Fitch Assigns 'A-' Rating to Cosi

Fitch Ratings has today assigned Cosi an 'A-' rating. The Outlook is Stable.

As a lunch place, Cosi is just okay. It has soups (they change every day, but most are good), sandwiches (go for the TBM or Tuscan Pesto Chicken first), and flatbread pizza (oily, but hits the spot sometimes). The salads are passable, too.

Though Cosi has locations all over the world, the restaurant aims a step or two higher than the average slophouse, priding itself on its bread, a flat-ish roll baked up on location. Thing is, the bread ain't the best thing since, uh, sliced bread, even if it beats a Big Mac roll. Bottom line: meh.

In sum, the upside potential for Cosi's ratings is currently limited given its bad dining risk profile. Downside potential could arise from the failure to deliver good food on time.

Meals are about Dh30 a person. For delivery in Abu Dhabi, call 02 443 7605. You can also look at the menu online.

And map:


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Fitch Assigns Ya Zaein an 'A+' Rating

Fitch Ratings has today assigned Abu Dhabi-based Ya Zaein (YZ) a Long-term foreign food Issuer Default Rating and senior unsecured rating of 'A+'. The agency has simultaneously given Ya Zaein a Stable Outlook.

The rating reflects Ya Zaein's strong delivery of consistent lunch sandwich and pizza offerings from a brick oven. While Ya Zaein is hardly on the cutting edge of culinary innovation, it is both cheap and satisfying. Recommended are the labneh falafel sandwich (ask for a "big" one), the tomato and cheese sandwich and anything with mortadella in it. The tuna pizza is also said to be tasty.

Here's a pic of the labneh falafel, ready to be devoured:

And the goodness inside:

This is not a place to take a date or your mother, but it is a reliable, no-frills lunch spot that you'll be going back to often if you live or work nearby.

Meals cost Dh10. Delivery is available at 02 445 4008. Here is the menu.

Map is here:


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