Amore

Amore's on Tahaliah is my favorite Italian. The pasta is fresh made and they are one of the few places I have found in Riyadh that actually knows how to make salad.

There is not a lot of room upstairs so go outside normal Riyadh eating hours (ie late) and the deco is variations on black and white, with tulips for contrast.  How is that Italian?  Hmmm...not sure. Regardless, the food never fails me and the service is excellent.

Tokyo

For Japanese, try Tokyo on Uruba near King Abdul Aziz Road.   They no longer do the ‘cook as you watch’ deal (gossip has it that the neighbors complained about the smells emanating from the place into the wee small hours when they were trying to sleep) but the food is still nice. They were, at the time we ate there, in the process of looking for a friendlier neighborhood.   

The mirrors on the ceiling is an interesting concept in rather large booths, great for groups though not so intimate for couples.  And they have outdoor scenes painted on the walls.

The food is very tasty, though I think the dining experinece could be improved with a more pleasant environment.

Chinese

Chinese Restaurants

There are a number of places in Riyadh that serve Chinese and the locales we have been to are all OK. 

We have the local quick to walk to Gate of Jazeera Palace (Take the right hand fork at the eastern end of Mussah ibn Nasser to get there). 

One of the wait staff at Gate of Jazeera

Muted blue lighting beneath floor panels leads you down a narrow path to select a private booth to dine in.  The boothes are not large, though we've had six at a table, and each has a large fish tank that acts as a divider.

The menu is quite extensive, I haven't managed to work my way through it yet.  Glenn always starts with a soup, I prefer the calamari.  If you order Teriaki Chicken or Fish you get the Yummi Yummi experience.

The food is delivered on a trolley is really quite tasty.  There used to be numerous pictuers of the food on my camera, but they went west, so next time I'll ensure a camera shoot of the kai.

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My friend K likes Riyadh Chinese (hang a left at the end of Mussah ibn Nasser, a right at the next fork and then another right at the lights by McDonalds).  I haven't been there yet but when I do go, I'll let you know what I think.

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Diamond in the Localizer is OK too.   They are have more open area with the prerequisite boothes.  I haven't been for a while, so I'm guessing a re-visit is required to take photo's. Diamond has a couple of restaurants around the city, so you should find one easily enough.

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Chinese Golden Palace Restaurant

Close to the corner of Ulaya and Mussah ibn Nasser, is the Chinese Golden Palace restaurant.  This place has created an indoor chinese water setting.  There isn't a lot of seating and what is available is quite open. 

The food is nice, but what's groovy here are the ice-creams – one night we tried them all.  Gluttons, I know.

 

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Second Cup

If I just want coffee in premises that has a lot of natural light (Family Sections can be very dim) I’ll go to Second Cup, in the Localiser Mall on Tahalia Street.

The staff are friendly and patient as I try to decide which syrup flavour I'll add to my coffee before coming to the final decision that all I really want is simply coffee.

They have the plastic, mass produced tasting cakes and muffins, but the coffee is good and at least I can read my book without needing to take a torch especially if I get a window seat with a view of  a busy Tahalia Street intersection, which is more than possible when I go early in the day.

The booths with a view are roomy enough for two or three people and for privacy you simply draw the large red curtains around - though I rarely do.

If you have gammy legs it would pay to go elsewhere for your beverage.  Though the stairway up is clean, cool, spacious and made of some type of stone, it could be a hassle for the those with stair issues.

La Vela

La Vela in Centria Mall on the corner of Tahalia and Ulaya is my choice of Italian for coffee and dessert after a wander up Tahalia Street.

The entrance can seem a little dark and mysterious, though the sweets displayed in the counter soon take your mind off that.  I find it hard to walk past the selection without stopping to go 'Mmmmmmm, that looks yummy!'  It helps that if we ask for a tester taste of something that looks delectable, we get one.  These sweets go perfectly with coffee, although they are not the only things  on the menu.

Further into La Vela you'll find a small dining area, a larger space for relaxing in comfy lounge chairs behind romantic strand curtains, the kind you love to run your hands through, and my favourite, an outdoor deck with wicker terrace furniture.

La Vela is open for breakfast (at 10am) - we enjoyed omelets and a spot of toast with juice and coffee - through to dinner (Glenn thought the chicken risotto was sensational).  

I like La Vela.  It's got a relaxing feel to it and they have managed to create an airy space with views out through large paned windows that gives the impression of  looking out toward an Italian terrace. 

The Noodle House

The Noodle House in Centria Mall on the corner of Ulaya and Tahaliah is a favourite of ours and a warm welcome is always extended.

Hubby's loves the chicken and prawn laksa.  I'm partial to the Wasabi prawns, but there is so much more on the Chinese influenced menu.  Ordering is easy, just tick the boxes and hand over the form.

The Family Section is large, roomy and airy with large wooden tables and bench seats designed for sharing so bring a group or there are a selection of booths for a more intimate dining experince. 

The view from the large windows to the road outside is a bonus if you're a western woman going stir crazy from only seeing the inside of four walls.

The Noodle House does not have a large selection of sweets so if you want to end the night with coffee and dessert skip across the mall to La Vela.

The manager is always keen to hear feedback on the menu, especially when new dishes are introduced, so don't be shy about making positive suggestions.

And if you fancy a browse here is The Noodle House website.

Pascucci Cafe

Pascucci on Mussah ibn Nasser is my favorite coffee and tiramisu place.  They have a large range of variations on coffee and mocha - most with cream - I have not yet tried them all.  The cuisine is Italian with a decent range of sandwiches, pasta and pizza.  It pays to go Pascucci with a big appetite - the servings are generous.

The booths are a combination of wooden units, plastic bamboo reeds and screens.  The seats are soft, large and comfy.  Perfect for lounging.

What keeps me coming back is they know how to do a good salad – a rarity in Riyadh.  Take a torch though, its dark as!  My favourite seats are by the window - there's more light.   

The venue on Mussah ibn Nasser is for family only.  The male Pascucci is down the road and round the corner.  And if you fancy Queen Ann style decor try Pascucci at Panaroma Mall.

Pascucci Panorama

Pascucci Panorama

Terrazzo's

If you want an almost total meat experience you have go to Terrazzo Restaurant on the first floor of Faisaliah Hotel.

This restaurant, which some say is Brazilian though I've never asked to confirm such rumors, is located on an outdoor balcony with hedging verges and a view of the south tower of the hotel.  In the summer spraying mist helps to keep you cool.  The winter evenings can be very cold so the restaurant provides thick desert coats for the diners.  The coats are so warm you're tempted to go buy one before you leave the country.

Once shown to your seat the waiters explain the proceedings.  You can help yourself to the delicious salad bar available, though I've found filling up on salad severely uses up stomach space best left for the meat.

The waiters walk around with meat on a skewer and carve it onto your plate. Buffalo, lamb, shrimp, antelope, chicken, turkey, ostrich, gazelle – just to name a few.  Once you've had enough meat simply turn the little disk next to your plate to red, the waiters and the meat will then pass you by.

A little digestion time is usually required before heading up the steps to the desert trolley with a nice selection of ice creams to finish off your visit to Terrazzo's on a sweet note which melts nicely into the abdomen after the meat feast.

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The Outback Steak House

For steak, The Outback Steak House in the Localizer Mall wins hands down. We tried Steak House and Steaky’s but if you want a big thick, juicy, done to perfection steak – go The Outback.  It has an Aussie theme, though I’m not sure if it’s of Aussie origin.  Doesn’t matter, they do good, thick steak.

While waiting for our mouth watering hunk of beef to arrive at our table, we enjoyed some lovely soft bread and munched on a plate full of  Blooming Onion, just one of the array of entree's and fillers on the menu.

The Outback also makes iced tea, from scratch, no canned substance anywhere, as well as a number of other thirst quenching concoctions.

The restaurant has booths available, remininscent of western saloons, or grab a table by one of the huge floor to ceiling widows that look down into the mall. It's a great vantage point to watch boys not quite meeting girls, a popular topic of conversation here in Saudi.

This is one of the  upstairs restarants we've been to that provides easy access for the disabled, elderly, heavily abaya clad, child carrying or just plain lazy, with both a stair case and an elevator.

Al Khozarma Hotel

There are a number of options for consuming food and beverage at Al Khozarma Hotel on Olaya St. To date I have tried three - The Lobby, The Caravan and The Garden Restaurant. All of them have excellent food and service.

Glenn’s favorite desert – Crème Brulee - comes from The Caravan. He likes the fact they use real vanilla beans and the serving size is huge.

I prefer the Garden Restaurant at Al Khozarma. It's a relaxing outdoor experience - something you don't often get in Riyadh. In summer there's a lovely mist that keeps the area cool and the green grass under your feet feels just right for those from greener countries.

The Al Khozarma Garden Restaurant often puts on different dining experiences - things like Aussie Food month, British and Irish food month (we had to go back twice that month because Glenn didn’t manage to try every dish the first time around).

Abaya wearing is not mandatory at the garden restaurant either. Definitely a plus in my book.

The current GM of the Al Khozarma Hotel is an Aussie and, in his early days in the hotel industry, was a chef.  He is very particular about the food that is served in his hotel.

You will not be disappointed dining at the Al Khozarma hotel.

Breakfast in Riyadh

Breakfast in Riyadh, is apparently "the place to be".

Admittedly, it is a nice place.  We've been for breakfast, brunch and late lunch. 

Breakfast is a small place, simply decorated with the customary booths, but they are large, roomy and light offering capacious blue, bench style seating separated by opaque glass, or cosy cafe tables behind minimal, yet tasteful, shrubbery walls.

The menu is quite extensive, though I never get past the traditional breakfast with cheeses, breads and foul or ful...full name foul mudammes - boiled fava beans with spices.

Mum had wraps - they were tasty and filling.

Breakfast is along Tahalia Street, closer to Ulaya end than the other.  I like it.  It's not over the top in any way, though the service has always been good.  The food is homely and of sufficient quantity.  The entrance to the family section is just off the side...if you go too far down the footpath you'll end up out the back.

Try Breakfast for breakfast in Riyadh one day.  Let me know what you think.

Faisaliah Friday Brunch

Faisaliah Brunch - Tapa's Bar

Every one should go to the Faisaliah Hotel Friday Brunch.  It is O for Orsome!

Four of the best dining restaurants from this Rosewood Hotel come together each week from noon to four and present food that is just Deee-lish!

Here's a few photo's of our visit....

Yummmy...

The Tapa's Bar was my favourite...I went back a few times. 

The glass of red is GRAPE JUICE. Bottomless glass, quite tasty beverage.

Poured with a smile....

Sushi

There are not a lot of places that do sushi in Riyadh.  Hubby thinks the crew at Faisaliah are the best.

OK, so I admit I came back to this station a couple of time as well.

Peking Duck

 I tried to get this guy to smile...maybe next time.  He was busy and the result...very tasty.

Seafood Station

 Seafood is my kind of dish, so this station got repeat visits as well.

Asian Noodles

Glenn says the Asian Noodles were absolutely fantastic.  I'll have to believe him because by the time I rocked up to this station, I was chocker full...and wanted to squeeze in dessert.

A taste of India

On the way to dessert the range continues.

Dessert

Booking is not essential, but do not go to Faisaliah Friday Brunch if you are not hungry!

Chateau Marrakech

Chateau Marrakech

We dined at Chateau Marrakech the other night.  A Morrocan experience in Riyadh.
Lovely!

The restaurant is on the 3rd Floor of the Al Andalus Center, which is right behind Al Andulus Mall. Signage is on Olaya and also outside the building where the restaurant is housed, which is helpful because the building itself is not much to speak of.

On exiting the lift, the entry to the restaurant is nicely decorated with traditional Moroccan hand crafts.  The public areas of the restaurant have a surprisingly roomy feel, with lots of carved or decorated wood and lattice lighting creating a lovely ambience.

The cubicle we sat in was cosy, with a little window to see out of and small additions, like the hand crafted condiment holders and woven table linen, adding a quaint touch.  Although the shape of the seating around the table means there is a bit of space between diner and plate - so people who have a tendency to drop food when they eat, need extra napkins or have to lean forward to ensure all food on fork makes it to mouth.

The waiters continue the Moroccan theme being dressed in  traditional garb.  The English language skills of the gentleman who served us was limited, but we got by with pointing and the odd Arabic word thrown in.  The rest of the staff, we found out later, had perfectly good English.

We were presented with a basket of bread and some olives to nibble on and our drinks arrived in a very timely manner while waiting for our mains.

There is a good selection of Moroccan food - we over ordered as usual, starting with a salad and moving on to a beautifully moist chicken Tangine (my favourite dish of the night), another chicken dish with the fluffiest couscous I've ever had and a mixed meat grill because someone wanted meat.

Chicken is meat.
No, it's chicken.
Whatever...

Someone surveying the Moroccan meal - Where to start? Hmmm.

Portions are very generous - we ended up taking food home.  Dessert was on the menu but, as we are dieting (yet again) and because we were full we decided to end the night with Moroccan tea and head home.

I will be recommending Chateau Marrakech as a place the ladies must visit - then dessert will definitely be ordered.