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Best places to eat in Riyadh
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Dominic-Pax



Joined: 20 Oct 2009
Posts: 77
PostPosted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 6:41 pm    Post subject: Best places to eat in Riyadh Reply with quote
What is your favorite restaurant in Riyadh and why?
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
PostPosted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 7:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Dear Dominic-Pax

The Assaraya Turkish Restaurant, Olaya, Thalatheen Street - the bread is unforgettable (and I don't even LIKE bread with my meals.) The babaganoosh and mixed grill - mama mia, I can taste them to this day, And the shawarmas are delicious.
The prices are most reasonable and the service is great.

I highly recommend it. Boy, do I miss that place.

Regards,
John
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Cleopatra



Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
PostPosted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 7:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The food in the Assarya restaurant is great (especially the bread!) as are the prices. The only downer is that it has the old-fashioned 'train compartment' style booths in the family section, where you have to dine in a little box with a drawn curtain. These booths are the norm in older, less expensive Riyadh restaurants, but are becoming rarer in newer places.

Roma (both the full restaurant on Olaya and the pizza place on Tahlia) is good. And Chandri is nice for Indian food, but it does have the old-style booths, albeit not quite as confined as in Assarya.
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saharastars



Joined: 30 Sep 2009
Posts: 107
Location: Wonderland
PostPosted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
How about Thai and Persian cuisines?
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
PostPosted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Dear

For Persian, I recommend Shiraz, on Abdullah Al Hamdan Street near Al Tahlya Street

The Gad on Gareer St. in Al Malaaz had great Thai food.

Regards,
John
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Never Ceased To Be Amazed



Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 3500
Location: Shhh...don't talk to me...I'm playin' dead...
PostPosted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 5:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Cleopatra wrote:
The food in the Assarya restaurant is great...The only downer is that it has the old-fashioned 'train compartment' style booths in the family section, where you have to dine in a little box with a drawn curtain.


But, Cleo, at least they lock you inside during Salah, instead of forcing you OUT of the restaurant like many of the others. Besides, what's wrong with a little bit of privacy when you dine in?

NCTBA
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tacomaboywa



Joined: 18 Jan 2009
Posts: 194
Location: The Magic Kingdom
PostPosted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I concur about Assaraya. Great Turkish food, especially the bread. Yummy!
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Cleopatra



Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 7:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quote:
instead of forcing you OUT of the restaurant like many of the others.


When were you last in Riyadh? I have never once been forced out of a restaurant during prayer time.
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Never Ceased To Be Amazed



Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 3500
Location: Shhh...don't talk to me...I'm playin' dead...
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
It's been a bit, so I take it from your reply that it's a rare occurrence nowadays? That's good...

The main reason that we chose that restaurant was for the cuisine and the certainty of an uninterrupted meal...

NCTBA
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Dear Cleopatra,
Same for me - I can recall being "sent outside" of a number of restaurants (Although in one place, a French restaurant - can't recall the name, maybe it was the "French Quarter" they merely turned of ALL the lights. You couldn't see a THING.)
Glad to hear the practice is disappearing.
Regards,
John
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Cleopatra



Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quote:
Glad to hear the practice is disappearing.


All I can say is that it's never happened any of the times I've eaten in Riyahd restaurants. Sometimes they pull down the blinds, but I've never heard of anyone being kicked out. Possibly itstill goes on in the more down-market restaurants, but since these often don't have a family section, I wouldn'tknow. It does still happen in some shops though - notably Jarir on Olaya. Almost all supermarkets will let you continue shopping, and will even leave the doors open so you can enter, during prayer time.
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote