On arrival at the hotel we walked through the reception and turned right down the long corridor that leads to Nafoura.
Pillared arches hold up the high ceilings of the approach into a vast room. Skylights with color stained glass add an air of mystique to the place. Finally we arrived in the open-plan restaurant where we could see on our right the chefs at work alongside a salad buffet.
For a lunch in the afternoon the place was busier than expected, probably about half full. Unfortunately all window seats on the water were taken despite that we called ahead to reserve a table by the window. What’s more the maître had no record of our reservation.
Fortunately we managed to find a corner table that looked out across the water, albeit with a view of two dining tables between the sea and us — at least it was something. Jeddah’s overcast weather had brought a calm to the sea and the rays of sun that peaked through the clouds had a quality as majestic as the royal palaces that sit just across the water from the Park Hyatt.
The rattan chairs with cushions were comfy and gave the restaurant a semi-tropical feel, as did the numerous small potted palms and chocolate colored blinds that were hoisted to the top of the high ceilings. Our table was elegantly laid with a single vase of fresh yellow flowers. Although perfectly clean to our eyes, the waiter scraping the table of invisible crumbs as we sat down.
Our waiter Hamada arrived soon after and made an effort to explain the menu to us, showing us the set menu (Around SR290 per person) and the normal menu. We decided to pick and mix of dishes off the normal menu, and soon settled on lentil soup (SR40) and the mixed seafood grill (SR150). We also ordered some water, fresh orange juice, and some creamed spinach (SR25).
Almost as soon as he had taken our order the waiter then explained that the lentil soup was not traditional Middle Eastern lentil soup, but in fact a mix of vegetables. Not thinking anything of his forewarning, we told him that as long as it was primarily a lentil soup that would be fine if a few vegetables were thrown in the mix.
Complimentary bread came out soon after, and almost in droves, as soon as we finished the first loaf of the freshly baked (and steaming bread), the next one came out — no complaints there, as it kept us satisfied until the food finally arrived, which wasn’t for quite a while.
Moments later a whiff of a diner’s cigar wafted across the room and managed to pollute the entire space, putting a dampener on our meal before it had even begun. Why people consider it still acceptable to smoke in a restaurant is beyond me, especially when I know for a fact that there is an excellent cigar lounge in the Park Hyatt. (Anyway, I digress.)
When the lentil soup finally arrived, the forewarning made sense — this was hardly a soup, more like a watery puddle. While there were lentils floating in the stew, it was not a blended soup but rather a floating array of vegetables in an almost clear pool of water. This was disappointing to say the least, but perhaps our own fault for not heeding the waiter’s own warning. (“Next time… no soup for you,” my companion joked, referring to a famous episode of the television program “Seinfeld.”)
Soup aside, our mixed seafood grill arrived shortly after. While the dish was a colorful mix of shellfish, I was surprised at the rather frugal portion size. For SR150, I had two small pieces of fish, two small slices of calamari, one king prawn, and a small lobster tail. No rice, no side order of vegetables, nothing but a lonely lemon amid the creatures. I was left a little hungry after finishing this off.
Not wanting this last dish to be my lasting impression of Nafoura, I decided I would push on and give their desserts a try. There are quite a few to choose from here, and after briefly considering a peach yogurt panna cotta with almond biscotti, I decided to go for an all-time favorite, the tiramisu with coffee reduction and lady fingers (SR50).
This was probably the fastest of all courses to come out as I imagine they are sitting somewhere in a large fridge. Served in a large cone-shaped glass, the tiramisu was smooth, creamy and perfectly formed in separate layers in the glass. What’s more, a small pot of soft chocolate flakes was served alongside the dessert allowing one to really indulge with the sprinkles, a trip down memory lane for me.
Overall this was the most impressive dish of the meal. I had eyed up the rosemary lamb chops with an aubergine puree before opting for the seafood grill. Faced with a repeat visit, I will probably go for that next time.
