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19 years ago, Florent Segers couldn't get a decent cappuccino at any of the leading hotels in Muscat, so he did what every self-respecting Belgian would under the circumstances – he opened his own café. And that's how Café Glacier came to be. Chances are its coffees, along with most of its menu, is better and fresher than anything else you've tried.

At the heart of its appeal is an uncomplicated philosophy that leads to decisions so simple you wonder why no one else thought of them. Like their breakfasts, for instance, which they serve through the day. "It takes us the same effort to make an omelette at two in the afternoon as it does at 8am," points out Florent's wife Martha, who runs the show at Zakher Mall. "If a customer wants his eggs for lunch, why shouldn't he have them?" Why indeed not. And as you while away your lunch, you can have your omelette with turkey, tomato, cheese, onion, mushrooms or capsicum.

16 pages of choice
Such a profusion of choices is another reason why you will keep coming back here. There are more than 500 choices in the menu that stretches across an Earth-shattering 16 pages and feels more like a hotel register than a collection of dishes. There are 28 hot beverages that you can have, from the mocaccino maison with caramel to the rosehip and hibiscus herbal tea. There are another 32 cups of pure origin coffees to sift through and more than 65 cold drinks, from Ice Karkadih to the Windless Hurricane to a sweet Swahili number called Malaika. The Café Glacierwill also sell you tins of the prized Rombouts brand of coffee, and also supplies hotels in Oman with them. Started in 1896, Rombouts is also the chosen coffee of the Belgian royal court and is considered to be the most prestigious brand of coffee in Japan. But the real star of the show, we are told, is the frozen yogurt that Omani customers, who make up almost 80 per cent of Glacier's diners, can't get enough of.

Best with cream
Such dishes are close to the heart of Café Glacier, which started out with just pancakes, waffles and ice cream, and will send you into raptures of delight. You can have the pancakes the usual way, with fresh cream, maple syrup or ice cream, or you can make a meal with fillings of chicken, cheese, turkey or mushrooms. Ours had cheese and mushroom, a deliciously soft filling. Like much of the equipment the pancake machines have been imported from Belgium, and parts are couriered over when they need them.

There are a staggering 19 ways you can have your waffles, involving everything from strawberries to cinnamon.

Days and weeks
Likewise, the ice cream machines are imported from Italy, and the Carpigianis boil the mix of Belgian Colac all the way to a boiling point of about 85ºC, before rapidly freezing it down to 4ºC, which helps preserve the best quality. But there's more to their ice cream than just fancy names. They make it up to two times a week, which means that when you dip in with your scoop, your ice cream is only days old at the maximum. Contrast this with ice cream from a global chain, which is shipped across continents, via regional hubs, and you’re talking at least five weeks older.

Madame and monsieur
It is on page 13 of the menu that will find your first croque in Muscat, a closed sandwich that the Glacier offers in a variety of ways. The croque originated in France as a fast food snack served in cafés, and a croque monsieur is traditionally a hot ham and cheese (typically Gruyère) grilled sandwich. Some variations abroad are dipped in beaten egg, then pan-fried in clarified butter. More elaborate versions come coated in a mornay or béchamel sauce.

Our favourite was croque madame which had in addition to its filling of turkey and cheese, a fried egg on the top, and a bit of salad on the side. The monsieur version will come without the egg and all croques either come singly or in pairs. Croque Andalouse adds tomato to the mix, while Hawaii adds pineapple, which melts in the mouth along with the cheese. There's also chicken and tuna, but madame knows best.
The origin of the name is shrouded in mystery. The word croque comes from the verb croquer which means to crunch or to munch. It first appeared on a Paris café menu in 1910 and is mentioned by Proust in one of his books. In some provinces of France a croque is a sandwich that has been dipped in egg and then broiled, which shows similarities to some recipes for croque monsieur. A croque madame is the same sandwich, served with the addition of a fried egg à cheval or on top.

Who cares?
But the best thing about Café Glacieris that it never really seems like just another business establishment. This is a place that grew out of a need for better food, providing a quality higher than was available in Muscat. You can still see this thought in the little details, like the fact that you get a little bowl of popcorn to munch on, free of charge with a glass of cola. Or that the ice cream scoop rests in running water when it isn't being used. Anyone can tell you that this will keep it clean, but few apart from Martha will add, "And it lets the ice cream in the tub scoop out better." Who cares? Glacier obviously does. Call the café at 24489245. It’s open through the week, from 9am-10pm, and until 11pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays. It is shut on Friday mornings, opening at 4pm.