Review: Sadelle’s at Mansard Riyadh, A Radisson Collection Hotel
Bagels, cured fish, and caviar, Sadelle’s New York cuisine is now available in the capital…
Without even glancing at the menu, Sadelle’s at Mansard Riyadh, A Radisson Collection Hotel, creates a unique experience on looks alone. Step inside and you’ll see what we mean. The space is large and airy, with high ceilings and lots of natural light to help you feel perky before you’ve even got your menu in front of you.
Sadelle’s Riyadh is split into a sit-down restaurant and a retail counter up front where you can get bagels, babka, and other delightful pastries, plus coffee to go.
The restaurant’s decor blends modern and vintage elements to create an elegant but relaxed atmosphere. Salmon pink, soothing pastel blue and Kelly green shades, pillars and flooring inlaid with marble, and brass detailing offer a glamorous old-world European vibe. It doesn’t shy away from the opulence in its own design, with a stately spiral staircase to the mezzanine level just above the coffee bar.
The dining area welcomes guests into a grand European hall, which, like the rest of the hotel’s architecture, reflects the signature Parisian Haussmann style of the mid-1800s, transporting guests into an exclusive and stylish old world.
On the menu
When you do get around to picking up the menu, you’ll see why this Riyadh spot has quickly become a staple on the restaurant scene.
Breakfast at Sadelle’s is a sophisticated affair. Sipping our matcha latte (SAR35) in the elegant dining space, we could almost be in central Europe.
The menu is not light by any means. The line-up includes all manner of eggs, fish towers, avocado toast, blueberry pancakes, French toast, crepes with ricotta, grilled halloumi, and caviar service.
As iconic as Sadelle’s bagels and smoked fish towers have become, the restaurant also offers a comprehensive menu filled with New York favourites, such as pizza, triple-decker sandwiches, meticulously chopped salads, and expertly prepared meat and fish, starting at 11am. At its essence, Sadelle’s is the greatest iteration of an all-day café.
Smoked or cured fish is why we’re here
To start our breakfast experience, we try two items from the menu: Leo (SAR110), comprising house salmon on an omelette and served with our choice of plain bagel, and a dazzling tower of smoked Scottish (SAR110) with all the accoutrements – cream cheese, tomatoes, capers, cucumbers, and dill – and our choice of sesame bagel.
The house salmon, lightly cured and incredibly silky, seduces with subtlety, while the smoked Scottish is the way to go if you prefer a heartier taste of the sea. The bagels are chewy and dense, and the cream cheese spreads nicely and evenly, which makes for a delicious-tasting breakfast.
What’s particularly interesting is the build-your-own aspect of the open-faced sandwiches. We love being able to decide precisely how much of each ingredient we want to top our bagel half with.
For dessert, we grab a slice of chocolate babka (SAR25) to go. The intricate cross-sections with dark, hypnotic swirls are close to perfect. The babka is everything it should be: rich, a touch dry, and more closely mimicking a loaf of bread. As a bonus, it is topped with a thick and luscious chocolate glaze.
Overall, despite the high prices, we’d come back to Sadelle’s for fish and bagels, and keep in mind that most dishes here are sufficiently portioned to share. Oh, and if possible, request a table on the terrace overlooking Mansard Riyadh’s outstanding plaza.
Sadelle’s, Sun to Thurs 7am to 3.30pm & 7pm to midnight, Fri & Sat 7am to midnight, Mansard Riyadh, A Radisson Collection Hotel, 4248 Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Road, Riyadh 13315. @sadellesriyadh
Images: Provided