I was invited to pass by Magnolia Bakery today for a sneak peek and while there I met with Bobbie Lloyd, the president and operating partner who filled me in on the brands history as well as what’s in store for the Kuwait location. The Kuwait store will be the 10th Magnolia Bakery in the world with seven branches located in the US, one in Dubai and one that recently opened in Beirut. If you live in Doha you’ll be pleased to know Magnolia will be opening there next month as well.
Those of you who know Magnolia Bakery will notice one big difference with the Kuwait location and that is they’ll be serving savory dishes like pasta and sandwiches alongside their desserts. This will be the first Magnolia Bakery branch that will be serving savories with the second being the Beirut location.
While getting a tour of the location I was asked if I wanted to ice a cupcake. Since I’m a klutz and I didn’t want to embarrass myself I politely said no but they insisted I give it a shot. After a short lesson I was handed a bucket of icing, a cupcake and a spatula. Even though the Magnolia Bakery staff make icing look really easy I knew it wasn’t going to be but I gave it my best and my cupcake actually didn’t turn out THAT bad.
Magnolia Bakery is located on the mezzanine floor of Hamra Tower and will be opening up this coming Wednesday. If you want to find out more about the brand you can visit their website [Here]
40 replies on “Magnolia Bakery opening this Wednesday”
Nice one more bakery, what makes is so special than other already which we have !
Mark when will you post your own story apart from restaurant and whats opening… Its just another Al Watan online version…
Incoming: ‘if you dont like then dont visit blog’…
I generally don’t post personal stuff because people are more interested in what’s new in kuwait than what I’m doing.
I agree with Yaser. Definitely interested to know what’s new in Kuwait but every other post is about a new food chain or a new restaurant opening up.
I have been following your blog for the last 2 years and it has indeed become duller. I still enjoy the occasional interesting posts but they aren’t that common now as they were before.
I don’t think thats a fair assumption. Just because This week I’ve posted more food posts than usual doesn’t suddenly mean this is all I’ve been posting about for the past few years. Kuwait is tiny, there isn’t much going on here so it’s really difficult to find stuff to post. Everyday is a struggle and there are some days that are better than other ones.
I’m always open to constructive criticism but if you’re just gonna criticize without being constructive then really you’re not helping and just being negative.
“Just because This week Iโve posted more food posts than usual doesnโt suddenly mean this is all Iโve been posting about for the past few years.”
That’s my point. You haven’t always been posting about food so much. Your blog is always interesting and good to read. I have enjoyed reading it ever since I found it.
The reason everyone (including myself) is complaining now is because the last few days/weeks there has been more posts about restaurants and food than usual.
I noticed people usually complain when topics become similar but they’re just phases. It just so happened to be last week had more food posts than the weeks before.
If you check below a few comments someone complained about how all my posts are about expensive stuff. Simply put no matter what I do I am never going to be able to please everyone.
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t
Well we all liked your Japan tour…
If you’re willing to sponsor a tour of South American I can assure you they would be interesting posts as well ๐
I don’t think so, I’m not actually interested at all in the restaurants & stuff. So your own stories would be better ๐
Like me! That is why I read Mark’s blog site to get information on Kuwait, if I don’t read it on this blog, I will NEVER know that it opened because the Kuwaitis don’t market to foreigners, they pretend we don’t exist, but then to be fair, most foreigners don’t spend money in Kuwait, but hold their money to spend it overseas. But I am happy this is opening, just wished it wasn’t in downtown Kuwaiti city which is a garbage dump, but thank god, I have a driver.
Do we have enough bakery in Kuwait!!
No, this is a special bakery.
Bakeries*
we have a misunderstanding of a bakery being a pastries shop or cupcakes maker
what we don’t have enough in kuwait is bakeries that of high quality bread of all sorts/flour/ingredients…
mark i guess you one big food lover, your most of the posts are about food / restaurants,, other topics are there but food fills the space mostly on your blog
Again that’s not true. If you check the posts for the past month you will see food posts don’t make up the bulk. Last week was a food filled week but this happens with other topics as well every now and then.
Mark, there is nothing wrong in being a food lover, for many food , is like art.
your post are related, to food but only of very high expensive restaurants where only high society people go. Very Very less you post about routine, or common man going restaurants or outlets.
your blog is more about luxurious life topics
No offense but , your blog have very less or no topics to issues related to Asians expatriates, their area, their restaurants ,events or anything such.
your blog mostly reflects life style of Citizens,Arab Expatriates, and high profile and rich people.
Come on that’s not only true. Golden Chopsticks is not a very high expensive restaurant, neither is China Kitchen nor Oriental Cuisine and these are just my last three reviews.
Events wise most of the events I post about are free events which anyone could go to.
But put all that aside there is no way on earth I can please everyone. While you’re thinking most of my posts are about expensive stuff other people are thinking I don’t have enough posts about expensive stuff. That’s how it’s always going to be.
firstly we dont expect you to keep pleasing all. after all its your blog, your wish, but
mark, its half glass full half empty, and its always going to be as that way. what point i like to make is , that your blog can help Asian expatriates if you take up those topics , issues also.
in your latest pic you showed the garbage dumped near your area, similarly the abbasiya area of al jleeb area has been in the worst of situation since the garbage is not taken up.
if you could visit and just take few pics and send to the authorized people to take some steps.
Email me the google maps location and I’ll pass by and see what I can do
Did you hear ? Chandi Mathew (a prominent Minister of Parliment in India) will be contracting Tanzifco to clear the Jleeb and Abbasiya areas. I like that. No wasta. No bullshit. Just doing what needs to be done.
Why don’t you start your own blog soni, common now?
I am not here to start a blog, nor i have the sources,
I dont see mark as revolutionary person ,or some political person
but mark have the platform, a famous blog, is influential, and can reach to authorities with lil ease. so the only idea to bring the issue to MARK’s notice , that his blog could be of lil help to some community which was suffering. i dont see any harm in such help?
I dont know if mark remembers, 2011 summer, when MEW was sending msgs to all mobile user to save water and electricity, i had send a mail to mark , pointing out certain parking lots, office building,s where electricity was wasted, during nite hours when no person is there. now that mail was also with same intention, MARK’s blog could be a good platform to bring such thins in to notice of govt , or to concern peoples.
May be some readers have problem on my replies, Mark do you also have than i can stop replying…
WELL MAY BE RAYJAY, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT MAY COME UP. THANK YOU FOR THE SUGGESTION, WILL GIVE IT A SECOND THOUGHT
I AM SURE MARK MIGHT HAVE FACED LOT OF STRUGGLE IN THE INITIAL DAYS OF HIS BLOGGING, BUT NOW HE HAS THE FRUITS ,
MARK DO YOU HAVE PROBLEM I BRING UP THE ISSUES TO YOUR NOTICE AS I HAVE DONE IF SO PLS LET ME KNOW I WOULD STOP IT BUT IF OTHER READERS HAVE PROBLEM THEY CAN IGNORE MY REPLIES
Do you have to be someone’s cupcake to be admitted into Magnolia The Bakery?
๐
Hope they keep this exclusive and not open at multiple locations within the Avenues or at the Airport and thereby, bring down their exclusivity. Let them be known as Magnolia of the Grand Hambra period.
Firstly, hopefully they will understand their market, there are thousands of westerners in Kuwait who would love to buy these cupcakes, but ain’t goin to KC unless they are open Friday mornings. So if they are going to close on Friday mornings they lost this market, because nobody in their right mind would go to KC other than Friday mornings, same with the Avenues. It is packed with foreigners before 1PM then most of us flee.
As a prelude to its opening can you give us a tutorial on how and what to order at the Magnolia??
Banana pudding and chocolate swirl cheesecake are my favorites
red velvet cupcakes!
I agree with Mark, his blog site encompasses an array of topics and is very informative, but there has been alot of new restaurants opening here so it is a valid topic for Kuwait which does not have much going on, hence, alot of food posts. I, for one, am thrilled this bakery is opening in Kuwait because just on Friday, I had to carry these cupcakes in from Dubai. I have done a taste test of all the cupcake places in Dubai Mall and this one tastes the best out of all of them, although each is very different.
What are the timings? Are they open on Fridays?
Tried the red velevet creamcheese cupcake in Bloomingdales, NY, it tasted horrible and had a soury after taste…. Crumb’s red velvet cupcake is still the best……
I tried the red velvet cheesecake last week at their beirut branch and didn’t like it either. Their chocolate swirl cheesecake on the other hand is delicious.
If you want to taste red velvet cheesecake, the way it’s supposed to be head to the Union Station in DC for the best red velvet cake ever.
Let him post about food! so what?! if anything i think his food reviews are actually fair unlike so many other bloggers who just “love” and “highly recommend” everything the inviting restaurant has offered them in their invite ..and you rarely ever hear them going back to that restaurant again!
plus mark takes great foodporn pictures…some people enjoy food ๐
(and mark, the chinese restaurants are expensive for some of our asian expats here considering how much they make, and how it compares to back home)
I totally agree with you. I’m a big foodie and whenever I want to try a new place, I always check if Mark or Ansam tried them first, one of the main reasons is their honesty and suggestions after reviewing the restaurant.
I’ve been reading Mark’s blog for like 2 years and I also think this is a bit unfair because Mark has a point, there isn’t a lot to do/check out everyday… And one of the main reasons for going out here is to eat, so naturally that’s another food post! If people really want different ideas, they should just suggest stuff instead of complain…
the best bakery in kuwait with THE best red velvet is the november bakery, period.
Cupcakes are 1kd each. So those of you who make 2,000kd a month or more, can go enjoy.
DRAMA LLAMAS!!!! I saw their were 38 comments I was expecting juicy reviews on the bakery or something helpful.