The Pink Tarha Quiz

We haven't forgotten that we promised limited edition mugs in celebration of our fourth anniversary.  And because we're taking 'limited edition' literally, we can only give away 20 mugs to our readers. (Sorry about that because our funds are not exactly 'sky is the limit.' Hahaha!)

All we're asking is for you to answer this quiz bee and the first 20 persons who answer all 10 questions correctly will get the mug (one mug for each person only). Simple? YES! Hahah! The mugs, being limited edition, are not for sale. (Well, come to think of it, we haven't sold mugs like ever. :P)

This quiz bee is also like a 'walk down memory lane' for us. If you've been reading The Pink Tarha since our beginning then it's joining us in this trip. If you're new to our blog, then you're invited as well. Good luck and happy searching for answers! ;)

THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING! We super appreciate it!

*** Original no. 7 question is "What is the first and only restaurant that Shoegarfreeruby reviewed/wrote about?" You can answer the original question OR the question posted in the questionnaire now: "What is the name of Shoegarfreeruby's dog?" Answer to either of the two is accepted. :)

This 'contest' is open to all but if you're outside Riyadh, getting the mug is your responsibility. Hehe. Sorry!

Update: Winners are already contacted on how they can claim their prize. If you think you should own a Pink Tarha mug, email us at thepinktarha@gmail.com and tell us why and who knows? We might give you one! We're feeling pretty generous. ;)

What's New in the Menu, Cafe Ceramique?

FOR THE CREATIVE and hungry alike, Cafe Ceramique could very well be your niche. But you have to answer the question, "Would you like to eat or paint first?"

The centerpiece of the table lets you determine the course of your stay. :)

In our case, we decided to eat first.

Cafe Ceramique is a one-of-a-kind restaurant in the sense that they offer ceramic-painting activities for all ages while you're dining in their restaurant. A very family-oriented place, it is nestled on the corner of the 3rd Floor of Sahara Mall, which caters an all-day breakfast menu, pizzas, pastas and sandwiches. We've featured them a couple of years back, but now they have a bigger and brighter menu for you to try out. 

The ladies and I (except Sundrenched, who was already vacationing in Manila at the time) went to taste their new items one December evening. Interestingly enough, S was also not with us in the first entry on this resto. :P 

We were treated to plates and plates of salads, sandwiches and pasta. We browsed through their new menu which they have recently launched and these piqued our interest.

One of their newest drinks, the "Catalina" for 22SR. 

Even though it was December, we tried out the summery drinks in the menu. The Catalina hits the spot if you're looking for the right combination of sweet and sour. It's a mix of orange juice, strawberries and honey. On the other hand, as you know, Mojitos are known for their refreshing taste, and this surely leaves a lasting, fresh impression (made up of lemon, mint and brown sugar). 

Mojito, 22SR

I am a big fan of rocket leaves (girgir) in salads so I immediately ordered the Casablanca Salad, which was made up of fresh rocket leaves in pomegranate dressing mixed with couscous and grilled halloumi cheese. R on the otherhand, ordered the Southwest BBQ Chicken Salad which had grilled chicken breast, romaine, tomatoes, corn, beans and BBQ ranch dressing topped with crispy onion rings. 

The Casablanca, 42SR.

Southwest BBQ Chicken Salad, 42SR

It may look like the price is too much for a single salad order but in fact, one order can actually feed two people. Interestingly enough, I enjoyed the Southwest BBQ Chicken Salad more than the Casablanca because I was hooked on the flavors of the latter. The Casablanca can be a good pair to a grilled dish or something, but the second salad can already qualify as a full meal (consider the chicken, beans, corn, greens and onion rings altogether!). And since they're both priced the same, I'd recommend the Southwest BBQ Chicken Salad for more value for your money and your tummy.

Trio CC Burgers, 36 SR

A pink bun! ;P

Now I don't know why someone invented teeny, tiny, burgers coz really, I don't get it. But the kids might find it amusing, especially since Cafe Ceramique is serving them in colorful, miniscule buns. In an order, you can find a cheeseburger (orange bun), a BBQ burger (pink bun) and a regular beef burger (yellow bun) plus some french fries. These lil' items can do a little mayo or something to moisten it up. But taste-wise, it was okay.

Now, if you're a sandwich person (I know several people who are, including my brother), hold on to your seats as the next couple of pictures will be an assault on your sandwich-loving taste buds. 

Beef Steak Sandwich, 45SR

This one is made of grilled beef fillet sauteed in onions, laid on top of a bed of arugula and topped with dried tomatoes which can easily be categorized a the hungry man's sandwich. You have to have an appetite (and belly) big enough to finish this as it can be fill you up easily (or you can share). The whole grain mayo in between ties up all the ingredients wonderfully in this tasty sandwich. 

Now the next three items are my personal recommendations as a must order. First up...

Chicken Quesadilla, 42SR

In third place is their Chicken Quesadilla. The chunky slices of chicken in melted cheese goes well with the salsa, cream and guacamole in this dish. But if I'm being honest, I'd say the guacamole is the piece de resistance in this one because while the chicken is smokey and the cheese...well, cheesy, the guacamole gives it a tangy twist that dipping the wrap in it makes me want to eat more and more of it (ergo, we ended up asking for another dollop).  

Mushroom Swiss Burger, 42SR

In second place is this flavorful piece of meat, with swiss brown mushrooms (which where this type of burgers get its name) and hot melted cheese. I particularly enjoyed having the Mushroom Swiss burger done medium-well as it left enough tenderness to every bite. I also liked the bun, which was fluffier than those of the mini-burger trio. If you like hot sauce, this is the perfect sandwich to douse it with.

Chicken Salad Bagel, 42SR

And as I save the best for last, I present to you the Champion of all the sandwiches we tasted that night...(drumroll please!) the Chicken Salad Bagel! It gets the top spot in my list because of all the sandwiches we tasted, I believe this one will sit very well on Filipino palates. Imagine our usual chicken salad na palaman, only 10x better! There must have been some magic mixed in to the dressing because man oh man, it was finger-lickin' good! A perfect 1-0. :)

--

Fetuccine Alfredo, 42SR

You would  think that we would be SO FULL by now after having the salads and sandwiches, but no, we still indulged in tasting one of their pasta dishes (and dessert). For their Fetuccine Alfredo, it had aldente noodles, a creamy base and chunky chicken bits for texture...everything you expect in a basic white-sauce pasta is here. But I'm afraid at this point, we were too full to finish it. So we just packed it for take out. 

Why hello there Chocolate Fondant! 32SR

Now if you're just a recent reader of our blog, it would amuse you to know that I am a die-hard consumer of chocolate fondant. A spoonful of the best kind makes poems come of out of my mouth. Past readers have bore witness as to how I would describe an utterly delicious plate of chocolate fondant. Anyway, as for Cafe Ceramique's serving of this dessert, it still stands as one of my Top 5 chocolate fondants in town. It's cooked right, with enough gooey chocolate in the middle and it's one of those desserts that makes you hum 'm-m-m-m-m-m-m-M!' after a taste. Another must try if you haven't yet. :)

Their new menu is artsy and filled with many quotes about eating and painting (albeit there are some typo errors). And while I did say that we wanted to eat first then paint later, unfortunately, we didn't have time left to take some of the ceramics and exercise our creative prowess. I would suggest that if you'd like to undertake the painting activity, make sure that you have nothing else scheduled for the rest of the night (or day) so that you can spend some quality time painting and talking with your friends or family members after a hearty meal of course!



xoxo,
Eyecandy

#Foodie

Cafe Ceramique
3rd Flr, Sahara Mall
T: 01-452-0677

Discovering Malaysian Food (A Global Food Festival Experience)

It's a crazy season for the foodies of Riyadh! There were restaurants that opened while we were gone (ie. Japanese restaurant Benihana) and there is the Global Food Festival happening in Riyadh that started last January 16 and will last until the 28th. While we were anticipating the opening of the new eating places, it's the first time we've heard of the Global Food Festival aka Riyadh Food Festival and we were surprised to find most of the city's top hotels are participating! 

The Global Food Festival has a nice website that details the information needed for newbies to the festivals like us. Basically, the hotels are assigned a specific cuisine which they would prepare for their guests, whether in buffet or ala carte or set meals form. The prices vary according to each hotel. This is the list of cuisines available:

Ritz Carlton - Chinese Food
Intercontinental Hotel - Saudi Food
Makarim Riyadh Hotel - Indian Food
Four Seasons Hotel - Asian Food
Courtyard Marriott Hotel - Italian Food
Al Mashreq Boutique Hotel - East African Food
Radisson Blu Hotel - Moroccan Food
Marriott Hotel - Seafood
Sheraton Hotel - Turkish Food
Holiday Inn - French Food
Hilton Garden Inn Hotel - Malaysian Food
Al Mutlaq Hotel - Spanish Food

While it looks simple, choosing which one to go to is hard. We cannot possibly go in all right? Right?! (What are we, gluttons?! Hehe!) I would love to visit each restaurant but I don't think I have the stomach to welcome each morsel of food that comes my way in that gustatory week. I tell you, folks, I already gained so much weight from my vacation in the Philippines, it would be a sin to add more to it. Also, I returned broke from that vacation. Haha! My brother simplified the choice for us --- he wants Malaysian food, just because he wants satay. Plus points because the Cobone is offering a coupon for it! Only SR99 per person from the original SR200! So off we go to Hilton Garden Inn Hotel... 

The Hilton Garden Inn Hotel is a simple, contemporary hotel in Olaya Street. It's not as magnificent as the Ritz or as huge as Makarim but it's adequate. We were greeted by a friendly receptionist to their restaurant, Oasis Grill. By the looks of their buffet station, I can already deem that it wasn't that extensive. The dishes are limited. We were seated in a round table and off we go to get ourselves a clean, white plate. Aside from the huge Malaysian flag hanging in the ceiling, there was no extravagant decors for the theme.

Inviting interiors

How do I say this? I am not a buffet person (wehhh?!). I get excited when I see a lot of food but I can only eat a little of each. Takaw-tingin lang ba. I get a piece of each dish that gets my attention and when I like a particular viand, I get a little bit more. Pero, hindi ko pa rin nasusulit. Haha. Anyway, here's a run through of what I had...

Salads. They have a wide array of salads looking all fresh and colorful. There's the usual hummus but what I got was a glass of potato salad in a bed of shredded cabbage. Is there a national salad for Malaysia?

Vibrant colors = fresh veggies

Stuffed grape leaves + shredded red cabbage

Crisp and crunchy apple salad

What are we having? Some bruschettas?

My choice: potato salad

Aside from the salads, there are sides available. I only tried two:

Vegetables in coconut milk

Potatoes with coconut shreds

Both are a little bit boring and bland. I'm more excited for the main dishes which are authentic Malaysian! (I saw the Malaysian chef in the kitchen grilling the meat! :P)

Beef Satay. Satay is basically barbecue (skewered meat), Malaysian style. It's not exclusive to Malaysia though. Indonesia has to die for satays too. We were expecting chicken for the satay and I was looking forward to a very peanut-y sauce that goes with it but it was missing in action. The beef satay was a little bit chewy and swimming in a somewhat diluted peanut sauce. 

Lots of action going on in this dish

Beef Rendang. Rendang is a spicy meat dish usually served in Asia. Cooking rendang is time-consuming because the beef needs to be slowly cooked in coconut milk and spices. The Malaysian version is curried. I love this dish. The sauce was full of flavor and the beef is soft and delicious.

Thick curry gravy, very flavorful!

Malaysian Noodles. This is SPICY. One forkful and I'm done with this dish. Okay, make it two. Hehe. Their laksa, a popular noodle soup, is spicy too. I don't even have a photo of it because I didn't get a bowl. I first sampled my brother's bro and realized I will not have anything to do with this kind of laksa. The brothers enjoyed it though.

So spicy it's hooooot!

Some other viands include:

Grilled chicken

The fish dish

Looks appetizing?

My plate filled with goodies.

My first plate

The rice is Nasi Lemak, steamed in coconut milk. It's tasty and a little bit oily.

There are three things that I truly enjoyed from this buffet (and yes, I returned to the buffet table for them). It's surprising that I beelined for the simple food rather than the ones with complex flavors.  My second plate:

My favorites

Roti. This is a flatbread often sold in stalls in Malaysia. It's simple dough with fat, egg, flour, and water. The roti in this buffet is a little bit fluffier and thicker and a little bit sweet. It's yummmmmy! Especially when freshly-made and warm. I paired it with the sauce of the beef rendang. 

Kropek. This deep-fried crackers are so good I couldn't stop munching! Think Chowking's chicharap, only better and more flavorful. I kept on saying, "Try the kropek, it's goood! Masarap!" that night and no one seemed to believe me. Oh well, more crackers for me then! ;)

The desserts are your typical fruit array and a few cakes. The only "Malaysian" in there is the ginataang halo-halo/bilo-bilo, which the Philippines also has. It's filled with little sago and sweet potato.

While the buffet leaves me wanting for more variety, I think it speaks of the Malaysian cuisine really well. Being a multicultural country, Malaysia has adopted some dishes from their neighboring countries and put a spin to it and made it their own. Very much like the Philippines' cuisine. I love how diverse our taste buds are but we find something in common from all these culinary goodness.

The Riyadh Food Festival Map | Where it's happening! :)

The Malaysian buffet in Hilton Garden Inn Hotel ended yesterday. For those who have tried it, good for you! For those of you who didn't... awww. Maybe next time? Meanwhile, the other hotels participating in the Global Food Festival are still serving their featured cuisine. Go and visit! Hep, please share your experience after. Thanks! ;) ~ Sundrenched

Online Since 2009

Today, The Pink Tarha turns FOUR.

January 24, 2009... we published our first entry in thepinktarha.blogspot.com. 434 entries later, we're still here. The Pink Tarha ladies have grown with the blog over the years. We've discovered a lot more about ourselves and have changed for the better. 

If you noticed the lack of posts for January, it's because we're thinking of entries that would start 2013 right. There's no restaurant review, how-to guide, or fashion update that seem worth the 'first entry of 2013' tag. This anniversary entry seems worth it. So from this day forward, expect updates and entries. Ehermn. ;)

Here's how we spent today:

Celebrating fab FOUR years! Sundrenched, Shoegarfreeruby, Eyecandy, and Sampaguita Pride

Our ever supportive friends! Thank you, ate Grace, Jou, and ate Jennie! We looove you!

A simple picnic on a 'Pink Tarha morning'

Cake pops from Cielo's Sweet Treats in pretty pink and white, yey!

So our cake isn't pink... but it's yummy! :P

Allow us a moment of gratitude... Behind The Pink Tarha are the people behind The Pink Tarha ladies. We'd like to thank our families for being supportive. For always telling us to look behind our back (in case we're being checked by the MOI or the religious police, hehe!) and for encouraging us to write more. We'd like to thank our friends who make us simply happy every day and who accompany us in our retail therapies. To Maryhadalittlehump who started this blog with us... we miss you and we pray the best for you, M! :) A special mention to our boss who believed in us when we told him we're starting a blog (and after, he scared us by saying that the muttawa might read our blog, hehe!) and who now believes we have a brand. To the people behind brands and companies who are very supportive of our events and other endeavors.

And to you, our dear readers, we can never thank you enough for the support and LOVE you've showered the The Pink Tarha over the years. In our fifth year online, we hope you're still there to support and help us grow in and out of the Net world.

Here's to more years of painting Riyadh (and beyond) pink! CHEERS!

THE PINK TARHA LOVES YOU!!! 

Now, we end this entry with the first line we write in our first ever entry because it still holds true for us, four years later: Life in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia isn't that bad. In fact, we happen to cherish it! ! :)

PS. We will be announcing the mechanics of how you can get a limited edition mug (naks!) in the next couple of days. Stay tuned! ;)