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
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.
'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
If something sweet is needed to finish off the dining experience, be prepared for a sugar overload. The amount of sickly sweet cream, ice-cream and chocolate on offer could potentially lead to diabetes.
Movie memorabilia and American favourites at Planet Hollywood Riyadh
Enjoy Your Visit to Planet Hollywood Riyadh
Planet Hollywood is essentially a good idea, making people’s favourite movies come alive in a way that can’t be achieved just by watching them. However PH in Riyadh, a city in which there are no cinemas, has suffered from an attack of mediocrity. The food could be prepared with more care; the props could be more impressive; but the staff here are excellent, and will do what they can to make sure diners enjoy themselves.
Does our experience at Planet Hollywood Riyadh remind you of yours? Let us know below.