Where We Are Going Today: Roll and More

Where We Are Going Today: Roll and More
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Where We Are Going Today: Roll and More
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Updated 30 September 2023
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Where We Are Going Today: Roll and More

Where We Are Going Today: Roll and More

JEDDAH: Roll and More serves up Indian street food in a fine dining setting with modern decor. Located in Jeddah’s Hira Street, the restaurant’s ambience is cozy and comfortable. While I anticipated an all-Indian musical playlist, the eclectic soundtrack added a unique touch to the dining experience.

For my appetizers, I selected the fried samosas, which were generously stuffed with spiced potato and served with two sauces: a zesty chili mint yogurt and a sweet, tangy tamarind sauce. I also ordered the butter shrimp tacos, which came drenched in a rich sauce infused with Indian spices.

My main course was flavorful biryani rice infused with an aromatic blend of nuts and Indian spices paired with the chicken butter masala — a tender and mouthwatering delight — accompanied by two slices of buttery naan bread. 

I also indulged in the grilled shrimp roll — a generously sized tortilla loaded with tomatoes, lettuce, and some special Indian sauce to complement the shrimps.

To quench my thirst, I could not resist the fresh mango lassi. This refreshing beverage provided a welcome respite from the spices, though its thick and creamy texture might prompt you to order a glass of water.

The dessert — caramel French toast served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream — was a true delight and stole the spotlight from the rest of the meal. The contrasting textures and flavors created a delightful symphony for the taste buds. 

Roll and More also offers an array of options for group dining, including rice bowls, roll boxes, and taco boxes, making it a perfect choice for gatherings and parties.

The friendly and efficient staff further enhanced the overall experience.

For more information, visit @rollandmoreksa on Instagram.


Where We Are Going Today: Lunch Room in Riyadh

Where We Are Going Today: Lunch Room in Riyadh
Updated 08 December 2023
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Where We Are Going Today: Lunch Room in Riyadh

Where We Are Going Today: Lunch Room in Riyadh

Lunch Room opened its doors in Riyadh last winter and is so busy that a week’s advanced reservation is required.

It is one of the few spots in Riyadh with a true appreciation for brunch — a midday meal with a delightful combination of breakfast and dinner — a preferred option for many locals these days.

Everyone can find something they like on a single sweet and savory menu, though it might take you a very long time to decide on what to order.

The menu is divided into six sections: the “Market” section, which includes a variety of salads; the “Clay Oven” section with 48-hour sourdough flatbread; the “Panouzzi” section; the “Ode to Egg” section; the “Sweet Instinct” section; and the “Coffee Commune” section, which offers delicious baked goods.

There are also options for sharing. The double-cooked sweet potato with miso-caramel aioli is a great one, and the pide bread with honeycomb and gaymar, which is a thickened cream traditionally made using water buffalo milk, is a dish that you will most likely see at every table there, as it is the most ordered item at Lunch Room.

Some of the sweet options include the buckwheat Dutch pancakes with salted honey butter topped with whipped mascarpone and honeycomb, sourdough pancakes priced at SR46 ($12.26), salted dark chocolate babka priced at SR52, and the famous Lunch Room French toast with yuzu sabayon and poached shiso berries.

For savory lovers, Lunch Room offers a range of options too, including the baked halloumi ragu, zaatar chimmichuri with panouzzo priced at SR44, house lasagna, organic fried eggs and pastrami, sous vide poached egg with hollandaise pulled ribs on potato buckwheat blini (priced at SR88), and the Rolex-inspired Ugandan street bite.

The beverage menu comprises both hot and cold options, with some unique choices that cannot be found anywhere else.

The hot drinks selection includes double expresso, cortado, karpatti kappi, golden milk, and Lunch Room hot chocolate, perfect for this time of the year.

The cold options include frenzy mojito, ruby, samosa latte, sticky date pudding latte, cubano, dalgona, chocini, and dulce iced shake.

The drinks menu also offers cold-pressed juices in a transparent bag, including the Mexican mango, the beet blend, the turmeric tonic juice, and more.

Lunch Room is founded by Kuwaiti chef Ahmad Al-Bader, who also founded other restaurants and bakeries in Riyadh, including Habra, Gun Bun, and the Chestnut bakery. It is open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Branch Road in Al-Takhassousi.

For more information, visit @lunchroomksa on Instagram.

 


Where We Are Going Today: Flamingo Room by Tashas restaurant

Where We Are Going Today: Flamingo Room by Tashas restaurant
Updated 07 December 2023
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Where We Are Going Today: Flamingo Room by Tashas restaurant

Where We Are Going Today: Flamingo Room by Tashas restaurant
  • Favorite mocktails include sorbetto al limone, a clean twist on the classic Italian drink sgroppino, and paloma verde, a refreshing and unique interpretation of the timeless Mexican paloma with a citrusy tang and a traditional salt rim

Flamingo Room by Tashas is a fine dining experience at the heart of the Kingdom’s old capital, Diriyah. It offers time-honored recipes with an emphasis on seafood and homemade pasta, and includes the venue’s special mushroom open lasagna, and lobster linguine.

The venue opened in Bujairi Terrace in August and follows in the wake of the success of Flamingo Room by Tashas in Dubai.

The restaurant elevates iconic dishes and invigorates them with a contemporary twist, offering a variety of options to suit all tastes.

Favorites are beef carpaccio, prawn arancini, caesar salad, and bouillabaisse with red snapper, king crab, and lobster, with bread and a special saffron sauce on the side.

Recommended is Mozambique-style calamari which boasts contemporary flair and peri-peri sauce, a signature dish that is perfect for sharing.

The interior of the restaurant is 1970s glam and South African chic with a bright pink and teal color palette, zebra accents, velvet chairs, and hand-embroidered cushions.

For drinks, the Flamingo Room has an exquisite mocktail menu, with a variety of creative and unique recipes.

Favorite mocktails include sorbetto al limone, a clean twist on the classic Italian drink sgroppino, and paloma verde, a refreshing and unique interpretation of the timeless Mexican paloma with a citrusy tang and a traditional salt rim.

For dessert, it is recommended that one ends their dining experience with baked Alaska, which is a dark chocolate ganache with choco-sponge, vanilla semifreddo, caramel, chocolate crisp, and meringue.

The dessert menu offers a range of other options too, including panna cotta, cream puffs, and lemon meringue tart.

The restaurant is on the expensive side, a goat’s cheese salad is priced at SR84 ($22.40) and scallop pasta SR280, but it is worth it, especially if you are booking for a special occasion.

The venue opens from 6 p.m. to midnight from Sunday to Wednesday, and from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. from Thursday to Saturday.

For more information, visit @flamingoroomksa on Instagram.

 


Emirati restaurant Erth nabs Michelin star in Abu Dhabi  

Emirati restaurant Erth nabs Michelin star in Abu Dhabi  
Updated 07 December 2023
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Emirati restaurant Erth nabs Michelin star in Abu Dhabi  

Emirati restaurant Erth nabs Michelin star in Abu Dhabi  

DUBAI: The second edition of Abu Dhabi’s Michelin Guide was released on Thursday, with one restaurant being awarded a new star.  

Abu Dhabi’s Erth eatery was awarded one Michelin star, making it the first Emirati restaurant to earn a star. The restaurants that retained stars are 99 Sushi Bar, Hakkasan and Talea by Antonio Guida, bringing the city’s total star-holding eateries to four.  

Two new eateries made it to the Bib Gourmand category: Al-Mrzab and Oii. The eateries that retained their Bib Gourmand status are are Otoro, Almayass, Beirut Sur Mer and T’azal. 

The Service Award went to Chandran Thanggaraja at Kopitiam by Chandy’s, the Young Chef Award was awarded to Rigers Cuka at Oii and the Opening of the Year Award was given to James Soo Yong Kim at Les Dangereux.  

There were once again no two or three Michelin Star restaurants, and no restaurants lost stars. 


Where We Are Going Today: IOTA Coffee Shop in Riyadh

To check out their latest offering, visit them on Instagram @iota.sa
To check out their latest offering, visit them on Instagram @iota.sa
Updated 05 December 2023
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Where We Are Going Today: IOTA Coffee Shop in Riyadh

To check out their latest offering, visit them on Instagram @iota.sa

If you see a matcha specialty cafe in Riyadh with a long line of customers, it is most likely IOTA, located on Al-Sail Al-Kabeer street in Al-Ghadir district.

Matcha has replaced coffee as a morning drink for many locals, evident in the increased number of matcha specialty cafes and other outlets including matcha drinks on their menus.

Matcha is believed to be a great substitute for coffee as it contains more caffeine and powerful antioxidants. The matcha powder used at IOTA is premium ceremonial from Japan, handpicked and shaded between three to four weeks.

The famous ice matcha drink there retails at SR24 ($6.40), similar to the price of matcha drinks offered in Starbucks and local cafes in the Kingdom.

IOTA also sells its matcha powder along with the matcha essential kit, including a whisk and bowl.

Their matcha powder can be used to make authentic Japanese matcha tea, mixed in your morning oatmeal or bowl of granola for added benefit, or used in baked goods.

The cafe also offers a variety of cold and hot drinks, which sell at SR8 ($2.13) for a cup of tea, and SR24 ($6.40) for cloudy, a specialty hot coffee drink.

Other popular drinks include their drip hot coffee, iced cloudy, iced espresso and iced latte.

Plant-based milk options are available and include coconut milk, almond milk and soya milk.

IOTA also offers a variety of baked goods — and you never know what you might find there on a visit. Last winter, they served fresh custard and raspberry profiteroles, and beating the heat wave in August, IOTA put affogato to the menu — a shot of espresso added to a scoop of ice cream. They also serve matcha affogato.

IOTA opens daily from 6:30 a.m. to midnight from Sunday to Thursday, and from 7:30 a.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

They deliver through the Chefz app.

To check out their latest offerings, visit them on Instagram @iota.sa.

 

 


Where We Are Going Today: Lof Bakery in Alkhobar

Photo/Supplied
Photo/Supplied
Updated 01 December 2023
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Where We Are Going Today: Lof Bakery in Alkhobar

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  • The bakery offers low-carb options and sandwiches, including a halloumi pesto and a mushroom melt

If you are looking to buy a loaf of freshly-baked, good quality sourdough bread in Alkhobar, head on over to Lof, a brunch spot situated in the middle of the City Walk.

It is believed that the ancient Egyptians were the first to create sourdough bread and in recent years it has become a staple in many households across the Kingdom for its health benefits. The sourdough loaf at Lof is made in-house by a master baker and perfectly sliced so it is ready to eat. While the SR35 ($9) price tag is a bit steep in comparison to loafs of bread at the local supermarket, it is certainly worth the dough.

It is ideal to use as a base for mashed avocados, to spread cheese on or any other topping of choice.

Lof also has an extensive menu that consists of a variety of quiches which go for SR25 each, and egg-lovers will be delighted to know that they will expertly prepare your eggs whichever way you prefer for around SR50. Add-ons are available and the staff are knowledgeable and helpful.

They also have decent coffees and pastries in the display case so you could either indulge at the cafe or take some goodies home to snack on later.

The bakery offers low-carb options and sandwiches, including a halloumi pesto and a mushroom melt.

Lof opens daily from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Sunday to Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to midnight from Thursday to Saturday, and from noon until midnight on Fridays.

They also deliver via Jahez or The Chefz apps.

To check out their latest offering, visit them on instagram @Lof.ksa.