Squisito

On King Fahad road, next to Novotel Hotel and just past the date shop, is Squisito.

The entrance is tucked away in a corner just past the lovely outdoor setting with a view of Kingdom Tower that the men can enjoy.  A doorman is usually outside in a bright orange vest to invite you in to the Family Section which is upstairs.

Hubby and I have differing views on Squisto.

Squisto Family Section is an interesting collection of curves folded into boothes and little lounge areas decorated with a mix of bright orange and brown seating separated from other diners by draping orange curtains, textured class or hanging moulded wood panels. 

There are a couple of areas for large groups, roomy boothes for the smaller parties with seat backings in a variety of shapes, that could be good for a back massage, or there are tables for intimate twosomes. 

Squisito is Italian and has a good selection of Pizza and Pasta.   Also on the menu is seafood and salads.  Being partial to vege's I ordered the grilled vegetables and they were nicely done.  Any place that can cook King Prawns to perfection gets ten points in my book, too. 

If Tiramisu is on the menu I cannot go past it and in this instance I was not dissappointed.  The coffee also met my exacting standards.  All the food was very nicely presented.

In terms of the food, I thought Squisito was worth going.  Hubster, however, has become accustomed to quiet nights out in Riyadh and the noise level was not what he wanted after a hard day in the office.  The sound seemed to travel in the restaurant suggesting the acoustics were not quite right, or maybe it was just a loud crowd.

The other patrons were also smoking which is really off putting for we non-smokers and the vapours were thick in the restaurant, suggesting air extraction needs looking at.

Regardless of what was going on across the way I got the impression Squisito were trying for a relaxed yet fine dining experience, which may explain why the price was a little on the expensive side. 

Fairouz Garden

Fairouz Garden on King Fahad Road, just across from the Novotel, is Lebonese.  It's upstairs and there is a life, complete with helpful doormen who look very swish, if you prefer not to take the stairs.  

The place is quite large with what looked to be an extensive area for Singles.  The Family Section has two parts, indoor and outdoor so you can eat out on the terrace if you want.

Being unfamililar with Lebonese dining we did wonder why we were presented with a large plate full of veges as a starter, fresh and crunchy, and then were asked if we'd like an appetiser. 

Our waiter spoke limited English and we speak even less Arabic but we did manage to order some lovely tapas and a few other delictable dishes that tested our capacity to consume food in one sitting - but we managend.

It was quite lovely to sit out under the stars at Fairouz Garden with a glimpse of Kingdom Tower overhead and I have to go back because I forgot my camera and need some shots for the blog - as good excuse as any for a return to Fairouz Garden.

The Pizza Company

I do like pizza – stuffed crust and cheesy, so The Pizza Company, on the corner of Ulaya and Mussah ibn Nasser, is a favorite of ours.   The pizza is not dripping in excess oil and the toppings are plentiful. 

The Singles Section downstairs is quite roomy, the Family Section is on a mezzanine floor with the usual booth setup.  We prefer to sit in the booths with a glass petition that looks over toward the street - it gives the illusion of more space.

The menu at the Pizza Company is not just pizza.  We like to start our visit consuming a few chicken wings first. 

For those who want to make out they are there for something healthy, there is a salad bar though it's not spectacular looking and we have never ustilised it.  There's also a range of drinks - Watermelon Blast being one.

As we have managed to maintained normal western hours for dining (Saudi's tend to eat very late), the place is not busy when we go, which is usually when Hubster finishes work.  The Pizza Company offers a range of gourmet pizza's plus, for many, the option of pan or thin base or stuffed crust.

A Pizza Company pizza has never disappointed us and we think they make the best pizza in Riyadh!

Anthurium

The other night we went back to Anthrium for dinner.  Located on Abdullah Bin Sulaiman Al Hamdan Street, a friend suggested we go there to experience some exquisite French dining in Riyadh.  He also said it was expensive, which explains why, on that visit, we only had coffee.  Hubby wasn't hungry enough to spend money.

He did like this sign outside though:

The downstairs dining is windowless so on this, our second visit, we headed for upstairs in the hope of getting a window seat to look at views, something I have come to realise I really miss with my dinner, apart from wine. 

The food is beautifully presented and quite delish though I would say more Asian than French.  I left with the impression this is Riyadh's attempt at fine dining outside of five star hotels, complete with bow tied and attentive wait staff.

Unfortunately my camera work on this visit is not up to scratch at all, so I will have to go back just to get a few more shots, but here's some of what we dined on.

The sushi dragon looked very impressive...

...but the highlight of the meal had to be the sorbet.

Pizza Roma

Pizza Roma, another Italian, is tucked away just off Tahaliah. It's easiest to get to from Mussah ibn Nasser, turn right at the fork and keep an eye out for Cafe Roma, which is a men only eatery. Pizza Roma is at the other end of the parking lot.

You'll be presented with a lovely selection of breads and dips on being seated which you could almost have as your meal!! The menu includes pizza and fresh pasta and is one of the few places I’ve found that does Antipasto if you only what something light. Plus the coffee is good.

The decor is a collection of decorative old pieces against wood - simple but nice which initially reminded me of an old italian wine cellar.

It's a smaller place, so be mindful of two things - first, it pays to book on busy nights. Second, there is not a lot of wall space so you may find yourself seated in the middle of the restaurant out in the open - more reminescent of a busy Italian home makers kitchen than condusive to cosyness.