Ramadan Promos and Offerings 2014 (Restaurants)

So, we've done the hotels, now it's time to bring you the list of restaurants and their Iftar offerings. I thought we've done this last year and I've been looking for it in our archive. Turns out we only shared them in our Facebook page and didn't make this kind of list in our blog. So this is the first time. And you know how many restaurants are in Riyadh? A LOT. Gathering them up will take me the entire Ramadan. So here's an initial list of the restaurants that made a good effort in making their Ramadan menu known through their social media. 

Indeed a tender way to break fast.

Piatto Italian Restaurant offers a menu of delicious pastas, pizza, and meat dishes at a reduced price specially for Ramadan. You can start off with their creamy Warm Artichoke Spinach Dip and dig in their free fresh garden salad, soup of the day and rosemary garlic bread. Check out their Ramadan menu HERE. Piatto has branches in Exit 5 and in Panorama Mall.

W: www.piatto.com.sa

FB: https://www.facebook.com/PiattoKSA

T: +966-11-211-4678

TSC Signature's good food (photo from their FB page)

One of our faves, TSC Signature, has a set menu for their Ramadan Iftar. If you order any of their main dishes ranging from SR 65 (sandwich/burger), SR 75 (pizza/pasta) to SR 95 (for their yummy steak), you get a free soup, appetizers (includes sambusa and Italian and Arabic salads), homemade desserts, and a choice of beverage. Visit their menu HERE. TSC Signature is located just off Tahlia Street.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/TSC-Signature/418601704939784?fref=nf 

T: +966-11-293-9693 

An array of starters from Trader Vic's buffet

Trader Vic’s in Panorama Mall is one of the restaurants that offering a buffet during Ramadan. Last year, we enjoyed their appetizers and main courses. This year, we haven’t tried it but you can beat us to it. SR 109 per person.

FB: www.facebook.com/tradervics.sa 

T: +966-11-281-4782 

Lusin, the first and only restaurant that serves Armenia cuisine in Riyadh is having a buffet for Ramadan. So if you’re trying to find something new to your palate, then get ready to fork over SR 225 per person in Centria Mall. 

W: www.lusinrestaurant.com 

T: 9200 02690 

BBQ Chicken delivers!

BBQ Chicken ushers out their cold buffet, soups and desserts at SR 55 per person and free for kids under the age of 6. Then you can choose your main meal from their a la carte menu. From SR 39 chicken dishes to SR 39 pastas, no item in their Ramadan menu is over SR 50! You can check out their menu HERE. BBQ is in Thalateen Street.

W: www.bbqchickenksa.com

T: +966-11-462-3343 

Best Ramadan deal ever! :P

You know where you’ll get the best Ramadan deal ever? At a furniture shop! Yes, IKEA is offering a Ramadan combo priced at SR 19. You read that right: SR 19! For that price, you’ll get a main meal, desert, salad, and soup! Your kids get an even sweeter deal because it’s only SR 9 for them. 

W: www.ikea.com.sa 

The steakhouses in the city are all ready for Iftar! Check out the following offerings from the authorities of grilled meats: 

What are you having?

Steak House will welcome you with an Iftar menu that’s almost fit for 2 people because just a trip to their soup and salad bar is enough to fill your hungry tummies! You get those for free if you order any of their special meals included in their Ramadan menu which you can check out HERE. Reserve as early as possible because branches to tend to get packed. Steak House is located in Exit 5 and in Thalateen Street.

FB: www.facebook.com/SteakHouseSA 

T: 800-249-2222 

Outback Steakhouse in Localizer Mall has an SR 67 Ramadan menu. Choose from their Alice Springs Chicken, Mahi Hearts of Gold, Grilled Chicken on the Barbie, and Prime Rib Pasta and you’ll get to enjoy their free selection of dates, Arabic coffee, sambousa, soup, and salad. With a dessert of vanilla ice cream to boot! 

FB: https://www.facebook.com/outbacksteakhouseksa 

T: +966-11-217-4633 

You'll already be full with Applebee's appetizers!

Applebee’s is offering two choices for your Iftar meal. A Set Menu where you can order one of their selected dishes and you’ll get a free drink, salad, soup, and dates. The other is their Unlimited Menu where you’ll get unlimited soups, salads, and appetizers when you order one of their pre-determined entrees. Unfortunately their menu is not available online so you have to visit to see it. Applebee's is in Tahlia Street

W: www.applebeesme.com

Try checking out food delivery sites hellofood.com, foodonclick.com and otlob.com too. Restaurants in their list are also offering Ramadan specials. Just make sure to chat with their representative online to make sure that your resto of choice is already open for delivery. Ramadan timings vary.

There are more iftar offers for sure but I can't research them all in one day, especially when some of them encourages you to go to their restos instead to find out what they're offering. I'll be updating this list as we encounter more offers and try some of them as the holy month of Ramadan unfolds in Riyadh. Check back this entry from time to time. Or follow us in our Facebook page. :) 

Ramadan Kareem! ~ Sundrenched

Sweet Riyadh

How was your week? Well, it started out busy for the tarhas and it's ending pretty much busy too. We are all sure you're dying for the workweek to end so you can start your day off. Whew Wednesday!

Well, we have a nice sweet idea to jump start your weekend. We're spreading the calories by sharing photos of the some of the desserts you'll find in Riyadh. Yes, we're eating Riyadh today.

We start with a simple slice of chocolate cake. 

Sinful much?

Pardon Cafe and Restaurant in Olaya has one of the best in town. It has wafer-like layers that add crunch to the moist base. It also has this glazed cereal accent that glistens like a jewel. Yum-oh!

And some ice cream, please.

A pairing of sweetness

Gate of Jazeera Palace in Suleimania has small scoops of vanilla ice cream in cute glasses drizzled with some lovely chocolate syrup. You can order it with bananas or lychees.

Add the chocolate cake and ice cream and we have the infamous chocolate fondant, which you might have encountered in the Philippines as "lava cake."

Best when shared.

A chocolate volcano can be found in Steak House. The cake is soft and the fudge is warm. We cannot resist!

Starry-eyed.

Nino in Olaya has a simpler version... with a star. It's a little bit dry but it's satisfyingly sweet nonetheless.

The volcano erupted!

A favorite is Cafe Ceramique's in Sahara Mall. This is the chocolate cake that tastes like our cakes in the Philippines. Not too sweet, not too exquisite to be expensive. The milk chocolate oozes out effortlessly. (For the record, this did not come out in the kitchen looking like this. We had to digest the main meal first before we can attack this dessert that's why it was left alone for a while. Our bad!)

An order will leave you longing for more. It's small. Really.

There's the cutie-patootie version of Wayne's Coffee, minus the ice cream. This is the cheapest in this bunch.

Dessert became the main dish?

And then there's the version of Ketchup (at the back) but what caught our taste buds off guard was the banana pudding. It was lovely. E can't get enough of it.

Are you done with the chocolate cake and ice cream pairing? Hey, the ice cream has always been a free agent so it can be paired with anything! Try these:

The yummiest bunch.

Outback Steakhouse in Tahlia has an ice cream+brownie combination. (Get their sampler of three desserts!)

Hot and cold is a winning combo.

While Ketchup has an ice cream+cookie offering. The cookies are warm and crisp.

Who has the heart to destroy this tower?

Le Relais de L'Entrecote has a sosyal French dessert that has meringue+ice cream. This Vacherin tower is exquisite.

And Dairy Queen has their famous wafer+ice cream aka the ice cream sandwich. It gave us a teeth freeze (pangingilo=dentin hypersensitivity). We have a photo in my phone somewhere.

The Sumatra with pancakes filled with pistachio and cream.

More chocolate goodness comes in The Noodle House's chocolate Sumatra. This is wicked. If you haven't tasted chocolate with a punch, this is it.

And if you're tired of chocolate, then there's always...

Walnuts love!

The carrot cake of Tony Roma's. It's crumbly, fruity, nutty... almost like a fruit cake. The syrup was too sweet though. (Try Outback's carrot cake too.)

The anatomy of a carrot cake.

Or this one from Cakelicious, which is well, a cake so delicious!

Sultry and sexy dessert. ;P

Or the oreo cheesecake of Ketchup, which we devoured in a matter of minutes. Or was that seconds? It's too fast my memory failed me.

Well, that's quite a long list huh? We hope your sugar levels did not go up and reach new heights upon seeing the photos. All we want really is to wish you a very merry weekend. It is not our intention to make you salivate and be hungry. Nope, not at all. :P

Enjoy! ;)

A Friend of Your Body, A Friend of Your Family

YOU HAVE PROBABLY tried out most, if not all, the steak joints in town haven't you? I would go out on a limb here and say that probably, just probably, you must have gotten tired of eating steak all the time whenever you are out with friends and family. Well, what can we do? Steak is scattered all over Riyadh and with a city of bustling and hungry men, steak is always an optimal choice for a hearty meal.

But if you're like a lot of other people out there who wants to watch their diet and make sure that they're eating healthily too, then fret no more when someone invites you to another steak place for dinner. Steak House has recently launched their NEW menu which incorporates healthier food preparations, with a special version for the much younger guests (Kid's Menu). The ladies and I have taken a liking to ordering a couple of these options and let me tell you, our nutrition-hungry bodies were left VERY satisfied! 

Greek Shrimp Salad. Can you spell fresh and lite? This salad can!

Blanched, king-size shrimps with sliced cucumber, fresh bell pepper and tomatoes laid over a on a bed of lettuce and topped with feta cheese (mm-MM-mmm! plus a slap on a thigh) - this my friends, is my kind of salad. It can already be a meal! The textures of this in your mouth is simply stellar. If you like it garden fresh people, it can't get any fresher than this. Trivia: Did you know that the calcium in feta cheeses helps build stronger bones? Don't overdo it though, because it's also high on sodium.

A sight to behold. Our eyes just love green! (After PINK of course!)

Green vegetables tossed over the grill. Ahh, this one is a beaut as well! The crisp and crunch of every bite is commemorated by the smoked flavor it exudes. You'll find the sweet juice of zucchini and tomatoes tantalizing to the tongue and if you let it, the grain of broccoli will stay in the middle of your teeth if you're not careful! An order of this is good enough for three to four average-eating persons and will be a very wise choice to add if everyone else is having meat, meat, meat.

Grilled Salmon with Mashed Potatoes.

This is what I had for dinner when I was with the ladies and I particularly ordered it because I wanted to NOT feel too stuffed after dinner (knowingly that there will still be dessert after :P). If you're an experienced eater like me, you have to know how to pace yourself and schedule/pick your meal coz otherwise, you can run the risk of not enjoying the rest of the night if you're too full to laugh/talk during the post-dinner conversations (or you might feel too lethargic after and that's not good especially if you're the designated driver).  As for the taste, it was an impeccably cooked fish matched with an epic mashed potato side dish. Yes, I've said it, that mashed potato of theirs is EPIC -- EPIC I tell you! I don't know what they put in it to make it taste sooo good. 

Are you a Black Rocker?

Now I can't talk about Steak House and NOT talk about their steak, that would be insane wouldn't it? But let's talk about the health benefits of a Black Rock-grilled steak - which is primarily that it does not use any fat or oil for it to be cooked, a plus if you are watching your cholesterol. If you go back to our much primitive beginnings, this is probably how our ancestors ate their meat (and let's admit it, they were healthier and lived longer than humans now). This Black Rock grill is a Steak house exclusive and there's actually a Black Rocker Club for all their guests who frequently order this particular meal. I've seen them wear special "bibs" given by the restaurant before they enjoy their meat. :)

Of course, don't forget to drink (juice or iced tea, that is).

Apart from all of these healthy options, it may also pinch your fancy to know that Steak House implements a strict No-Smoking policy in their Family Section. That way, no member of your family, especially the young ones, can sniff the smell of cigarette smoke. So see, Steak House is jumping in on the health bus and we, like them, are hoping you'd jump in too. We all know it's one thing to feast on fast food, but it is waaay more of a thing to watch out with what we eat. And what better way to encourage that but with our families?

Oh, and before I darn forget -- allow me to congratulate Steak House for bagging the much-coveted award in the Saudi Excellence in Tourism Awards 2011 under the Best Mid-Market Restaurant category! I posted the link to the voting page on our Facebook page a couple of months back, and to all of our readers who voted for them, I'm sure the people from Steak House would want me to say Thank You! in their behalf. 

Try out Steak House's new and healthy menu at their branches over at Olaya Thalateen, North Ring Road and Oruba Road. 

Happy (and healthy) Eating!

Eyecandy

The House of Steak

Seriously, I've run out of introductions for a food entry. But when talking about food, who needs introductions? I am willing to forego the mandatory intro but I want to torture you with juicy words before torturing you with even juicier photos. That's the cruelty of life, sometimes you have to go through it. :P

We're done with Applebee's, Tony Roma's, and Friday's... Now we go to the same kind of resto minus the 's on its name... STEAK HOUSE. I went at the Grenada Center branch last month. It surely made me full to the brim! Feeling ko nasa tiyan ko pa yung kinain ko a day after.

The atmosphere of the restaurant is the same as the others mentioned above. Very American with a wooden, wild, wild West ambiance. Steak House though has sparse decors compared to TGIF's pop icons. Their walls aren't adorned with old movie posters like Applebee's. Theirs is a few lamps and coal irons which are okay since we came to eat and not gawk on the fixtures overhead. The staff is friendly and fast (syempre, kabayan eh! ;). The aircon though is not in full blast, it was rather warm inside... okay, okay... I'll stop describing the place and on to the food.

The Steak House Sampler, SR40

This hodge podge of appetizers - buffalo drummettes, mozzarella cheese sticks, chicken fingers, and stuffed jalapeno cheese served with a variety of sauces - redeemed us from the agony of making delicious choices.

Black Rock Grill
Tenderloin (SR94) / Sirloin (SR79) / Ribeye (SR79) with side dishes (fries and onion rings here)

Steak House has this very interesting new way of cooking steak. Instead of serving the meat in sizzling plates, you have a choice of ordering the tenderloin, sirloin, and ribeye in their Black Rock Grill. It's a cooking method which uses volcanic (graphite) stone heated to 440 degree Celsius (hot, hot!!!). The marbled meat is placed on a square of this and you can cook on your table! So it's hard to complain about the way they cooked your steak because if the cooking screwed up, it's your fault! But there's really no complaints in this method because it brings out the full flavor of the beef without the need for oil and sauces. For a very hot technique, this one is sooo cool.

10oz Ribeye Steak, SR69 with baked potato

I love my steak medium well. The meat, glistening in its oily glory, is soft and the fat is oh-so juicy (groan for my so-called diet). I didn't even have to call my inner masculinity to rip this meat apart. I was graceful enough to use the knife they provided, and boy did it slice through painlessly! The side dish of baked potato with cheese and sour cream is nothing spectacular. I had to dig deep for the cream to appear but it's in there. I ignored the boiled, bland veggies. I will not go health-conscious while eating steak noh.

New World Combo Fajita, SR65

This is one filled dish. It has (brace yourself) marinated chicken breast, tender beef, shrimps, grilled onions, bell peppers, green peppers, diced tomato, shredded cheese, crispy lettuce, refried beans, Fajita rice, and warm tortillas. (Now breathe...oh wait, I'm not done yet...) There's also dips of sour cream and guacamole. The chefs have probably used every ingredient they have in their kitchen and gave it all they've got on this plate. It would have been better if they served this warm.

Grilled chicken sandwich, SR29 with fries

This is okay, nothing great, but it sure is big. It's probably the healthiest among our dinner choices. Hooray for my mother who's thinking healthy (but not really putting much effort on it, hehe!).

Iced Tea, SR7

The drink is refreshing although I had the mistake of pouring too much sugar syrup. Good thing there's the slice of lemon to add a sour twist to my drink that can give diabetics a good scare. I nearly stole the mug. Ain't it cute? It's a mug that looks like a big-mouthed bottle, or vice-versa.

Bread, free (with a Budweiser, SR8)

It's not the perfect combo okay and I'm not suggesting you eat bread and gulp beer. I'm saying it's good they provided free bread and... I do not have any photo of the Budweiser on its own so I have to insert it here. :P Don't put your hopes too up, this beer in non-alcoholic as usual.

Brownie Delight, SR25

The menu says the brownie is homemade. I don't think so. It doesn't taste homemade because of its chiffon-like consistency. I thought it'll be thick and rich but I'm mistaken. Anyway, a slice of it and scoop of the vanilla ice cream drizzled with chocolate syrup is perfect for the sweet tooth.

Solo Indulgence, SR11 (chocolate and strawberry)

What is not good in ice cream?

I don't think I need to put an ending paragraph to this. I highly doubt if you'll reach this part anyway. I'm sure your eyes are still glued to the food. That, or you're already running to the nearest Steak House in your area.

Branches here.