A fusion of foods under one roof

Traditional southern meal.

As you walk into Jeddah’s Amara Café & Restaurant, you are hit by a series of unusual, yet complementary fragrances that reflect the fusion of foods on offer here.
The complex, close to the Hilton Hotel, spans several floors. The Amara Café serves Mediterranean cuisine; Ajji serves creative sushi, sashimi and wok dishes; the Amara Terrace, an outdoor rooftop restaurant, serves Lebanese and Indian cuisine; while The Connoisseur is a boutique retail outlet offering fresh homemade pastries, chocolate, cakes and gift ideas.
I opt for Ajji Restaurant, the Asian fusion restaurant. Manager Jamal Basat, who was very kind to us during our visit, explained that The Bellevue Group, a food and beverage company, aims to provide excellent dining in a modern setting — but with a touch of old ethnic traditions.
Only the highest quality raw materials, seafood and meat are imported, says Basat. And with a multi-talented kitchen staff, the menu certainly represents a wide variety of authentic and creative cuisines from various parts of the world.
While we waited, we were served Asian snacks to munch on, along with peanuts, tangy salad and spicy dips.
The chef bought out several creative “fusion” dishes for us to try. The crab salad resembled a small pyramid with a heap of crab on top. After taking a bite the mouth was full of herbs and spices — and we felt the combination was a perfect one.
Next was the amazing Dragon roll. This dish was inspired by cuisines from different cultures, and consists of fried jumbo prawns wrapped in Japanese sushi-style leaf and herbs.
I asked why the restaurant focused so much on fusion and Basat explained, saying that it is a style used by chefs who love to be creative by subtly introducing new food concepts to be enjoyed by the masses.
We were eager to try a dessert with an Asian touch. The chef brought us mango with sticky rice. It was an excellent accompaniment and conclusion to our meal.
On weekends, the parade of dishes at the Amara Café & Restaurant complex goes on. Saturday morning breakfast — served on the first floor — includes eggs benedict, French toast, and the best American coffee. On the rooftop Amara Terrace, Lebanese and Indian cuisine are served with views over the Red Sea.
The Amara Café & Restaurant is perfect for those looking for a variety of cuisines under one roof. But just bear in mind that, while a particular dish might have a familiar name, it may have a different taste thanks to the fusion twists to some of the food on offer.