This stunning restaurant might just be the prettiest in all of Bujairi Terrace
Located in Riyadh’s historic Diriyah area, Flamingo Room by tashas opens this weekend on Friday September 15…
Even the most Insta-averse of you will have noticed that there is no shortage of drop-dead gorgeous places to eat in Riyadh. The capital is adorned with a bounty of aesthetic restaurants that look every bit as good as the food they serve tastes.
And soon, you’ll be able to snag a table at one of the prettiest restaurants in Riyadh. Located in Bujairi Terrace, the highly anticipated Flamingo Room by tashas opens on Friday September 15.
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We are thrilled to share a sneak preview of the restaurant and we hope it will whet more than just your appetite.
Inside Flamingo Room by tashas
Visitors to Flamingo Room by tashas are greeted by stunning interiors with an elegant colour scheme of peach, salmon pink, and ocean turquoise complemented by lavish gold accents.
Expect quirky little touches displayed around the restaurant. A vast floral ceiling fixture, an abstract interpretation of the African baobab tree. Luxuriously fabric-ed walls as far as the eye can see. Oversized brass-coated banana leaves are positioned behind the terrazzo bar. Three little bronze meerkats on a marble counter. The odd chair with a zebra print around the room. Duck foot lamps, animal print cushions, and the brand’s signature monkey characters are everywhere. Scalloped mirrors replicating enlarged fish scales create a playful dining atmosphere.
It’s a delicate balance between luxury and whimsy.
The menu
As with the expressive décor, the vibrant menu covers a range of vegetarian, seafood and meat dishes across starters, salads, pasta, and main courses.
We start off with a few light starters: Burrata (SAR125), classic beef carpaccio (SAR128), and scallops (SAR224). A simple burrata with colourful tomatoes is a good showcase for the cheese. If you’re a fan of carpaccio, the beef practically melts in your mouth. It comes with rocket leaves, which add a peppery bite, while the parmesan crisps provide a bold and nutty flavour that complements the meat.
Meanwhile, the pan-seared scallops surrounded by an artistic smudge of smooth, creamy cauliflower and truffle butter purée paints a perfect picture.
For another vegetarian-friendly dish, try the asparagus and pea shoot salad (SAR102). It comprises grilled asparagus, pea shoots, sun-dried tomato, and parmesan with truffle and hazelnut dressing, and every flavour here is well-balanced.
Onwards to the mains, we sample the half lobster pasta (SAR330). The dish surprises with a generous serving of very large chunks of lobster meat perched atop tagliatelle pasta, doused in an intensely rich Napoletana cream sauce. The taste is strong and grips you right from the get-go.
You’ll find plenty of African flavours on the menu, too, like the calamari Mozambique (SAR240). Expect a big plate of soft squid – heads and all – with a piquant peri-peri sauce. A nest of crispy shoestring fries covers the dish to give it a nice bite and texture.
Think we’re done? Of course, no meal is complete without dessert. The decadent Flamingo Room baked Alaska (SAR90) – one of the restaurant’s signatures – with its dark chocolate ganache and meringue flambé, is quite a showstopper.
Verdict: Flamingo Room by tashas strikes us as a place for celebrations, parties and gatherings. The restaurant serves classic dining options with a contemporary twist and a side of African charm in an absolutely stunning setting for a wholly unique experience any night of the year. Come here with a group of best friends and you’re guaranteed a good time. Two words of advice: Come hungry.
Oh, and don’t forget to check out Collective Africa on your way in (or out). The beautiful concept store within the restaurant offers pretty treasures sourced from all over the continent, such as designer clothing, homeware, accessories and hand-painted objet d’art.
Flamingo Room by tashas, Bujairi Terrace, Diriyah, daily 7pm to 1am. Opens Sept 15.
Images: Instagram