#LetsGoRyoko Vol. 6.0 with Sawsan Abdillahi
"A sip of love in every cup"
I'm here with Sawsan Abdillahi and you are the owner of Shay Madhboot which is a popular shop in Abu Dhabi that specializes in serving karak tea and brunch.
How long has Shay Madhboot been in this location?
We have been open for nearly two and a half years now.
The ambience is beautiful. Do you plan to make any changes here?
We established Shay Madhboot as the chai/Karak place you can come to read a book or catch up with your friends. Therefore ambience is a big part of the experience.
What inspired the name Shay Madhboot?
We always knew our unique selling point would be the karak, 'Shay Madhboot' literally means tea done well which we hope our customers agree as we have put a lot of work in perfecting our karak chai.
What sets you apart from other cafes?
I don't believe we got into this to compete with others. I am a big foodie and the ultimate goal was to create a space where you can go to have a great and filling breakfast with refillable cups of karak to your hearts' content. We believe with Shay Madhboot you can get that.
Describe Shay Madhboot in 3 words.
Awesome Karak, flavorful food at a great price!
Do you have any events happening in and around your shop?
Right now we are working on bringing more experiences and curated meals to the restaurant.
What are your other passions/hobbies apart from running this café?
Launching my own podcast with a friend of mine, and of course reading and discussing good books.
What do customers find the best here?
Believe it or not, Shakshuka is by far our best seller and what we are most known for.
If you were the customer in your own café, what would you order first?
Saffron karak, its my go to and sadly I am addicted.
What do you think about opening in another location?
We are thinking of going mobile by end of year first before opening up another location.
What advice would you give someone who wants to set up a similar business?
If you genuinely believe in your product, then don't give up no matter how bleak it looks. Hang in there and you will see the return. Also don't see this as a money making scheme, it is a revenue generator that requires as much time and effort that you put in as you expect out of it.
You have a few Ryoko products stocked in your café. What do you have to say about them?
I adore Ryoko products! As a photographer, and lover of good quality leather, the pieces we have displayed are uniquely chosen for Shay Madhboot's customers.
Please tell people how to find Shay Madhboot, what your hours are, and how to find more information.
We are located on Muroor , 21st Street near the Royal Thai Embassy in Abu Dhabi. We are open 7AM-10PM on weekdays and 8AM - 10PM on weekends and you can follow us on our Instagram page for more information: instagram.com/ShayMadhboot