In today’s digital age, it’s hard to escape once something goes viral on social media. The viral Dubai chocolate bar is one of the latest food crazes sweeping the internet. Unlike the typical milk chocolate you find at your local store, this confection comes loaded with pistachio cream and kataifi a type of shredded phyllo before being coated in smooth chocolate.
It looks like something from a fantasy candy factory, resembling the kind of treat that Willy Wonka himself would create.
Though commonly known as “Dubai chocolate,” this treat originates from Fix Dessert Chocolatier, a specialty shop in the United Arab Emirates. The bar sells under the playful name, “Can’t Get Knafeh of It.” This shop’s chocolate bar has become so popular that it sells out daily.
The Viral Trend
The Dubai chocolate bar first gained massive attention at the end of 2023 when a TikTok review catapulted it to viral fame, garnering nearly 80 million views. By the summer of 2024, the bar’s popularity had skyrocketed even further, sparking copycat versions in stores worldwide, including here in the U.S.
My Instagram feed has been flooded with images and videos of the green pistachio filling oozing out of chocolate bars. Some creators have even tried to recreate their versions at home.
As someone with an insatiable sweet tooth—especially for pistachio-flavored treats—I couldn’t resist trying this chocolate bar. So, when I saw a Nuts Factory store advertising the viral chocolate in New York City, I knew I had to try it.
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The Purchase
Nuts Factory, a chain with over 150 locations nationwide, offers two variations of the Dubai chocolate bar: milk chocolate and dark chocolate. Being health-conscious, I opted for the dark chocolate version. But with a price tag of $20 for a single bar, I hoped it would live up to the hype.
Plus, the store only allowed me to purchase one bar at a time, which added to the exclusivity. After purchasing, I rushed home to see what this viral treat was all about.
The Appearance
At first glance, the bar was wider and significantly thicker than your average chocolate bar, with clearly marked squares. Unfortunately, it didn’t break apart as cleanly as I expected.
When I tried to divide it, the bar shattered into irregular pieces instead of the neat squares I had envisioned. Despite the mess, I grabbed a piece and took a bite.
The Taste Test
Let me start by saying that the chocolate itself is undeniably good. At $20, I would expect nothing less than a top-notch dessert. The dark chocolate was rich, smooth, and melted in my mouth like a high-quality confection should. The kataifi gave the bar an incredible crunch, though I felt it was overwhelming.
The texture was fun, but it overpowered the other flavors, leaving the pistachio cream—which I had been most excited for largely unnoticed.
If I hadn’t known what I was eating, I would never have guessed there was pistachio inside. The filling tasted more like halva, with a generic sweetness and slight nuttiness, but it lacked the pronounced pistachio flavor I had anticipated.
Curious, I looked into the ingredients of the version I bought and the original bar from Fix Dessert Chocolatier. Interestingly, the original recipe includes tahini paste, which might explain the nuttier, more pronounced flavor missing from my version.
The chocolate-to-pistachio ratio also seemed off, with the dark chocolate overpowering the delicate pistachio cream.
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Final Thoughts
While the Dubai chocolate bar I tried was a delicious dessert, it didn’t live up to the viral hype for me. The dark chocolate version, while tasty, didn’t deliver the pistachio punch I was hoping for. I’m intrigued to try the milk chocolate version, which might balance the flavors better.
Despite its steep price, I might be willing to shell out another $20 for a milk chocolate bar to see if the pistachio shines through more.
Would I spend $20 again on this bar? Probably not. But if the original viral version from Fix Dessert Chocolatier ever becomes available in the U.S., I’d be first in line to try it.