Where We Are Going Today: ‘MiSora’ - Japanese fusion food in Jeddah
Abrahams told Arab News: “From the kitchen to the table, from the preparation to the presentation, our dishes will exude the traditions of Japan and I am confident that the locals will notice”
Updated 29 November 2023
SALEH FAREED
Following its recent grand opening, MiSora has become the latest addition to a growing list of restaurants in Jeddah offering Japanese fusion food.
Located on Prince Sultan Road in the city’s Al-Rawdah district, the fine-dining eatery has placed its focus on serving authentic Japanese cuisine.
Dishes include traditional sashimi and specialty rolls prepared with a regional approach, fresh ingredients, and eye-catching presentations.
Head chef Rafiq Abrahams has worked under the wings of top Middle East chefs such as Shane Macneill and Colin Clague.
Abrahams told Arab News: “From the kitchen to the table, from the preparation to the presentation, our dishes will exude the traditions of Japan and I am confident that the locals will notice.”
The restaurant’s interior creates a relaxing ambiance enhanced by attentive staff, while its menu contains seafood options including prawn tempura, duck and king crab salads, and sashimi salmon.
As well as lamb cuttles, there is a range of desserts such as banoffee, and five types of petit fours, and diners can sample drinks such as a Pink Lady and You’re So Beautiful, or speciality coffees.
For updates and more information, go to Instagram at @misora_sa.
Gail’s Bakery co-founder dismisses claims of Israeli ownership as ‘ridiculous’
Updated 31 August 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: The co-founder and chief executive of London’s Gail's Bakery, Tom Molnar, has addressed claims that the bakery is Israel-owned and opposed to the ceasefire, calling these allegations “ridiculous.”
In an interview with The Times, Molnar said: “Gail’s proudly has Jewish roots and there’s plenty of stuff out there celebrating our heritage and history, but it’s not true it’s Israel-owned.
“There’s some just crazy stuff on the web thinking we are funding Israel, which is just completely ridiculous. We’re a wholly UK-based business, paying UK taxes, it’s just ludicrous and I think it needs to be called out,” Molnar added.
The backlash against the bakery has been growing over the past month, fueled by posts like one from author Salma Ibrahim on X, who wrote: “Guys, Gail’s is an Israeli company. Another one to boycott along with Starbucks and Pret.” Her post garnered over 3,700 shares and likes, reaching nearly 300,000 people.
Where We Are Going Today: ‘Blanca Pizzeria’ restaurant in Riyadh
Blanca Pizzeria, which won the 2024 Caterer Saudi award, also offers a full menu of non-pizza items
Updated 30 August 2024
Jasmine Bager
Blanca Pizzeria is an award-winning restaurant with outlets in Riyadh, Jeddah, Alkhobar and Tabuk.
It offers about 20 varieties of pizzas, including garlic shrimp, pumpkin, meat, as well as regular options.
If you dine at the eatery, there is complimentary flatbread to start the meal.
Blanca Pizzeria, which won the 2024 Caterer Saudi award, also offers a full menu of non-pizza items.
Soups, several fresh salad options and other dishes are available. The pasta selection is extensive, and includes an oven pasta dish.
Arab News enjoyed the spaghetti eggplant for SR46 ($12).
For drinks, Blanca serves a classic mojito, a passion fruit version and a berry option, for SR35 each. We opted for the berry mojito, which was highly recommended by our waiter. Sparkling or still water bottles are also available, as well as sodas.
There are dishes designed for sharing, such as the bruschetta, truffle risotto and the popular “In Parmesan” option, or pasta alla ruota, which has chefs prepare a pasta or risotto dish in a hollowed-out cheese wheel.
Diners can also enjoy the popular creme brulee for SR33.
Saudi fitness coach Najia Alfadl: Breaking barriers and building communities through sport
‘Knowing that you never fail, but you always learn, is key,’ says Najia Alfadl
Updated 30 August 2024
Nada Alturki
RIYADH: Najia Alfadl — whose first name could be interpreted in Arabic as “safe haven” — has devoted her career to being just that.
Alfadl, a Saudi fitness coach currently based in Dubai, is breaking barriers by empowering women of all ages to transform their lives through sports, and emphasizing inclusivity and community support.
“The Najia you see today versus 10 years ago is completely different, and that’s why I respect sport,” Alfadl tells Arab News. “It empowered me. I see it firsthand, not only with myself, but with the women that I coach — how confident they are, how their self-worth improves.
Najia Alfadl. (Supplied)
“I believe that sport teaches you valuable life skills that no one can take away from you: discipline, resilience, critical thinking. Any obstacle that you see as a big obstacle is honestly your mind tricking itself,” she continues. “If you know your ‘why,’ your ‘how,’ ‘when’ and ‘who,’ you become a powerhouse. Once I found my passion and I knew my ‘why’, I stuck with it. I’m here 10 years later doing exactly what I was hoping I would do.”
Alfadl began her fitness journey in Saudi before moving to Dubai where she now works as a strength and conditioning coach at gym chain Wellfit.
After graduating high school in 2014, Alfadl dove deeper into sport at university. She describes that as a “test” period, in which she was exploring her options. She began with boxing classes alongside her cousin Halah Alhamrani (now known as Saudi Arabia’s first female boxing gym owner), shadowing her as she taught classes, before moving onto CrossFit and calisthenics.
Najia Alfadl. (Supplied)
“That was where the calling happened…I’m a true believer in the multidisciplinary approach. At the end of the day, fitness isn’t just a phase in your life, it’s for the long haul, so you think about longevity,” she says. “And fitness today, especially if you’re young, looks different in six months or three years. I just made sure that I was enjoying and taking the benefits out of everything.”
Alfadl earned a Bachelor’s in speech and language pathology from Dar Al-Hekma University. During her time there, she had already started to think about coaching professionally, and spent many weekends traveling to workshops and seminars across the GCC, earning several training certificates along the way. And she found that her major was of great assistance in her coaching career.
“The common ground they have is communication, whether it’s visual, tactile, or verbal. You can attend as many courses as you want and be as certified as possible but (it’s worthless if) you can’t convey what you’re supposed to. Communication is key,” she says.
Najia Alfadl. (Supplied)
Alfadl invested much of her time at university delving into the educational aspect of coaching and the psychological nuances of fitness that are key to delivering highly technical classes like CrossFit, which incorporates weightlifting, gymnastics, and conditioning.
“You have to be credible. People have to believe in you,” she says, stressing that that means not just the way in which a coach communicates, but also ensuring that the information communicated is accurate and safe.
She moved to Dubai in 2021, having been head CrossFit coach at Alhamrani’s Flagboxing Fight Like A Girl Boxing Studio. When she got the offer from Wellfit, she knew that, having always challenged her clients to explore new horizons, she had to practice what she preached.
“The idea of moving was scary after growing up and being in Saudi for so long, but the things that scare you are the ones that really end up having the most impact in your life, and that’s why I say I’m very fortunate that I took the risk of moving away from my family and getting into this crazy, rewarding, and inspirational endeavor,” she says.
But she believes that beginning her career in the Kingdom, as opposed to a saturated overseas market, was of huge benefit.
“My career really prospered, and was cultivated, because of the upbringing, the culture, the community, and the need for sports in Saudi. I carried a lot of those values to Dubai — building communities, creating educational spaces, and building awareness around the importance of sports, and mental health; taking care of yourself not just physically but spiritually,” she says.
The shift to Dubai also allowed Alfadl to expand her client base, as in the Kingdom, she was limited to working only with women. Whoever she is coaching, though, she is committed to instilling in them the confidence to conquer whatever they set their minds to.
Her top fitness tips are not focused on the physical, she says, but the mental, beginning with finding a sporting activity that “nurtures you spiritually as well.” Secondly, she says, “Knowing that you never fail, but you always learn, is key. And keeping that knowledge and seeking knowledge is what’s going to lead you to improvement. Never assume you know everything — always seek knowledge.”
Her final piece of advice is to be kind to yourself and listen to — but also challenge — your “inner voice.”
“I want you to reach the conclusion of your capability on your own, but with my support and guidance. It’s an open dialogue, but you have to be open to constructive criticism because you leave the session learning valuable life skills that you can apply day to day,” she says. “With sports, you see an improvement in the way that you think, your memory, and how you perceive yourself too. And that’s the real beauty of it.”
Recipes for Success: Chef Mo Ponzo talks butter, balance and Bolognese
Updated 30 August 2024
Hams Saleh
DUBAI: Kenyan-born Italian-Somali chef Mohamed “Mo” Ponzo has carved out a distinguished career in Michelin-starred restaurants and other top-tier establishments.
His passion for cooking was sparked in the family kitchen, where he cooked alongside his grandmother, aunt, and sisters. One of his earliest memories is of cutting mango — his favorite fruit — which also resulted in his first knife injury aged just four.
Ponzo always enjoyed the family coming together around the dinner table, sampling the home-cooked dishes. He says he believes cooking to be “the purest form of love.”
Berenjak UAE is an outpost of the acclaimed London restaurant. (Supplied)
A defining moment came when, aged 10, he found himself cooking for his grandmother and great-grandmother while the family was away. The only dish he could prepare was tomato sauce with fresh peas and a store-bought Somali bread called mufoo.
“I couldn’t feed the people I loved properly,” he recalls. It was then that he made a promise to himself: “In the future, I would be able to cook anything I want for the people I love.”
Ponzo has gone on to gain industry recognition including a spot on season 15 of “Masterchef: The Professionals” and being named a Rising Star by Soho House in 2018.
Today, Ponzo is the brand chef at Berenjak UAE — an outpost of the acclaimed London restaurant. His branch was awarded a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide this year.
Indian lamb. (Supplied)
Here, he discusses common kitchen mistakes and his favorite dish, and offers a chocolate mousse recipe.
What’s your top tip for amateur chefs?
Always taste your food as you cook and adjust seasoning accordingly. This helps ensure your dish is well balanced and flavorful at the end.
What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?
Fresh herbs are always good, but for me it’s butter. Always add loads of butter. It’s so versatile. At different temperatures, it has different aromas and characteristics. A tablespoon of butter can make a huge difference in a dish.
When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?
I think it’s natural for people who are passionate about food to notice details when they’re eating out.
Saddle of salt marsh lamb. (Supplied)
What’s the most common issue that you find in other restaurants?
Inconsistency. You can go one day and it’s perfect and during your next visit it’s a totally average experience. Restaurants can achieve greater consistency by being in constant touch with their suppliers and demanding the best produce available, ensuring top quality on a daily basis. And, most importantly, training their team to detect and maintain that consistency.
What’s your favorite cuisine?
I enjoy Indian and classical French cuisines for their bold flavors and use of many cooking techniques.
What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home?
Linguine with tomato and anchovy sauce with loads of olive oil and parsley. It’s healthy and packed with flavor, and it’s quick to make.
What behavior by customers most annoys you?
Asking to amend or rearrange a dish that has taken a chef many hours to develop. It definitely changes the experience and the taste that the chef was trying to convey to his customers. Obviously if it’s due to allergies then that’s completely fine. Another thing is being rude to waitstaff.
His branch was awarded a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide this year. (Supplied)
What’s your favorite dish to cook and why?
My favorite dish would be my auntie’s spaghetti Bolognese. Every day after school, I hoped it would be a spaghetti Bolognese day. I have watched — and helped — her make it a hundred times, but I still cannot make it as good as her. She just has her own touch.
What’s the secret to a great kabab?
There’s no real secret to be honest. It’s about the quality of the meat and good charcoal. Quality is always key.
As a head chef, what are you like?
Maintaining a balance between being assertive and supportive is crucial in any leadership role.
RECIPE: Chef Mo’s chocolate mousse
Chocolate mousse. (Supplied)
(NOTE: Requires ice cream machine and blow torch)
INGREDIENTS
For the chocolate mousse: 150g butter (unsalted); 300g dark chocolate (74%); 4 egg yolks; 6 egg whites
For the sorbet: 500g strawberry purée; 500g water; 200g sugar; 30g glucose; 150g lemon verbena; 5g Stabilizer
For the lemon verbena gel: 200g lemon verbena; 300g water; 100g sugar; 6g agar agar
For the chocolate soil: 100g plain flour; 100g white caster sugar; 100g unsalted butter; 25g cocoa powder
For the wild strawberries: 200g wild strawberries; 100g lemon verbena; 1 lemon; 10g sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
For the mousse:
1) Melt the chocolate and butter together, cool slightly, then add the egg yolks and whisk.
2) In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until a stiff peak forms.
3) Fold the egg whites and the chocolate mixture together.
4) Pipe into round ring molds and set.
5) Place in fridge until set.
For the sorbet:
1) Place the water, sugar and glucose in a pan and bring to boil. Add the verbena and take off the heat. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes.
2) Add the strawberry purée and stabilizer.
3) Pour the mixture into the sorbet machine and churn until set.
For the gel:
1) Place the verbena, water, and sugar in a blender and blend for one minute.
2) Transfer the mixture to a pot and bring to the boil. Add the agar agar and boil for two minutes.
3) Transfer to a tray and set in the blast chiller.
4) Once set, blend the gel till it becomes smooth, then pass through a sieve.
5) Place it in a squeezy bottle.
For the chocolate soil:
1) Preheat oven to 165°C
2) Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix until you get a crumbly texture
3) Transfer to a tray and place in preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes.
4) Transfer to a container and keep at room temperature.
For the strawberries:
Place the strawberries, sugar, verbena leaves, lemon zest and lemon juice in a bowl. Place in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
Serving:
1) Make sure the sorbet and chocolate mousse are set.
2) Remove the chocolate mousse from the mold using a blow torch (briefly warming the outside of the molds so the mousse comes out easily).
Where We Are Going Today: Bab coffee shop in Riyadh
Updated 29 August 2024
Waad Hussain
If you’re searching for a serene spot to enjoy your coffee, look no further than Bab coffee shop. Nestled in the heart of Riyadh, Bab offers a quiet and inviting atmosphere that’s perfect for both work and leisure.
The interior design of Bab is a standout feature. With its modern aesthetic and cozy seating, it’s a space where you can enjoy your time. The ambiance is complemented by soft lighting and tasteful decor, making it an ideal setting for anyone looking to relax or get some work done.
In terms of coffee, Bab serves what can only be described as some of the best. You must try the El Salvador V60, which is nothing short of exceptional. The rich, aromatic brew leaves a lasting impression and is a must-try for any coffee enthusiast.
But Bab isn’t just about coffee; their food offerings are equally impressive. The upside-down cheesecake is a trendy dessert that lives up to the hype. It’s deliciously creamy with a unique presentation that makes it a delightful treat. Another highlight is their spicy honey feta sandwich. The combination of savory feta and sweet honey is a match made in heaven.
The customer service at Bab deserves a special mention. The employees are incredibly nice and welcoming, adding to the overall positive experience. Whether you’re there for a quick coffee run or a longer stay, they make you feel right at home.
