We have been keeping an eye on Zodiac for some time, so it was great to hear it has finally opened. For those of you who haven’t noticed Zodiac yet, it is set in the Shoran Building just behind Chili’s off Jeddah’s Andalus Street. This rooftop-terrace restaurant looked great when we first noticed it, and we can honestly say it looks even better after exploring its inside and seeing the view from above!

The narrow entrance at the base of the building is deceiving. After entering, we were met by a concierge at a desk covered in fresh flowers after which we were swiftly whisked up to the fourth floor in the restaurant’s own elevator. Once there, the real size of the restaurant becomes apparent. A corridor leads one way to the VIP private dining rooms while the other opens out on to the opulent restaurant and to the balcony terrace.

It’s not every day restaurants like these pop up in Jeddah. Few have managed to pull off a fine dining atmosphere with food to rival, and there is a fine line that is often blurred in Jeddah where extravagance and décor often takes priority over the quality of the food. We were happy to see this was not the case at Zodiac.

The interior is truly breathtaking and the innovative dining atmosphere will definitely set them apart from the competition. Few other restaurants in the city have such a view, La Ciel perhaps being the only exception.

Based on the design and use of Greek lettering in the logo and the interior décor, we expected Zodiac to offer Greek food, and we were happy to see it did. The restaurant offers numerous other international cuisines, too: Mexican, Spanish, Swiss, French, Belgian, German, Italian and even sushi are available on the menu.

Plush, white leather seating is available inside for a more executive and corporate feel. The seats look so futuristic here they wouldn’t look out of place on an episode of Star Trek. However we chose to sit outside on the terrace for a more relaxed atmosphere. The breeze is fantastic outside and — despite the occasional paper coaster blowing away — it was well worth it. Dim lighting and a mix of chilled-out European pop music gives the place a very romantic atmosphere — perfect for an anniversary.

Sitting on the terrace you realize how high up you actually are. Although you can see the red glow of traffic on Andalus Street, you can barely hear it. (There is always something great about watching traffic when you’re not actually in it.)

We were quickly given our menus after being seated, and we were served complimentary lemonade and apple twists in Champagne flukes along with some hot bread rolls with a selection of three different herbal butters — a nice touch, but though the bread rolls were pleasantly hot they resembled what you would be given on an airplane.

Opting for the food that matches the décor, we went Greek. The tomato stuffed with feta and baked in virgin olive oil (SR47) was as described: rich, creamy and filling. I followed that with flame-broiled lamb chops (SR136), which was juicy and tender, served on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes with mint sauce and rosemary-garlic vegetables. My dining partner ordered spaghetti carbonara (SR54) as a main. The provocatively named chocolate bresola risotto with asparagus (SR76) was the let down of the items we ordered. The spicy, savory and overpowering dish was incredibly peppery. The bitter chocolate was, it seems, more for show than taste. But the dish certainly got us talking. The Italian chef said he adopted this dish from his experience in Mexico, where mole (pronounced mole-ay) is practically the national sauce. (There are many varieties of mole, regionally specific, but the base ingredients are: unsweetened cocoa mixed with chicken stock and ground chilies.)

Dessert was not a letdown. The selection is mind-boggling. We settled on orange tiramisu and a crème brulee the latter was appropriately smooth and creamy while the former was soft and fluffy.

The final bill for two appetizers, to mains, drinks and dessert came to SR500, including 18 percent service.

All in all we had a very pleasant time on the terrace at Zodiac, and as they were at the soft-opening phase when we visited I’m sure many more improvements will be made for the official opening. So if you’re looking for somewhere with the “Wow Factor”, Zodiac may be just the place for you.

The restaurant is located behind Chili’s off Andalus St. in the Shoran Building. Tel: 660-7548.

(Rashed Islam is a food critic who hosts Jeddahfood.com)