I tried Coventry's newest cafe and its 'viral cake' was the best dessert I've ever eaten

I have become accustomed to going out for brunches with friends and family lately, enjoying delicious homemade dishes within 'Instagrammable' interiors. Brunch has become a wide concept across cafes in Coventry to attract people of all ages as a way to catch up with friends or mingle with colleagues during lunch breaks.

The Vault on Little Park Street in the city centre is the newest brunch cafe to join the Coventry scene. It opened in October and serves a range of breakfast, brunch, lunch, light bites, hot drinks, mocktails, desserts, and more in a charming setting.

The halal cafe is in the transformed premises of a former bank, the Royal Bank of Scotland. But in a nod to the building's past, it retained the vault from the bank. The feature now houses the kitchen in a unique setting, and also provides the venue's name. As I saw the cafe all across my socials, I went to visit with my friend to join the brunch hype.

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Firstly, the cafe's interiors are like no other. It is visually pleasing, warm, and welcoming, with plush seats and booths for those who want an intimate brunch experience with friends. The cafe exudes pink tones with its floral décor, the elongated corridor, and a large mirror at the end for Instagram pictures. It's an ideal place for people to create picture-perfect memories.

The menu included a range of breakfast and brunch dishes, from French toast, pancakes, salad bowls, and full English breakfasts to artisan pizzas, vegan breakfast options, and pastries. I decided to go for the vault veggie breakfast, which cost £12.95. The breakfast included vegan sausages, beans, tomatoes, hash browns, and sourdough toast with the option of fried, scrambled, or poached eggs. I had that with a karak chai, which cost £3.95.

The veggie breakfast was presented immaculately, looked visually indulging, and was a reasonable portion size for a brunch dish. All the elements were cooked perfectly, from the seasoning on the scrambled eggs to the masala-style beans, for a nice 'desi' infusion of flavours. The hash browns were crispy, the tomatoes were juicy and the sourdough bread was firm with a crunch texture. I demolished the dish with the Karak chaii, which was warm and spicy, with notes of cardammon and cinnamon, making it milky and sweet and having a malty mouthfeel.

Despite being really full from the brunch, there was no way I could leave without having dessert, and of course, on the menu was the viral dessert sensation, the Dubai dream cake, which cost £8.95. This has been taking over TikTok and Instagram as the 'must-try' cake, which includes layers of moist chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, chocolate ganache, and hard milk chocolate.

I was excited to try it as The Vault is the only cafe in Coventry to serve the viral cake, and it did not disappoint. It was literally heaven on a plate. The chocolate intensity was divine, and I was so indulged with the gooiness and richness of the cake. The cake had a creamy mocha flavour, a sweet and cottony texture, intensely layered cream, and a wholesome filling.

I could truly eat that again. It is probably one of the best desserts I've ever tried. I also loved the idea of cracking the hard chocolate to find the chocolate oozing out. It reminded me of the Matilda chocolate cake concept, which also went viral in Dubai.

The Vault has been open for less than a month, and I can see why it has become a staple of the Coventry brunch scene. It is the only floral cafe in the city that offers the Dubai dream cake and has an actual vault within its premises, which is unique.

When I visited, all the staff and the owner, Saj, were friendly and accommodating, and the place had a welcoming atmosphere. The food was really tasty, and I can see why it gets busy, as the quality and service are high. I had a great brunch experience at The Vault, and I would come here again with friends; the interiors are spot on, and the vibe screams brunch.

Where to find The Vault:

Location: 15 Little Park St, Coventry CV1 2JZ.

Opening times: Open daily from 9am-9pm, with food served until 4pm, with drinks and desserts served all day.

For more information about The Vault, follow their Facebook page here or their Instagram @thevaultcoventry.

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