Nabil’s Acai Station review: April Ooi visits Ballajura shop for viral Dubai chocolate, acai bowl

There’s no secret that the Dubai chocolate trend has taken the entire world by storm. Who knew that crispy kataifi pastry and pistachio spread would make such a lethal combo? Well, just about everyone now, I guess. And while there are many cafes taking advantage of the trendy treat, there is one place in Perth that is doing it best. Nabil’s Acai Station in Ballajura is viral for their enormous housemade Dubai chocolate bars and swirling towers of acai. Even on the chilliest of winter days and being nowhere close to the beach, this suburban hotspot is bustling with students and families all itching for a sweet treat. Let’s start with the chocolate bar ($28). While the price may be shocking, the bar is almost the size of an A4 sheet of paper and feels as heavy as my Pilates dumbbell. Given that IGA sells a product at a similar price, but much smaller and factory-made, I think it is pretty decent value. As for the taste? The milk chocolate is on the sweeter side, but the delicious crunchy stringy pastry mixed with the nutty pistachio spread is genuinely divine, and ridiculously addictive. They also have a brownie ($14) covered in milk chocolate, the same pistachio and pastry mixture with a sprinkling of pistachio on top. It’s enough for four people to share, and the melted milk chocolate makes it quite sweet. Conveniently, it’s served in a takeaway box, so I nibbled at it for the next couple of days. And honestly, it seemed to taste better each time. I also ordered a Dubai chocolate strawberry cup ($15.50). It was a large portion, and the strawberries were plump and ruby red. The tartness of the berries balanced out the sweetness of the molten chocolate and pistachio spread perfectly. And if we didn’t have enough pistachio already, we finished with a kids’ size cup of acai ($9) with a side of kataifi mixture ($2.50) drizzled with Kinder Bueno sauce ($2). The acai came with granola, strawberries, and banana, but the healthy ingredients were overshadowed by the unapologetically extra add-ons. I highly recommend the Bueno sauce — the nostalgic buttery flavour mixed with the fresh acai hits every time. It’s crazy how I roll out of the joint in a sugar coma yet crave the same bougie bliss the next day. Nabil’s Acai is the reason for my Dubai chocolate addiction, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Nabil’s Acai Station N Illawarra Crescent, Ballajura OPEN Monday-Saturday 11am-8pm; Sunday 12pm-8pm CONTACT 6285 5935 BOOKINGS No THE VERDICT The best spot for Dubai chocolate bars and over-the-top acai. 16/20