Meet Mahsan Riyadh, a rare glimpse into the taste of Anatolia
Authentic flavours crafted by a talented Turkish chef
The dining scene in Riyadh is always heating up, and this recently opened restaurant has become the talk of the town, and rightfully so. Meet Mahsan Riyadh, the city’s rare but very welcome foray into Anatolian cuisine.
Opening its doors in the Shorofat Park in Riyadh, Mahsan Riyadh sees Chef Ömür Akkor bring 100,000 years of Anatolian culinary history to the heart of the capital.
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From premium ingredients flown directly in from Turkey to authentic flavours, every dish is inspired by the rich culinary heritage of Gaziantep, Adana, Kilis, and Central Anatolia.
The menu is divided into eight sections, each of which looks more enticing than the last, and if you’re anything like us, you’d be tempted to order the entire menu (and who wouldn’t be).
The interiors
Walk in, and we’re positive you’ll fall in love with the mudbrick architecture. The space is decorated with tiny knick-knacks all over, and a small but mighty display of premium ingredients, some of which you can even purchase to recreate the flavours at home. There are also stunning Turkish carpets all over the space, and even elements inspired by age-old Anatolian traditions and architecture.
The food
While soup normally seems like a skippable option, the soup here really isn’t. Begin your meal with the creamy pistachio soup made with Turkish pistachios, topped with crushed pistachios and aromatic spices, followed by the tavuk salad (made with signature marinated chicken, fresh greens, and homemade Turkish labneh) and tabbouleh.
Now on to the true standout dishes for us (but that’s not to say the rest were anything but great). The dolma, made with bell peppers and eggplants stuffed with aromatic rice and herbs, imported from Gaziantep in the Anatolia region, served with homemade Turkish labneh, blew us away; we would’ve wolfed down as many as they put down.
