Top 5 Sosyal V-Day Date Places in Riyadh

When I suggested this entry, Eyecandy quipped, "Baka magalit na sa'tin ang mga asawa ng readers natin ha!" Lol. From shopping to dining to making lakwatsa... we suggest them all. And sometimes, our readers, mostly ladies, tend to bug and nag their husbands to heed our suggestions. Well, that's just great! Haha! (Women empowerment, woot! :) We didn't know we've become so helpful to fellow ladies out there! Lol. All we're saying is, guys, please indulge your wives and girlfriends once in a while. After all, you love them right? *wink with an extra bat of gorgeous eyelashes*

For this year's Valentine's Day, we suggest sosyal dining places that will melt your wife's heart and make her fall in love with you again. We're addressing this to husband and wife only because you all know by now that gf and bf can't go out together in public. At least when you're husband and wife, the religious police will see this as a normal dining out scenario and will not accuse you of celebrating the red-letter day, even if you are indeed out to celebrate it. So going back to the sosyal part... well, there's no harm in indulging once in a while, right? Right?! Even if it's not Valentine's these places will create a fantastic place to date. Romance is definitely in the air...

For dinner, fancy schmanzy hotel restaurants will probably be in your mind. Truth be told, we had this connotation about hotel restaurants: they're no good. The food is expensive and overrated. Well, some are. That's why, we're suggesting places we've already dined in. The food are relatively okay but what caught our attention in these places are the ambiance and the privacy they deliver. After all, when eating, especially on a date, all the senses must be heightened. Here are some hotel restaurants we've tried:

1. Radisson SAS' Brasseries On Four
Enjoy authentic pan-Arabian and global fusion cuisine at the Brasserie on Four restaurant in Riyadh. Indulge in a casual and light dining experience with the à la carte menu, or choose from the lavish spread of lunch and dinner buffets. Brasserie on Four also hosts the hotel's Super Breakfast Buffet, which includes fresh breads, delicious cuts and homemade pastries.

Shrimps galore!

Dinner starts 7pm in BOF. We enjoyed the seafood buffet and desserts. The shrimps and squid are grilled while you wait. Waiting is not an issue though because there are other dishes right in front of you. We heard Shogun, the Japanese restaurant in Radisson SAS is also a good choice.

2. Sheraton Hotel's La Piazza Gather everyone for the sumptuous buffet and specialties. An exclusive ambiance, mouthwatering cuisine, and personal service create a great dining experience.

La Piazza's chocolate fondant
(Ever since Duo, we've been on the lookout for other chocolate fondant in the city and so far, nothing came at par... well, except Cafe Ceramique's which appealed greatly to our Filipino taste buds.)

The La Piazza is Sheraton's Italian restaurant and they do look like one in a tiny village in Italy offering the authentic experience. There's even private dining areas where you'll have total privacy and yet you'll still feel the earthy, rural Italian village atmosphere. Dinner starts 4pm and goes on until midnight. We love the pizza and the lamb chops.

3. Kingdom Tower's Spazio 77
Plates are served to taste, but also to enjoy every bite! The various savors and wide range of signature Mediterranean dishes made from the best ingredients and always keeping in mind the authenticity of each flavor.

What better way to enjoy dinner than to eat at the 77th floor of Saudi Arabia's tallest building? Delicious food and amazing views, that's what you get from Spazio 77. Perfect for a lovely date! Your journey starts at the amazing elevator, which looks like a planetarium with its "stars", that zips you up to the restaurant floor. Then the meals, which is great. (S ate there on a buffet and she remembers there was a lot of salmon and a pasta that is cooked right in front of you.) You can also opt to go to the Oxygen Room, which is one-of-a-kind in Riyadh. Very interesting!

You might want to consider Al Faisaliah Tower's The Globe too. We haven't eaten there so we can't vouch for it but if you're looking for spectacular city views while eating modern European cuisine then you'll be in a treat at The Globe. You can also visit The Experience, Faisaliah's public observation gallery, after your hefty dinner. Fancy a cigar? Then the Asir Lounge is for you. Now, who wanna be a billionaire so effin' bad?!

After a hefty dinner, you'll probably crave for a fabulous dessert. Enter two in our must-list:

4. Cafe Lenotre

Located in Centria Mall, Cafe Lenotre is a restaurant and a dessert place in one. If you're there for the latter only, then we'd suggest you pick a table outside. The terrace, overlooking the Olaya and King Fahd Road, is lit with romantic candles and made cooler by water sprinklers. Try their Lavazza coffee and apple pie. Also their chocolate fondant and macarons. Oh, phone in a reservation okay. They don't accept walk-ins. They're sosyal that way. Lol.

5. Laduree Cafe

Also in the same mall you'll find a quaint, dainty cafe by French icon Laduree. Again, this is a reservation only cafe (and they're strict about it). You'll enjoy mouthwatering macarons, cakes and pastries... if you can pronounce them in their French names. Lol. Have their flavored coffees and ice cream too.

Laduree's famous macarons *nibble, nibble*

So, did we give you a good list or what? Don't lose the romance this coming red-letter day! Pop-in a delightful surprise to your wife (or okay, husband)! Have a romantic dinner in the city of Riyadh! :)