Restaurant review: Themed Nights at The 365, Fairmont Hotel Riyadh
Indulge your inner foodie with the ultimate buffet experience at The 365’s series of themed nights available every Saturday…
Don’t we all love a lavish hotel spread? If you’re an avid foodie like us, you’ll be able to relate to the sheer excitement we get from seeing rows upon rows of sumptuous, good eats all lined up and ready to be devoured.
What we love most about buffets is the freedom to savour as much good food as we can, without (that much) judgement from others.
Get ready to put on your stretchiest buffet trousers because the Fairmont Hotel Riyadh has launched an exciting new series of themed nights at The 365 on Saturdays, running from 7pm to 11pm. Each themed night brings a unique concept to life, featuring health-focused superfoods, indulgent seafood feasts, sizzling grilled specialities, and rich international flavours.
We had the pleasure of enjoying a splendid all-you-can-eat ‘Under the Sea’ seafood-themed night at the hotel’s all-day dining destination. The 365 was already buzzing with diners when we entered at 7pm. Despite that, there was no rush to the buffet spreads.
A feast for the senses
The seafood buffet at The 365 not only provides a mesmerising visual feast but also awakens your senses with the alluring scents of premium sea treasures prepared in various cooking styles – seafood on ice, grilled station, and oven-baked delights, to name a few.
The experience starts by sipping on a glass of crisp Saudi champagne. We then kickstart our seafood indulgence with mussels, Alaskan crab legs, lobsters, octopus, prawns, and calamari. These ocean troves are complemented by a spread of housemade Arabic mezze, with the beetroot mutabbal stealing the spotlight.
We also enjoy a line-up of sashimi, sushi, and ceviches, including tuna tataki, barbequed eel, unagi California roll, and shrimp maki roll.
For a special treat, grab a plate or two (don’t judge) and pile on the pan-seared scallops with pesto cream sauce, the lobster thermidor, and the grilled shrimp skewers with spicy mango sauce – all came in highly eatable, bite-sized portions that made it easy to forget how many we’d eaten.
Other highlights include seafood chowder soup, grilled octopus with chimichurri sauce, grilled salmon with lemon dill sauce, seafood paella, and fish and chips.
There’s also a well-loved selection of local classics for ardent fans of Middle Eastern flavours, where you can take your pick from Sayadieh shrimps and mussels and Singari fish to chicken freekeh and qursan.
We give our dinner some diversity over at the Asian selections, where we relish in some quality dim sums, sweet and aromatic Thai grilled seabass, and hearty garlic fried rice with prawns and egg.
Swing by the tandoor station and be charmed by the charred, fragrant aromas emanating from the skewered seafood and exclusive meat selections. For a zesty, lasting note, we savour the live-grilled malai prawn tikka, marinated with yoghurt, cream, and spices, and the grilled tandoori pomfret served with mint chutney.
Like everything else, these are succulent, well-cooked and delicious; but by this time, the initial symptoms of food coma are taking effect, somewhat nullifying any chance to savour the moment fully.
However, there is always time for pudding. The dessert selection is equally robust and presents another continent to conquer, with a wide range of Arabic sweets, raspberry choux, baked cheesecake, German chocolate cake, mango delight, pecan tart, ombre cake, carrot cake, and crème brulee.
If you only pick one item from the impressive cakes, tarts and treats, it should be the bread pudding. It’s absolutely delish. No matter how full you are, you have room for one.
Fill up on the buffet all you like
Overall, it’s a delightful buffet. The variety is pretty impressive, and dishes get replenished quickly, so you won’t have to worry about leaving hungry.
If you’re looking for a dinner spot that offers a little something for everyone without any frowns around the table, the themed nights (every Saturday throughout April and May) at The 365 at the Fairmont Hotel Riyadh should rank quite high on your list of considerations.
Notable highlights include Flame & Feast Fest (April 28) featuring flame-grilled and slow-roasted specialties, including succulent steaks, tender lamb, and expertly seared seafood; Japanese Kaiseki Zen (May 3), featuring delicately plated courses such as fresh sashimi, miso-marinated cod, and crispy tempura; and Pan-Asian (May 10) cuisine’s bold flavours, offering signature dishes from Thailand, China, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
There’s also a tribute to Germany’s culinary heritage on May 17 with hearty specialities such as bratwurst, schnitzel, pretzels, and sauerkraut, complemented by traditional Bavarian music and décor. German beverages complete this festive and immersive experience.
On May 24, seafood enthusiasts can look forward to Seafood & Grills, a feast dedicated to the ocean’s finest, featuring crustaceans, shellfish, grilled fish, and premium meats, all expertly prepared and accompanied by an impressive dessert selection.
The series culminates with a vibrant global Street Food Soirée (May 31), showcasing an eclectic mix of flavours from across the world – from Indian chaats and Mexican tacos to Middle Eastern shawarma and Korean BBQ skewers. A bustling market-style setting brings these bold and diverse flavours to life.
Themed Nights at The 365, every Sat, 7pm to 11pm, Fairmont Hotel Riyadh. SAR320 per person. Tel: 011 826 2629. @fairmontriyadh
Images: Supplied