Category Archives for "Riyadh"

London, New York, Las Vegas: What do they have in common? They are show towns. They do things on a large scale. At one stage there were Hundreds of Planet Hollywoods scattered all over the world. Now the operation has been severely reduced, but in the above-mentioned cities the restaurants are still going strong.

Planet Hollywood Riyadh

There is also one in Riyadh, although ‘going strong’ is perhaps not the most appropriate description.

On entry the movie memorabilia is rather dour and difficult to make out, and it is necessary to read the descriptions to discover who wore what in which movie. Once upstairs, the greeting by the manager and staff is very friendly and cheerful, and customers are given a choice of tables, and whether they would like to have a screen to enclose them or not.

American Favourites

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There are a lot of dishes on the menu. Starters, salads, meat, fish and other popular dishes are in no short supply. As usual in so many restaurants in Riyadh, many of the starters are deep-fried. That being said, the ‘Chees Jalabenos’ and fried calamari were better than elsewhere, and not soaked in oil when served. There are also combo dishes that allow customers try a variety of some of the most popular starters.

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'Chees Jalabenos'

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Chinese salad

Grilled shrimps

The waiters, who are all named after movie characters (James Bond, Spiderman, Batman etc, although it’s a shame they aren’t dressed as their characters) all seem to have different opinions about what the absolute best, can’t miss dish is, and recommendations range from New York strip steak to grilled salmon to chicken with peanut sauce (which is also the dressing to a pretty good salad). Make sure to specify exactly to what degree the food should be cooked. It is very easy to grill salmon for too long, to overdo a steak, and to render a shrimp inedible if the chefs are left to their own devices (not a problem confined to Planet Hollywood), but with a simple instruction the main dish that was expected can be produced. Also, it is a good idea to inform the waiter to leave a break in between courses, or a starter may well find itself sharing a table with an entrée.

Grilled salmon

Have a look at the Foodspotting website for more dishes available at Planet Hollywood Riyadh

Movie Memoribilia

After completing the main course, why not take a stroll around the restaurant and check out the outfits and props that adorn the walls. Several huge movies are represented: Bond, Die Hard, Star Trek, Lethal Weapon, but most of the memorabilia is fairly dubious: half a baseball from Fletch; a game controller from Pulp Fiction; the uniform worn by an extra in a Bond movie. The item with the most genuine claim to be in a Planet Hollywood is a pair of boxing gloves from Rocky 3, signed by Sylvester Stallone.

Mel Gibson's motorbike from Lethal Weapon, by The Pink Tarha

Enjoy Your Visit to Planet Hollywood Riyadh

Does our experience at Planet Hollywood Riyadh remind you of yours? Let us know ​below.

The modern city centre of Riyadh is not really very welcoming. The buildings are tall, and mostly covered in glass. So they reflect the environment around them.

Of those that aren’t, many are of an anonymous beige/brown colour much favoured in the city.

Every now and again, however, it is possible to stumble across a hidden treat.

Read below our Garden Barbeque Restaurant Review

Taken from Alkhozama Hotel Facebook Page

The Garden Barbecue at the Al Khozama Hotel is one such place.

Like it’s name suggests, it is actually situated in the hotel’s garden, and open to the  the evening air.

Water mist sprays down from overhead to ensure that the guests don’t over heat in the summer.

That is not to say, however, that they won’t overeat.

There is a wide, comprehensive selection of foods on offer, and they are all included in the buffet price.

There is no restriction on how many courses you may assemble, so sit back, tuck in and go back as many times as you want.

The Appetizers 

Personally, I think the appetizers are one of the best in Riyadh. The combination of selection & quality suits my palette and relieves my long felt craving for vegetables and salads.

Arabic Food

For the local touch, there are several Arabic salads – all cold – to begin with. These vary in quality according to the attention that is paid during preparation.

Usually though, the kitchen staff at the hotel do them well.

For a regular dinner it would be possible – advisable even – to call for the bill and leave at this point.

But if you do that at the Garden Barbecue you will be missing out much more to come. There are soups, there are pies, there are speciality dishes (stews, etc), and then there is the main attraction: the bundles of deliciousness that they throw on the charcoal grill.

The Grill

• Beef (your favourite cuts)
• Chicken (several different parts)
• Sausages
• Kebabs
• Prawns (several varieties)
• Fish (your choice of the best)
• Seafood – it’s a gourmand’s delight!

Make sure you tell the chef’s directly how you want your choices grilled; things can easily get overdone,especially if let in the hands of the waiters.There’s not many vegetable dishes to accompany them, but the choice of salads is more than adequate to compensate for this.

Desert

The first thing to catch your eye as you walk in is the desserts. The Al Khozama has a renowned bakery & confectionary, so the chances are you will not be disappointed.

Many of their cakes and pastries look like works of art. In a country that loves sweet things, the Al Khozama is right up there in terms of the delicacies it produces.

Mini portions are offered in the garden so you can take your pick of your favourites without having to feel too guilty, and there is a good selection of the ubiquitous Arabic sweets as well as others with more international inspiration.

Wondeful View by Pink Tarha

Ambience to die for by Pink Tarha

Janelle over at  The Pink Tarha has written her own review and the pictures above are hers.

The ambience is one of a kind in this establishment. The grass at your feet and the trees surrounding you brings about a feeling of outdoors that you expect from being in an outdoor garden. Combined with the high rise buildings and the spectacular view of Faisaliah Tower, it adds a layer of modernism to your outdoor feelings

The service is one of the best aspects of this place. It is exactly the kind of service you would expect from a 5-star hotel in Riyadh

• Tentative Waiters
• Friendly and Pleasant Demenour
• Above & beyond what is required
• True show of Arab hospitality

The price per person is 350 SAR. 

At first glance, it does seem somewhat steep, but then you consider that almost everything about this place is superb. 

The care and perfection taken in every aspect of this restaurant creates an overall experience that is unmatched.

As such I personally feel that it deserves such a price. However, I do not plan on going often.​

Tell Us in the Comments

We'd love to hear from you, tell us your experience by answering some of the questions below or anything else you want to tell us

• ​Have you been to the Barbeque Garden before?
• How was your experience? 
• Was it Similar to ours?
• Is there somewhere comparable you know of?