Restaurant Review: Taleed by Michael Mina
Bringing you the best of Hijazi cuisine and Mediterranean flair…
Few things come together better than good food and good views, and even fewer restaurants get them both as right as Taleed by Michael Mina. Located in the first of 40 amazing hotels to open in Diriyah, Bab Samhan, Taleed opened its doors early last month and has been wowing diners ever since.
A fine-dining concept at its core, Taleed brings together the rich, aromatic flavours of Hijazi cuisine and serves them with a slice of Mediterranean flair, surrounded by soaring views of the gorgeous Diriyah neighbourhood.
Redefining contemporary dining in the Kingdom at the first luxury hotel to open in Diriyah, Taleed focuses predominantly on combining locally sourced ingredients with global cooking techniques to put together dishes like no other on your plate.
Walk in, and you’ll be washed over with a sense of comfort, like you already know that every plate that’s being put in front of you is crafted with the utmost care and perfection. And we’re happy to say the dishes satisfy even the most discerning of taste buds.
On to the interiors, the restaurant captures the true essence of Diriyah by using the same 300-year-old Najdi architectural style as the hotel. Guests are ushered into the venue that bridges the gap between the past and present of Saudi Arabia, putting a spotlight on the best aspects of both.
The menu
Mocktails in hand, we study the menu to find several eye-catching dishes. Our mocktail of choice for the evening is the Cocorito (SAR50) which is made with fresh basil, coconut water, coconut syrup, lime juice, and Fever Tree soda water.
For our starters, we tucked into zucchini fritters (SAR64), which may make even the pickiest of diners (aka me) appreciate the humble zucchini, served with a delicious tzatziki, dill, and lemon dip, the kataifi-wrapped tiger prawns (SAR102) made with young coconut, mango, medina habaq which I’m still dreaming about, and the incredible charcoal-grilled red sea octopus (SAR101) served alongside stewed chickpeas, saffron broth, and cardamom schug.
Our mains came in the form of the highly-recommended Jeddah shrimp kabsa (SAR110) made with saffron rice, serrano chili, crispy onions, and mixed kebab platter (SAR646) that comes with the incredible filet mignon & mushroom, sumac kofta, and seven-spiced chicken dolmas.
If you’re anything like me, there’s always room for dessert. The dessert menu features five incredible options, and we picked Egyptian rice pudding (SAR59) prepared with cinnamon crisp and vanilla bean, and the wonderfully indulgent dark chocolate cake parfait (SAR64) soft whip, sesame brittle, and Arabic coffee caramel sauce.
What’s On verdict: For his debut in the Kingdom, Chef Michael Mina draws inspiration from the depth of Saudi culinary heritage and gives it a modern edit, making it a must-visit venue.
Taleed by Michael Mina, Bab Samhan, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Diriyah, 7628 King Faisal Ibn Abd Al Aziz, Mon to Sat 6.30pm to 11.30pm. @taleeddiriyah