Restaurant Review: Business lunch at Hua.Lan
Its surprisingly affordable set lunch menus are the capital’s best-kept secret…
With a central location in the Sulimaniyah district and a relaxing Chinese dining experience, the new Hua.Lan checks all the boxes for a business lunch that won’t disappoint.
As we are guided to our table, we take time to admire the vibrant interiors. Chicly decorated with a Chinoiserie theme and boasting a cosy vibe, the decor of Hua.Lan is warm and welcoming and has a plush living room-esque feel. Think colourful chairs and sofas, white marble tables, eclectic wall art, and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Spotlighting refined classics and traditional culinary delights inspired by Pan-Asian cuisine, Hua.Lan’s lunch menu gives diners a taste of its signature dishes at a reasonable price.
A four-course set lunch here goes for SAR95 for a chicken main course, SAR115 for prawn options, and SAR135 for beef. Each set comes with an avocado salad, a trio of dim sums comprising scallop shiu mai, prawn har gao, and prawn and chives dumpling, your choice of main course (each with two options to choose from) served together with a bowl of egg fried rice, and homemade ice cream for dessert.
The salad is a delightful combination of fresh, ripe avocados and crisp lettuce, complemented by a light dressing.
The dim sums here, though, are particularly good – think dainty and bite-sized dumplings, each with a carefully considered ratio of pastry to filling.
For our main courses, we opt for sweet and sour chicken and black pepper beef. The sweet and sour chicken, a simple yet beloved Chinese dish, has a fine balance of flavours. But the beef is the more impressive of the two, with its smooth and succulent texture, which we recommend over the plain egg fried rice.
For a satisfying finale, go with the salted caramel ice cream. It’s smooth and creamy, with just the perfect amount of sweetness.
Overall, Hua.Lan is a relaxing and reasonably priced lunch option for those looking to get their Chinese food fix or just have a welcome break from the office with colleagues. If you’re with a group, there is a private room upstairs to provide more exclusivity, though the tables in the dining room are well-spaced for just enough privacy.
Hua.Lan, Midtown, Al Diuhak Ibn Soufian, As Sulimaniyah, Riyadh 12243, Lunch Menu available from Sun to Thurs noon to 3pm. @hualan_restaurant
Images: Social