tuned-in names in India's alcobev ecosystem. As owner of Pass Code Hospitality, which runs 20 restaurants and bars across the country, and co-founder of homegrown agave brand Maya Pistola Agavepura, Rakshay Dhariwal is always sampling new stuff — and recco-ing spirits. The latest addition to his sizeable tequila collection is a sotol from Flor del Desierto, picked up in Thailand. Sotol is a traditional Mexican spirit, like mezcal or tequila, but distilled from dasylirion, a spiny, desert-dwelling plant in the asparagus family. 'This one's a pechuga-style sotol,' says Dhariwal, referring to a rare distillation method in which meat, typically chicken or turkey breast, is added to the still during a final distillation, often alongside fruits and spices. It adds body and complexity, says Dhariwal. The 'Snake Pechuga' he bought includes rattlesnake meat in the distillate, along with local botanicals. 'It's got outstanding flavour and aroma,' he says. If a serpent in your drink feels like a step too far, he suggests the more conventional Fortaleza, a tequila he calls 'one of the smoothest I've ever had.' Flor del Desierto. Currently holidaying in Vietnam, Uday Balaji is all praise for Sampan Rum, an agricole-style rum made by Distillerie Indochine near Hoi An. 'It's made entirely from sugarcane juice and has this lovely fresh, floral character,' says the Coimbatore-based whisky educator. For those heading to Southeast Asia, he also recommends keeping an eye out for Glenglassaugh Portsoy, a coastal single malt from the Brown-Forman portfolio. 'I feel it's a much-overlooked gem,' says Balaji of the peaty dram. 'I've come across it at several duty-free outlets in the region, especially at Changi Airport and in the Philippines.' Also on his radar, if Europe happens this year, is Smogen, a bold Swedish whisky. 'It holds its own against several Scottish single malts,' he says. Glenglassaugh Portsoy. Mayukh Hazarika's Cherrapunji is one of India's standout gins — smoky, rainwater-distilled in Meghalaya, and infused with botanicals from the North East, including second-flush tea from the Lushai Hills in Mizoram. But gin isn't the only thing Hazarika likes to sip after a long day. At times, he turns to Calvados or Armagnac. 'I've mostly picked up the Calvados Chateau du Breuil and Pays d'Auge, from Berlin, and they never disappoint.' The Chateau du Breuil, he says, is smooth and rounded; the Pays d'Auge, sharper and more structured. For Armagnac, he turns to Janneau, which is soft, slightly spiced, and always dependable. If you're in Holland, he recommends picking up Rutte, a 'benchmark' gin distilled at a 150-year-old facility in Dordrecht, about 100 km from Amsterdam. Rutte. Kasturi Banerjee's Maka Zai, launched in 2021, was one of India's first homegrown craft rums. Since then, the former banker has expanded her portfolio with Mesma, a limited-edition barrel-aged expression that leans on aromatic complexity. When she's travelling, Banerjee makes a point of seeking out local spirits, especially rums that experiment with indigenous ingredients. 'I look for flavoured rums, especially those using indigenous fruits or spices, and how distilleries are experimenting with not just traditional Asian crops like sugarcane, but also less common ingredients like cashew.' She is particularly fond of the agricole-style Samui Rum, which is distilled by the Magic Alambic Rum Distillery (La Rhumerie de Samui) on Koh Samui's quiet southwest coast. Dos Maderas Luxus, a rum aged in the Caribbean and then finished in casks that previously held 20-year-old Pedro Ximénez sherry in Jerez, Spain, is another favourite that she picked up in the UK. Her latest find is Rosemullion Honey Rum, from Frankfurt. Made in Cornwall, the rum is infused with local honey and herbs. Her whisky picks are rooted in Ireland, and she especially recommends Redbreast for its elegance and Connemara for its gentle peat. Redbreast. Vinayak Singh, co-founder, Dram Club As co-founder of Dram Club, a community for spirits lovers, Vinayak Singh often leads whisky tours to Scotland, and never returns without a bottle of Highland Park 18. 'It's consistently good… I have no idea why it's overlooked.' Another label that never fails to impress is Octomore. 'We recently had a tasting of the super heavily peated Octomore 9.3 — it was a big hit.' Both brands, especially the Highland Park, are often available at duty-free shops in Southeast Asia, says Singh. Highland Park 18.
