- Cuisine: Seafood
- Price:***
- Food: *****
- Presentation:***
- Cleanliness: ***
- Location: Between King Fahd and Olaya streets. Take the exit off King Fahd towards Dr Sulaiman Habib hospital. Turn into the side lane as though you are going to the hospital. Continue down three blocks, the restaurant is on your right, opposite Paris gallery.
This restaurant is considered by some locals as the best seafood restaurant in town though it might be hard to find (the signage is very easy to miss even when looking at it straight on). With fresh seafood being flown in every day, the quality of the food is noticeably good at this business/business-casual eatery (very important since Riyadh is in the middle of the desert).
One selects the uncooked seafood based on the selection available (you literally point to the piece you want) and it is cooked to order.
There is a range of appetizers however the soups are recommended. As the staff will quietly tell you, the bouillabaisse is best, followed by the bisque. The bouillabaisse was not quite authentic (Marseille-style) however it was VERY good. We did not try the salads however one of dinner companions had done so and liked the Caesar salad (made authentically with anchovies!). The oysters Rockefeller were ok.
As the name suggests, this is the place to have lobster in Riyadh. The grilled lobster tail was delicious, served with butter, steamed vegetables and french fries. The jumbo shrimp were also good. The great thing about the food was that it was not drowned in spices – just grilled so the taste really came through.
The interior of the place is not exceptional, with cabins as well as open tables tucked away in nooks. The stained glass seascapes add a nice touch. The service was good: polite and attentive.
This tucked away restaurant with it’s nondescript exterior is average on presentation and looks however the grilled lobster is worth it. Definitely a place to go back to when in the mood for great seafood!
