A reader of the blog sent me pictures of Dean & Deluca so if you haven’t been there yet click on continue below to check the place out. By the way, if you’re a salami fan I think they’ve got the best salami in Kuwait… but thats probably because they don’t have ANY competition!
Thanks Leslie!
39 replies on “Dean & Deluca Pictures”
Dean & Deluca is really good because they do offer a lot of “unique” items that aren’t available in other stores especially here in Kuwait; however, I was very disappointed that they did not sell many of their items available on their international website (certain kinds of spices, teas & jam).
What is even more disappointing is their service. I’m sure they’re finding it challenging to cope with the amount of people going there since it’s the “fad” now but I visited the place 3 times and in each visit I had a semi-argument with one of their employees.
One of them did not even know what they had in store, the second one rudely grabbed a fruit box out of my hand without asking permission and the third left me waiting behind the till for more than 15 minutes just to swipe my items and then sent me to 2 different tills because she claimed she was busy (reading a paper) and finally they sent me back to her and she gave me a piece of her mind.
I will definitely go there again but it is becoming known how bad their service is and I keep hearing this from many other customers. It is a popular store now in Kuwait and for all the advertisements they’re doing, they should seriously look into improving their service otherwise it is such a shame.
I don’t understand why we don’t have more salami choices in kuwait!
I went there today, it’s really neat. I didn’t encounter any of the service problems mentioned above, the service was actually very pleasant and nice, each departments server would greet us promptly and ask us if there is anything we need help with. It was a refreshing change from going to other places and being either ignored or dealt with like you just molested their mothers. They also had lots of shit out for free for you to try.
There alot of specialty items you won’t find anywhere else, they have the largest cheese and caviar selection I have seen in Kuwait. However there is a cost to the rare items, since most of them are imported they suffer, some of the premium steak cuts clearly took way too long in transit, the rarer cheeses clearly started drying up around the outer edges.
Lots of Jams, spices, and different types of vinegar and oils, definitely a foodie’s heaven in Kuwait.
The best thing I found though was that they sell alot of standard items you find in Sultan, like chicken cuts, but their selection is premium so each cut is just as good as the display models, but the prices are exactly the same ones you find all over. This is something I really like about them and the main reason I will be returning.
Oh their breads are simply the best, on par with the shit you get at Radisson SAS.
I was with Nat there earlier and we were at the peppers section. She couldn’t find this pepper she had spotted earlier in the day so she asked one of the employees there about it. He told her if it wasn’t displayed then it was probably out of stock. We picked up some other stuff and went to pay, just as we were done paying and about to walk out of the store, the employee who we had asked for help earlier ran towards us with the pepper nat had been looking for. Turns out after we left the pepper area he continued to look for it and when he found it he went looking for us!
I thought that was pretty good service.
I liked the bread. Reasonable value. The price of some of the fruit & vegetables made me laugh mind.
This is the worst time to start a gourmet business in Kuwait. The world (and Kuwait with it) is going through a serious recession. D&D Kuwait will probably go out of business within 12 months. Get all the goodies while you can.
Mark i dont think thats pretty good service, more like bad management. Items should be visible for the customers and the staff should be well aware of what is and isnt out of stock, instead of guessing at the top of his head. And the fact that you guys already paid for a substitute for that item makes it even worse
Looks pretty poncy.
Their cafe was ok, nothing special, but they do have some nice items!
gourmet grocery is simply hard to accept in kuwait since the prices are higher than the usual groceries. so it might take awhile to slow down all the attacks.
Sowwy, but I disagree with Nobu. Cars and food are two businesses that will never face an economic crisis in Kuwait – no matter what people have to do to get them.
Thanks for the sexy pictures, Mark. 🙂
I have been to D&D probably 10 times since the opening and have never encountered one rude employee. Most of the time they have been a little too friendly for my taste.
I absolutely love the store. The product is top notch and the place is ALWAYS busy. It appears that D&D is not going anywhere soon!!
Sorry to say but if you don’t like D&D and feel the need to complain then just keep on walking by!!
somechick: nope thats called good customer service.
my gulay!.. in fairness with their bread its really good and constantly new, that’s why on one occasion you start eating eat, you will take pleasure in it. 🙂
and i agree with randy, being there, i haven’t experienced such impoliteness or i haven’t encounter such crew or employee with less product knowledge as well as not them having good customer service… 😛
maybe mark they are wasted then, that’s why they feel like going home… ahahhaha
It’s pretty cool except for the dressed up people sitting in the cafe hehehehe ,people it’s just a CO-OP or food market no need to dress up looool .
yes they are rude especially the british lady
yeah i noticed those over dressed people too!
Mark, I think you’re wrong about the salami thing. Sultan Center, Organic food corner and jam3iyat el Rowtha have salami! In fact Khazaan, Americana and Al-Mawashi make salami….so…FYI.
Why will D and D go out of business?
1. It’s Shaya backed.
2. He’s paying KD 2 rent per sqm to say open.
He’s not going anywhere.
They promised me they will have raclette cheese in a week. The did. la o they got two kinds (brands)… one of them finished already…
and that guy on the cheese counter? Showing in the pix? I asked him i want bree cheese, he said it’s not available but try this, o he gives me a cheese that is similar in texture to bree and is french too but yummy yummmmmy…
I am having it for breakfast since then with my rosemary bread loaf. Stincking the whole department of course the fridge and every where else with it’s strong smell… but it is GOOOOD
the guy actually knows what he is doing… good choice HR people at shaye3…
TweeZ: Americana and Khazan salami suck thats why they aren’t counted as competition. Also I prefer my salami freshly cut and not pre-cut refrigerated salami.
I just loved their spices section, which is reasonably priced i must say. Their food to go section looks pretty good and healthy as well. Can’t wait to try them all.
Finally ! a great food store in Kuwait ! The meats and cheeses are the finest available in retail and this is such a pleasant place to shop. The ought to build a loyalty program like sultan center but at a premium level.
Just give the card holders a 20% discount on 10 exclusive products every month….
@ Mark
Ok, what about Sultan Center and the Organic food corner in the Shamiya Co-op? They sell American salami that is fresh.
I don’t know about you, but I like Khazaan’s salami. They taste better once they are cooked. Try them the next time you make a pizza.
Sultan Center only have khazan and americana and not all the time.
The Gourmet Food section of Shamiya I haven’t checked but will do so when I have the chance.
I don’t like my salami’s cooked, I like having them as a sandwich for dinner.
Sultan used to get an American brand. Forgot what it was called, but the Rowtha co-op started getting the same one. In fact, they sell the same brand at shamiya. Really good too.
also, as far as salami is concerned, Subway makes a kick-ass sandwich btw.
Raclette cheese ! for breakfast !!
Tango
Who eats raclette for breakfast?
Raclette cheese is for my lunch, i said the bree like cheese that tastes even better than bree is for breakfast…
It appears Al Shayeh have stopped devloping the next stages of the Avenues. What happened to all the ads on the construction site? Why are they gone?
From personal contacts, many businesses in the Avenues will go out of business soon, especially the smaller ones that don’t belong to Al Shayeh group.
I noticed already a few shops closed down and some closing down. Avenues should give everyone a break and drop down the rent.
I wish it was only the rent. The key money some of these people paid is ridiculous. We’re talking tens to hundreds of thousands! My heart goes out to them. 🙁
Nobu, that’s true, I know of several companies who paid ranging from 120 up to nearly 400k.
Absolutely crazy and they’ll never in a million years be able to sell on their locations for that kind of money in today’s market.
I think they amounted to 17 shops including a restaurant that already closed in Avenues. It’s really disappointing…
AL Shaya’a – no words to express my dissent over this group.
I still didn’t visit D & D… Might try after all the buzz. By that time i’m sure to get a better service.
RE; SALAMI
and cold cuts etc.
Alshaya have asked me to find some here in NZ as well as Venison, so keep going back to look. We’ll get it there as soon as possible!
What else would you like to see that they haven’t got?
cheers from NZ
Justine
wow more salami thats just great 🙂
i will create a new post asking people what they think is missing at dean & deluca have people reply back.
Excellent, that’s what I like to hear.
What about New Zealand cheeses – then was talk earlier of the Brie – we have some fabulous cheese.
And for all you who miss cooking with wine, I am trying to get a wine substitute in the stores for you – as served on Emirates Airlines.