Nights at Layali
Ok, Layali Café isn’t even open at night but, following from Scheherazade’s renowned epic and the fact that Layali is the plural of the word “night” in one of its Arabic translations, I felt that Nights at Layali (though redundant) would resonate more.
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Name: Layali Café, The House of Turkish Coffee
Address: Shop 45, Starlight Shopping Plaza, Diego Martin Main Road, Diego Martin | Telephone: (868) 308-1879
Cuisine: Café, Arabian/Turkish
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As all the best things, we near-wandered into Layali in happenstance only to find that they’d already closed for the evening. Not ones to take a closed sign seriously, we wagered that our desire would invoke the genie of wish-fulfilment. And so having dared, the owners – a more-than-welcoming couple, granted our wish.
The interior of Layali was small and cosy – as quaint as any quaint café that welcomes the sharing of ideas and the passion of the arts, and like those other cafés of the same sort, it made up for size with its character. There is this one window that I questioned about its existence but it daringly peered back at me. Perhaps it was meant to remind us that Layali wasn’t in a world of its own – not that I wanted to be reminded of that to begin with… does anyone in a place like this?
At this late hour, there wasn’t much to be had left but with a chorus, we were ushered to try the Sticky Toffee Pudding of the Apsaras. Ok, you got me. I embellished just a tad: the Apsaras did not indeed make it, but it was a date cake with toffee sauce. We were warned that it would fall apart as it was just baked but I found no warmth left in it – magical heat removal? Nonetheless, what it lacked in presentation, it more than made up for with taste. A bit too moist, yet not lacking in texture or layers of flavour, this date cake was indeed heart-warming and would make for a great autumnal dessert. As such, I did some digging in underground caverns and found what seems to be the recipe for the same Toffee Pudding.
We paired this with karak – an almost chai drink made with black tea – milky, sweet cardamom goodness! The best part of the karak experience to me, however, is that it was served in an ‘ibrīq. ‘Ibrīq, commonly spelt ibrik, is a tea or coffee vessel with a long spout. This vessel has been seemingly adapted from two various traditions. The first is the cezve – the proper long-handled coffee brewing pot; and the original Turkish ibrik, used not for coffee or tea, but rather, water and oil. Regardless, that it adds to the allure of the House of Turkish Coffee and, makes the dining experience all the more authentic, is indisputable.
This sacred fruit and nectar set us back about TTD 80.00 for one serving including the 12% service charge on all items. By themselves or taken together, neither the Toffee Cake nor the karak was worth their price in my opinion, but taken with the ambience and superior service of the hosts, I’d have to concede my tendency toward dissatisfaction for a definite I shall return: Layali is definitely a little treasure to be experienced.
While we would not have been able to sample other items on the menu at that time, I’ve attached it for perusal. Naturally, as a café menu, it’s not intended to be exhaustive nor to present full Turkish or Arabic meals.
We have entered into the veritable night phase of Layali Café’s existence: on 3rd July 2017, Layali Café announced its sunset -- a mere twenty-one days later, on 25th July 2017. Needless to say, if you haven’t already had your fix of Layali, you have even less time from the posting of this blog -- make haste, even if you have to hitchhike on a magic carpet!
