A Super Lunch at Outback

WHO LIKES BIG meals at great deals? We all do! :) The other day, I was treated to a delightful (and heavy) lunch at Outback Steakhouse with my friends. Now, I don't usually eat out during the workweek because of the tight office hours but it felt good to finally take a break from my usual baon and/or cafeteria food selection. 

As it turns out, Outback has a lunch special that is too good to miss out on. They have combo meals from 33SR, 44SR and 55SR. Each includes a choice of the soup of the day, salad with preferred dressing and refillable drinks of iced tea/softdrinks. 

Here's what we had:

Starter Soup: Chicken Tortilla

Fresh Salad

Apart from their usual service of bread and butter, the lunch special begins with your choice of their soup of the day. We chose between Potato Soup and Chicken Tortilla Soup and ended up with the latter. It was a clear soup of tomato and chicken bits but with a homey feel to it -- and it was almost like tasting Mexico in a little cup. 

Their salad is pretty basic but they do have a generous serving of your selected dressing. I had the honey mustard while my friends had the blue cheese and ranch. We also ordered an additional starter by the way (NOT included in the Lunch Special):

Fried Mushrooms, 19SR

Big and juicy!

This seemed to be a very simple and straightforward recipe for fried mushrooms and it appears that the secret is about being able to keep the outside crispy enough to bite into and the mushroom moist enough to drip juices from. That's how it was and every mushroom was a mouthful. The garlic dip that accompanied it was a good match and there were so many of them, we even chopped some and topped it over our salads.

At this point, our stomachs' were rightly warmed-up for the main course. Here they are:

Outback Special 55SR

You can try out the Outback Special, cooked to your liking (in my friend's case: medium rare) and remember what Outback is most famous for. You can also select your preferred side dish.

Tuscan Smothered Chicken, 44SR

Oh it's smothered alright. Can you see it? ;P That's two pieces of well-seasoned chicken breasts hiding behind a blanket of mozarella cheese topped with sun-dried tomatoes. It was gooey and yummy as expected. This would be a basic, safe choice. 

Mum's Chopped Steak, 44SR

Believe it or not, the main reason I ordered this in particular is because of the word "Mum" in the menu. (Shoutout to my Mum, Shirley Mamita! Hahaha!) Anyway, this dish is basically a "burger steak" as we Pinoys know it; but amped up to about 10 times. The big piece of hamburger patty seems to disappear from this picture because it was smothered (then again) by the uber-generous serving of peppercorn sauce. This is a bit on the spicy side because the taste of the peppercorn sauce really overpowers the rest of the flavors in the dish and if I were to do it all over again, I'd tell them to go easy on the peppercorn sauce. Nevertheless, it is a flavorful choice with a guaranteed burp ten minutes later (make sure you have some mints with you).

Overall, the servings were incredibly ginormous! I honestly think that the main course is actually enough to feed two people. And the constant refill of our drinks were as if there was no tomorrow. 

The service was amiable and it's quite a shame that within the hour that we were there, only three to four other customers came in in the Family Section. I sure hope that more people can discover about their Lunch Specials because it is truly, value for your money. 

Outback's Lunch Special is available from 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM and please note that they close their restaurant TEN minutes before the scheduled prayer time, so if you don't want to be bummed out by waiting outside, make sure you check the prayer times on the day of your visit and plan your arrival accordingly. 

Here's their Lunch Special menu for your further reference:

For a review of their dinner menu, check out our previous review on it here.

Happy, Hearty, Healthy Eating to All!

xoxo,

Eyecandy

Outback Steakhouse

Localizer Mall, Tahlia St.

T: 011-217-4633

Like them on Facebook: http://facebook.com/outbacksteakhouseksa

The Next Top 5 Malls in Riyadh

Our entry on the Top 5 Malls in Riyadh has been the consistent most favorite and most visited entry in the blog. We're not surprised actually, considering that shopping, or as we always like to term it "retail therapy", has always been the number one past time of ladies in the Kingdom. Not to mention the men who's also into shopping whether for themselves or for their loved ones.

The malls in Saudi Arabia featured in our top 5 entry has long since improved. Kingdom Mall has seen the openings of more popular brands in their floors like H&M, GAP, and American Eagle while Hayat Mall and Sahara Mall are regaining their accessibility after the completed works in King Abdullah Road. They just have to finish the King Abdulaziz Road and they'll be on their way to the top spot. However, even if these malls have added new stores and fixed roads surrounding them, there are malls that are fast inching their way to the consciousness of consumers. We shine the spotlight on these shopping centers on this second entry on Riyadh's top malls.

1. Panorama Mall

Who hasn't been to Panorama Mall? C'mon, it's one of the most popular malls in Riyadh already and I bet you've visited it once or twice (or more than ten times)! Panorama Mall along Takhasussi Street is gaining quite a popularity these days. I must admit it should be in the Top 5 Malls entry because just by looking how this mall came to be, it could've easily edged out Faisaliah Mall. Anyway, it's here now. What I love about Panorama Mall is their stores are organized into clusters. There's an area for luxury brands and for high-street brands (upper middle class retailers). The food court and amusement park also have clear boundaries. (It's unfortunate that there was an accident in Metropolis a few months back though... if you remember in a past entry, we've tried some of the rides in Metropolis.) There's a center for ladies and there's a huge toy store for kids. The men would have to settle themselves in Jarir Bookstore.

Photo from Khalid Al Ghe... Panoramio

Pros

City center

Modern, unique design that is different from other malls

Wide, brightly-lit

Luxury brands (Erfe, Aura, Longchamp, Michael Kors, Furla, Swarovski, etc.)

Popular brands (Zara, Massimo Dutti, Desigual, Pull&Bear, New Yorker, etc.)

Panorama For Women (Curves Gym, Snips Salon, Apollo, etc.)

Food Kiosks (Laduree macarons, Pappa Roti, Martha's Cakes, Pain D'Or, etc.)

Specialty restaurants outside (Trader Vic's, Lamborghini Cafe, Cacao Sampaka, etc.)

Hamley's Toy Store

Jarir Bookstore

Danube Hypermarket

Good view of the street from the food court

Cons

Located in a busy intersection

Quite a walk to go to stores on opposite sides

Metropolis Time Factory (needs to be thoroughly checked)

Food outlets in food court are lacking; not extensive

2. Al Qasr Mall

The newest and one of the biggest malls in Riyadh has opened. I recently visited Al Qasr Mall, located in Suweidi District and I was amazed! The mall was big and popular brands are also present. Their food court needs more food kiosks but their entertainment area has good rides and games and is open to both children and adults. Believe me, my brother had to remind me that I'm 28 years old when he saw me staring at the well-lit, colorful carousel. Dare I say it? Riyadh Gallery will soon have a counterpart (a worthy rival) in the other end of King Fahd Road when all the stores open in Al-Qasr Mall.

Photo from Skyscrapercity

Pros

Still new; wide and huge (250,000 sqm, 4-storey high) 

Well-lit and bright

Department Stores (Centrepoint, Iconic, Citymax)

Carrefour and SACO

Popular Brands (H&M, New Look, etc.)

Huge amusement center for kids and adults

Ice Wonderland Park (+ skating rink)

Huge parking area

Cons

A bit far from the city center

Traffic in King Fahd Road 

Being new, most stores and food outlets are not yet open

3. Al Othaim Mall - Rabwa

There are two Othaim Malls in Riyadh. One is in Khurais Road while one is in Rabwa. I like the latter better (thus, it's the one in my list). It's been quite a long time since I've visited Othaim Mall in Rabwa but I remember how surprised I was to find it stocked with popular high-street brands like H&M, New Look, Suite Blanco (just Blanco before), and MNG even if it's located in Exit 14(?). (My mind immediately registers anything located in "EXIT..." as FAR. Far from the city center, that is). I enjoyed strolling in the third floor where the Saffori Land is. Their food court dine-in areas also has a good view of the street below thanks to its glass walls.

Photo via Flickr

Pros

Huge (+ structure shaped like a boat's bow)

Department stores (Centrepoint, Citymax, Red Tag)

Popular brands (MNG, New Look, H&M, etc.)

Specialty shops (ex. Daiso)

Othaim Hypermarket

Saffori Land

Ice World

Events in the mall's activity area

Huge parking lot

Cons

A bit far from the city center

Traffic in the parking lots/entrance

Crowded

Shops are not evenly spaced; some looks too small and gets crowded

Food court where food kiosks are needs better light and more space

4. Salaam Mall

I haven't been to Salaam Mall and I'm already putting it in this list. Must be a good mall right? Considering that it's the only major retail center in the southwest district of Riyadh, I think Salaam Mall deserves an automatic entry in this list. Plus, it's not lacking in popular brands too. We heard there's a gold and silver souq in the premises? If you have any comments about Salaam Mall (especially if you frequent this mall), The Pink Tarha would appreciate your feedback. ;)

Photo from Fare Construction

Pros

Less crowded

Adequate parking lots

Popular brands (Zara, Stradivarius, New Look, Bershka, etc.)

Hyperpanda

Gold and silver souq

Sparky's Amusement Center

Cons

A bit far from the city center

*more feedback once we get the chance to visit the mall ourselves*

5. Localizer Mall

This mall is in this list because of the clients it mostly caters to - men. If The Pink Tarha ladies would go out, we wouldn't pick Localizer Mall to go to because it only has a few (almost none) stores that offer clothing and accessories for women. But since it has stores for men and it houses one of our favorite steak houses in the city (Outback Steakhouse), we couldn't just ignore Localizer. So for men who's fond of shopping, here you go.

Photo from joelmdiego (Flickr)

Pros

Easy to find; located in Tahlia Street

Less crowded

Brands for men (Zara, Celio, Giordano, etc.)

Good restaurants (Outback Steakhouse, Diamond Restaurant, Vapiano [near], Second Cup)

Fitness First

In Motion (gym for kids)

Cons

Busy location

Few choices in food court

Small mall (only 1 floor for stores)

So there you have it... more malls to visit! Let us know which one is your favorite. More mall details below. ~ Sundrenched

Panorama Mall

Takhasussi Street

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

T: +966-1-2057401

F: +966-1-2057333

E: info@panorama-mall.com

***

Al Qasr Mall

Suwaidi District (location map)

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 

T: +966-1-4515600

F: +966-1-4515505

M: +966-563331153

E: info@alqasermall.com

***

Othaim Mall - Rabwa

Eastern Ring Road, Al Rabwa

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

T: +966-1-4456665

FB: www.facebook.com/Othaim.Malls

Twitter: @OthaimMalls

E: malls@othaim.com

***

Salaam Mall

Western Ring Road, Exit 27, Nimar District

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (location map)

T: +966-1-2472222

F: +966-1-2471999

E: salaammall@arabiancentres.com

***

Localizer Mall

Tahlia Street cor. Al Hamdan Street 

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (location map)

T: +966-1-5165344

E: info@localizermall.com

Dinner for the Main Man

It's father's day! If you're following Mary's tip number 4, any idea where to take your dads for dinner tonight? The Pink Tarha has a suggestion! Food photo number 5 on our Taste Bud Tease post is the dessert trio of Outback, the newest steakhouse to land in Riyadh. Doesn't "outback" elicit visions of rugged wilderness and horse-riding cowboys? Very manly. Very like the main man of our homes.

Outback Steakhouse is an American casual dining restaurant with an Australian-inspired ambiance. Here in Riyadh, it's located in Localizer Mall, a mall which we Pink Tarhas consider as a "men's mall" because most of the shops in there are for men. (You can also drop by here if you're still hunting for a father's day gift.) The Outback Steakhouse in Riyadh is the largest branch to date anywhere in the world. Whew!

Frankly, it's the usual steak place in the city. Of course there's a difference here and there but more or less, the menu has the same cornucopia of great dishes from appetizers to steaks to pastas to desserts, the ambiance is man-nish, and the waiters are still friendly and helpful. Your father will love this place if he wants to indulge on food made served in generous portions. Prices are the same as say Applebee's, TGIF, Chili's, Steaky, Steakhouse, and Tony Roma's.

Treat your dads to these:

Among the free starter bread of steakhouses I've tried in Riyadh, Outback's black Australian bread is the best! That's only one piece but I asked for another (and the waiters obliged happily). Busog na ako sa bread pa lang! I even forgot to take a picture because I ate them immediately! (See how many exclamation points I used to describe this?!)

Ceasar's Salad
(comes as a free side dish)

Combination Appetizer
Sharing portions of three of our bestsellers worldwide! Gold Coast coconut shrimps, a half order of wings, and
Aussie Cheese fries SR45

Alice Springs Chicken Quesadilla
Grilled chicken breast, beef bacon, honey mustard sauce, sauteed mushrooms, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese in a flour tortilla, frilled to crispy perfection. Served with honey mustard for dipping SR30 (small)

I looove the coconut shrimps. The grated coconut provides a very nice crunch to the juicy butterflied shrimps. The chicken wings are very tasty too. The quesadillas look plain but contain loads of meat and gooey cheese.

The main courses:

Pasta
(sorry, forgot the name)

Prime Rib
Aged, traditional prime rib, hand-carved and served with roasted garlic, masked potatoes, fresh seasonal veggies, and mouth-watering au jus. Slow-roasted, seasoned, or seared 227g SR65

Ribeye
A well-marbled and tender ribeye. Carefully hand-cut and aged just right. 340g SR85

Atlantic Salmon
Fillet of salmon, lightly seasoned and grilled with fresh seasonal veggies SR65

Their portions are good for sharing, and knowing us Filipinos, we like to have a taste of what our family/friends ordered too. The prime rib is very flavorful. I dunno how slow they roasted this but it's oh-so-good. The jus helped in enhacing the flavor of the beef but I can do away with it. I thought it was just water with swimming fat when it was served.:P The ribeye and salmon are okay. There's nothing that distinguish them from the ribeyes and salmon of other restos.

This one is a favorite side dish:

Mashed potatoes

Although Outback's mashed potato can represent all the other side dishes of the resto, I wish they provide more freshly made sides on their Riyadh menu. There's only four or five to choose from and three of them are made of potatoes!

Here's three of their signature drinks:

(L-R) Great Barrier Cooler (mango, pineapple, Curacao) SR22 | Australian fruit punch (pineapple, cranberry, orange with cherry) SR22 | Mango fruit chiller SR20

They're fruity alright and uh, super sweet. These drinks became refreshing when we placed lots of ice. We ordered colas and water after because these mocktails alone cannot quench our thirst.

And to end a meal, a dessert is always welcome, doncha think? Well, except of course if your dad is diabetic. :P

Sweet Adventure Sampler Trio
Carrot Cake with coconut and pecans, Classic Cheesecake, Thunder from Down Under with pecan brownie

I don't like carrot cakes but this one from the Outback made me eat my words of not finishing a slice of carrot cake ever! I, surprisingly, loved this! I finished half of this... or okay, maybe the whole slice of it! The chocolate cakes and cheesecakes are creamy and delicious.

So... whether it be in the Outback, or any other restaurant in the city, your father (or you, if you're already a father) deserves a special treat on this very special day.

Happy father's day!

§undrenched

Fun, Cool, Hip Asian Food

Food again? You're right! Another food entry from The Pink Tarha Girls and we will not get tired of posting entry about food. Medyo matagal nga ang interval from our last food post eh. Kamusta naman? Busog kaming lahat nung isang gabi eh! :p

First, we wanted to greet our pretty precious friend Jamila [in Arabic the name means “beautiful”] a happy happy birthday. Shukran, girl! ♥

We went to Zyng Asian Grill the other night to celebrate the Jamila's birthday. Nag blow-out po kasi siya. Zyng is located at the Localizer Mall along Al-Tahliya Street, Riyadh. It is the first branch to open here in Riyadh but it has other branches in Jeddah, Dhahran, and even Bahrain. I remembered months ago that our boss wanted to try Zyng's food in the office. Unfortunately, Zyng does not deliver.

Zyng Asian Grill

Back to the birthday feast, the resto was closed for prayer when we got there so we lounged around their zen-styled patio area. How we wish their sprinklers work during that time. It's getting terribly hot in Riyadh.

Al fresco dining for the guys.

Zyng opened around 7:00 pm. It was my first time there and I could not help but be enticed by the ambiance of the surroundings. It's almost peaceful and meditative. Kasi kami lang ang tao sa loob! Zyng combines the modern ambiance and coziness of a usual Asian resto.

Stripped to its essentials.

The minimalist design of the place sets off the Asian flare. The blackness of the tables and chairs is highlighted by the brightness of vibrant green pillars. Japanese lanterns that give off a dim light accentuate the green ceiling. A huge, heavy curtain separates the indoor bachelor area from the family area. Cubicles has ample seating for 4-6 persons each properly seated on black leather sofas. Hindi ba pwedeng nakasalampak na lang sa floor ala Japanese?!

Cooked right here!

The service is friendly. We even get to watch how they prepare and cook our food. Did I just mention food?! Okay, let's go to the food. I'm sure you're all waiting for it. Ang masasabi ko lang, nalasing kami sa kabusugan!

Appetizers pa lang, ulam na busog na kami. The appetizers served delighted and prepared our palate for the main meals. We ordered:

Tom Yum with Shrimp

A Thai savory soup flavored with exotic Thai spices and herbs with citrus flavorings.

Vietnamese Beef and Noodles‭ (‬Pho‭), ‬SR35
Thin slices of seasoned‭, ‬teppan grilled beef with onions‭, ‬scallions‭, ‬and rice noodles in a Vietnamese broth flavored with star anise and cinnamon‭.‬ This bowl of noodles is good for 6 persons.

Seared Salmon Sashimi‭, ‬SR32
Marinated sashimi seared rare and thinly sliced with wasabi‭, ‬ginger‭, ‬and ponzu dipping sauce‭.‬

Sumo Platter‭, ‬SR35
Assorted egg rollz‭, ‬crispy gyoza‭, ‬crispy shrimp‭, ‬and crispy tender chicken served with sweet chili and tangy soy dipping sauce‭.‬

For the main course, Eyecandy tried the Pad Thai and Thai Coconut Curry Chicken while Jamila ordered the Sesame Beef and Brocolli. They ordered their meals extra extra spicy. Tapang! Kailangan talagang pausukin ang mga tenga! I asked our server, Kuya Rene, to make my Mongolian Beef mildly spicy kasi hindi ko talaga kayang kumain ng maanghang! Sundrenched had the moderately spicy Korean BBQ beef.

Pad Thai‭, ‬SR30
Thin rice noodles with bean sprouts‭, ‬tofu‭, ‬carrots‭, ‬egg‭, ‬and peanuts in a spiced sweet and sour sauce‭.‬

Thai Coconut Curry Chicken‭, ‬SR48
Spiced red curry with red and green peppers‭, ‬onions‭, ‬and fresh basil served over wide rice noodles‭.‬

Sesame Beef and Brocolli‭, ‬SR48
Sliced and grilled with yakisoba sauce‭, ‬sweet red peppers‭, ‬and onions garnished with toasted sesame seeds‭. ‬Served with steamed jasmine-scented rice‭.‬

Mongolian Beef‭, ‬SR48
Seasoned beef‭, ‬sliced and grilled‭, ‬in a mildly spiced sauce with snow peas‭, ‬baby corn‭, ‬carrots and water chestnuts‭.‬

Korean BBQ Beef‭, ‬SR45
Traditional bulgogi‭; ‬tender seared sliced steak served with kimchi‭, ‬sweet chili cucumbers‭, ‬and jasmine-scented rice‭.‬

Our choices of drinks: iced tea and colas.

The food is good! Our only complain is that there was a shortage of rice noodles! They used Udon noodles for our dishes. And we thought "Zyng is noodles" according to their menu. And they used frozen shrimps! For the indecisive, you can take on their "Tour of Asia" three-course meal. You get to choose your starter, entree, and dessert for 75 riyals. Or you can try their "Asian Market Bowl" where you mix and match your protein (beef, chicken, shrimp, etc.), noodles (ban pho, cantonese, lo mein, udon, etc.), rice (jasmine or basmati), and sauces (peanut sauce, yakisoba, schezuan, kung pao, etc.). Leave your bowl of ingredients to them and they'll cook and deliver your masterpiece.

They also gave us complimentary tea! Zyng Chai is a befitting end to our meal.

Try Zyng Chai
The magical fusion of tea, non-fat milk, honey, and exotic spices.

Surprisingly, we had to decline dessert because we're too full! We even had to take a break from eating just so the food gets digested first. No avail. We're still full hours after that meal.

Zyng Asian Grill lives up to its name. It's really a new experience in Asian casual dining. It offers carefully select viands popular to China, Japan, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, and Singapore at very affordable prices.

Salty, sweet, sour, and spicy? Which Zyng are you? Find out one of these days. :)

Zyng Asian Grill
Al-Tahaliya Street, Riyadh
(beside Localizer Mall)
Tel No. +966-1-453-0000

*Description under each food item is from the Zyng menu.

Roxy Ginger Cracker

I am so happy today because I consider myself as an official Pink Tarha blogger! Wow I’m a blogger now! A member of the community! Gracias to Sundrenched, who came up with this idea and to my two other colleagues [Eyecandy23 and Shoegarfreeruby]. I’m not really into writing and posting. I don’t have any experience on it and I’m not actually sure if my writings can attract millions of readers and bloggers. I must admit that at first I’m afraid to join the team because I’m not sure if I can contribute ideas but I figured out I should give it a try before underestimating my capabilities. Check out my post:

Photo courtesy of hardcloud.com

Roxy Ginger Cracker Bag

This is my sister’s bag and I think this will match to Sundrenched “sassy” tank top. It’s very flexible and has a trendy color, you will love the Roxy logo on it, this is very useful you can use it whenever you are goin’ to the mall wearing the “sassy” tank top and a white short. Also when you go to the beach, because of its big size you can put your Roxy 2 piece, your Havaianas or Ipanema slippers, SPF 30 sun block and other stuff.

*You can find this bag in Localizer Mall in Tahaliyah Street, Riyadh or Al-Faisaliyah Tower.