Let's 'Kampai' To That!

“Kampai” is the Japanese term for “Cheers!” used when social drinking. The Japs love their sake (rice wine). But making it the name of a restaurant in Riyadh is very ironic because alcoholic beverages are prohibited in Saudi Arabia. But we have no objections. It's apt. I guess we can still say “Kampai!” with our Saudi champagnes juices! 

Kampai is the newest Japanese restaurant in Riyadh, located in Tahlia Street among the clusters of restos serving international cuisines. My friends and I are huge fans of Japanese cuisine and while we’re happy with the Japanese restos we already have here in Riyadh, one more couldn’t possibly hurt right? 

Konnichiwa!

The restaurant is currently by reservation only because a lot of people are already trying it. They’re always full. We went before the maghreb prayer and found our table waiting for us. The interiors inside are calming, mainly because of the soft green color of the bamboo designs in the wall and also refreshing with the warm lights and abstract images hung on the wall. The restaurant is simple in terms of tables and chairs; even their sushi and beverage areas. As expected in Japanese restaurants, wood is widely used in their aesthetics. 

Simple interiors

Since they just opened, we understand the few shortcomings: they served our dishes in an unorganized manner and they were still preparing the utensils when we got to our table. Anyway, we were mainly here for the food, which a lot of Foursquare users have been raving about. Our array of orders: 

All salmon!

This is our favorite salad in one of the more popular Japanese restaurants in the city (for sure you know what it is) so it is just fitting to compare Kampai’s version with our tried and tested favorite. We were not surprised that Kampai’s spicy salmon salad falls short of our expectations. It was bland and the serving was a bit too small for its price (this will be a recurring theme in their dishes so don’t act surprised when you see them served before you). We love how they’re generous with the fresh salmon though and I love how crunchy the sprinkled breading is. There was little cabbage though. All in all, it just didn’t create any impact. 

Miso soup

My friend enjoyed this miso soup. It was hot and tasty. The soup and its simple ingredients swirl and blend wonderfully. 

Hot and sour tom yum

Our waiter suggested this. I’m a fan of tom yum so I was looking forward to it but since this is a Thai food in a Japanese restaurant menu, I’m not really expecting much from it. And true to my lackluster expectation, it didn’t wow me. Even if it was filled with seafood, the soup was sour and tart with a slightly bitter aftertaste. 

I LOVE YOU, MAKI!

So beautifully prepared

Different fillings and toppings

Their maki, four pieces each per order, are a bit expensive at SR30- SR50 each. These are our favorites though because they have a lot of varieties and their execution and plating are creative. My favorite in this bunch (my friends and I are maki lovers have I told you that?) is the rainbow maki. I love the slivers of mango in it. The one topped with crab sticks is also delicious. Sorry I couldn't remember the names of all our maki orders! Haha! They came in a flat rock-like tray.

Crunchy shrimp tempura... can you see the shrimp?! 

This is probably the most disappointing order we got. The shrimps were sad-looking but I have to hand it to their breading, which was crunchy and spread like a coral reef. I say you forego this and try the hot dishes instead.

I wanna show my love to this siomai. Hehe.

This is one of the superb dishes they have. The siomai is meaty and juicy at the same time. The wrapper is thin but enough to hold the meat and little soup inside. Dipping it in the sauce and chili it came with adds depth in the flavors. Yummy! Three pieces are not enough!

The plating is superb!

The main viand

Teriyaki is a bestseller in Japanese cuisine. It’s no wonder, especially for Asians because we like our food sweet and savory. Kampai’s chicken teriyaki is good. The sauce is a bit thick: salty, and sweet at the same time. The chicken is juicy and tender. But what’s with the puny serving? Hehe. 

Kampai’s menu is extensive and the place is almost high-end. They have a series of cold dishes (salad, appetizers, sushi, maki, etc.) and hot dishes (katsu, teriyaki, etc.) but compared to other Japanese restaurants in Riyadh, the prices are expensive. While we enjoyed our food, it will take a few months before we go back again, especially when we can get more affordable Japanese food elsewhere. It is worth trying though so go and see/taste it for yourself! Arigato gozaimaz! ~ Sundrenched 

Kampai 

Tahlia Street (after Chili’s) 

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 

T: +966-11-461-7581 

Entertaining Eats in Benihana

I owe you the fourth entry to our Thailand (mis)adventure but looking at the past few entries in the blog, I noticed something missing... food posts. I know that The Pink Tarha has been serving as a guide to your palates so here I am inserting a restaurant feature.  

Ever wonder where the new restaurants are sprouting up? Before, it was in Tahlia Street but that area is now crowded with coffee shops and restaurants that are either burgers or Italian. And it's always a busy street packed with vehicles, youth, police cars, and the perennial cruising muttawas come night time. Imagine, one of our thrills is crossing Tahlia Street at night because it's kind of impossible to do so with all the activities going on in there. 

Anyway, the North Ring Road, just outside the city center, is becoming a hot pot spot for new restaurants. Or even old ones that are branching out. 

The financial district, on the North Ring Road

Benihana, for instance, has opened this year in Exit 6. Benihana Restaurants are traditional Japanese hibachi steakhouses which feature teppanyaki, a Japanese cooking method that cooks food in an iron griddle. Benihana was founded by Hiraoki Aoki in New York in 1964. It has currently over 100 franchises in the world. Benihana in Riyadh is a boxy restaurant from the outside with its prominent logo displayed both in English and Arabic. It's quite the popular dining place nowadays that you'll have to line up before you can secure a booth. Is the wait worth it? Here's our experience...

Benihana in Exit 6: bachelor section's entrance

Welcome to the teppanyaki master! (Family section entrance)

Retro photos in the reception wall

The first time we went to Benihana last March, it was fairly new, so we're pretty much lenient on the cook and the service. There is what we call a "soft opening" anyway so even if the cook in our booth made mistakes that are quite funny (like throwing the salt canister outside the booth instead of into his hat), we let those things go. After all, we enjoyed the company.

Salad with ginger dressing: interesting

Succulent catch

My favorite skill has something to do with the egg. :P

Slicing like there's no tomorrow: the fast and the flurry (of activity).

Benihana is Japanese for safflower. Thus the logo.

The squid is slightly tough to chew in but well-flavored.

The verdict on our first visit was that it was just okay. I mean, the food were expensive compared to other restaurants that offer the same dining structure: a booth good for families and friends with teppanyaki tables and wooden chairs. The ambiance and the interiors of the place are probably worth the little extra. The chef was a bit still unsteady with his exhibitions but he made a good effort. 

*****

The second time I ate there, this time to celebrate my parents' wedding anniversary (31 years y'all, yey!) last April, I was more prepped for a better service. After all, they were already a few months into their operations in Riyadh. The restaurant is crowded with a line of 5 families ahead of us and it was already 10:30 in the evening! We decided to wait because we saw that there was a steady stream of diners going out. The waiting area was quite a nice place to stay in; but people can also wait in their cars just in case it gets really full. After around 30 minutes, we were already seated in a booth. Coincidentally, it was the same booth I ate in on my previous visit. :)

Take two.

The teppanyaki tables already had a glass separating the chef from the diners. Someone must have been scared with all the flying knives and utensils, hehe. Or the splatter of oil from frying the goodies. Haha. Anyway, the glass partition is a welcome addition. In a group of 3 or more, order the usual mains and the chef can divide it according to how many are you in the table. The entrees are good for sharing. 

There's a glass divider now.

The chef cooking our fried rice.

Our chef, this time, is more experienced and friendly. He was able to properly execute the drills of cooking our seafood plate consisting of shrimps, lobster, and scallops. The seafood pieces came to our plates succulent. I especially love the scallops. The chef also did the utensils and food flips and in fairness, they weren't flops. ;)

Tender steak cuts.

The Hibachi Steak (New York strip steak) was cooked medium well upon our request. I forgive the seasoning which tasted like the usual soy, salt, and pepper. It tasted ordinary, like something I can whip up in our kitchen (and I don't even cook! Hehe!). But the tenderness is amazing. The chicken teriyaki was lacquered with the right amount of sauce. The heaps of vegetables and rice cut through the savory wonders and provide much-needed relief from the piquantly pleasant viands.

I know I should have taken photos of all the food we ordered but I was riveted to the fun "show" happening right before my eyes (thus no photo of the lobster, the scallops, the chicken teriyaki, and the... oh, I missed a lot, haha!). I wonder if there's a school that teaches us how to properly "play with food" like what the Benihana chefs are doing. Anyway...

My FAVORITE.

I love the salmon sashimi, which I solely devoured. I love it that I'm the only sashimi loving person in our family, hehe. The coral flesh of the salmon displayed prominently in one of the boat dish was a sight to behold. The pieces were moist and tasty. I like that it was placed on a bed of crushed ice. It kept the salmon cold and fresh.

A tray of yummy rolls.

The specialty rolls were delicious also. I'm pretty sure we ordered an eel hand roll (the triangular kind of sushi) but my brother ate it quickly. He said it was the most expensive food he ever had. One roll for SR 60! 

Our drinks were like most of the "cocktails" in Riyadh restaurants. They sound and read better in the menu that they actually taste. Mine was a Pina Colada of some sort. It was too sweet. I had to order a soda and water after just a few sips. 

A simple dessert

Dessert came in the form of ice cream. And well, ice cream is ice cream. What's not to like? It's the universal frozen dessert. 

Benihana is a good restaurant for celebrating an occasion with families and friends. With quite the hefty price tags in their menu and the distance from the city center, it's not your average restaurant that you should frequent. But yes, if you're looking for a restaurant that can satisfy your teppanyaki cravings of high quality meat and seafood, go to Benihana's. Your kids will also enjoy the skills of the chef, who is not only a good cook, but also an entertainer. Benihana is a good place to gather your family and friends. The more the merrier!

Sophis-tea-cated. After a meal, this helps in digestion. ;)

Also, it's nice to cruise along the North Ring Road at night. The buildings in the financial district is a sight to behold at night. All those lights! Ah, I wonder how much energy these buildings consume. 

Glittering in the night sky. Not stars.

Have you been to Benihana's? Share us your experience in the comment section below. Check the map here if you're deciding on going. Benihana is open from 1:00PM to 12:00 midnight. The last time we were there, they weren't taking reservations by phone. First come, first serve only. Not sure if they already changed their policy. Just in case, their number is below. ;) ~ Sundrenched

Benihana

Exit 6, North Ring Road

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

T: +966-11-4157878

Oi! Sushi

We are always cruising along Tahlia St. that every time an opening soon sign is erected, we see it and get excited. When Oi Lounge's opening soon sign was up, it was the wonderful play of colors that caught our eyes, including the sushi illustrations that went with it. We were on the lookout for its opening. When it finally did, I asked a friend to treat me there for her birthday (demanding pa ako?! haha!).

Modern Japanese restaurant

Oi Lounge brings to Riyadh the concept of having sushi and maki plates in a conveyor belt. The plates parade before you and you just have to snatch what tickles your fancy. The prices ranging from SR24 to SR100 are according to the color of the plate.

Conveyor belt with plates rimmed with color

The interiors of Oi! is very nice. It's clean and elegant yet fun, pretty, and trendy. The mix of violet, green, orange, yellow, and pink reminds us of tea time ala Breakfast at Tiffany's. And if it's not glaring enough, there's a huge tea pot in the floor...

I get it, you are a Japanese restaurant.

Cute color accents on a predominantly white Ichida lounge

Love the wall decals.

The royal purple couch beside the conveyor belt

We took a booth with violet couches near the conveyor belt and ordered away. Here are the food in our table:

Sanni Combination: salmon, tuna, and shrimp in a roll (SR

Shezuan Ramen: egg noodles with spicy broth (SR)

Tendon, a rice bowl with tempura (SR35)

Beef Teriyaki (SR75)

For a Japanese restaurant, Oi! Lounge serves a very different kind of maki. We like that the fishes and shrimps in the maki are fresh and tender but the rice used was too soft, wet and lacking in vinegar. Isn't vinegared rice used in sushis and makis? If this is an original take to the maki, then we wanted the tried and tested ingredients please. The ramen is bland and boring. It is true to its spicy claim though. The tendon was okay: the tempura pieces are hot and crisp. It's the beef teriyaki that took us by surprise. The grade A strip loin used was really juicy and tender and went well with the sweet teriyaki sauce. Even the veggie salad on the side was yummy. If we're ever to come back, this would be the sole reason. Unfortunately, we cannot afford to shell out SR75 for beef teriyaki every time.

I can write a love letter for you.

Oi Lounge is a surprising gem in Tahlia St. Its waiters and chef are friendly and courteous. We'd love to be back but not until we tried other Japanese restaurants in the city. ~ Sundrenched

Oi Lounge
Address: Tahlia St., Riyadh, KSA
(near Centria Mall)
T: +966-1-464-4661
W: www.oilounge.com

THIS RESTAURANT IS NOW CLOSED.