I do not even remember just how many times have I already written this on Wondering Voyager, but I do not have much of a sweet tooth, and I do not enjoy wasting any time in cafes. Nevertheless, it seems that I keep writing these articles on dessert shops and cafes of cities that I visit. This is partially to do justice to my country guides, and partially an attempt to find some desserts and drinks that could change my mind about sweets in general. I am happy to report that Riyadh just might have done that for me, and from now on, I am not so sure if I should even say that I do not have a sweet tooth, as I regularly crave some of the sweets and drinks I had in the Saudi capital. Without further ado, let us now see what those goodies are!
Sokar w Laban – https://linktr.ee/sokkarwlaban
Om Ali is an extremely milky Egyptian dessert, just the kind of dessert that I actually like. That is why, regardless of where and when I had it, I enjoyed it thoroughly, though the version I had at Sokar w Laban was quite special. It was not necessarily the tastiest Om Ali I had, but it was the most nutritious one since it was topped with some nuts and dried fruits. This deceptively simple change allowed each bite to stand out from one another, which is not what I can say about most other Om Ali I had thus far. It seems to me that compared to full meal prices, desserts, especially milky ones, are not necessarily budget friendly in Riyadh, nevertheless, this one is well worth its asking price of around 5 USD. Much recommend to say the least!
Methaas Bakery & Desserts – https://maps.app.goo.gl/unjTPqgifURbMHEf9
While desserts from many Arab countries are the easiest to find in Riyadh, one can also find a ton of Desi desserts here without much hassle as well. After all, the city is full of migrants from the subcontinent who miss delicacies from back home. Methaas Bakery & Desserts reportedly had some of the best Desi desserts in town, and there might be some truth to that. Their kulfi was simply excellent and the creamy milky dessert that I tried for the first time here, and immediately forget its name, was outright decadent as well. It was a bit too heavy for me to eat it regularly, alas, it was enjoyable at the time, which is what matters. Prices were once again higher than most meals I had in Riyadh, but that just seems to be the norm here as far as desserts are concerned. Besides, I mostly enjoyed some truly budget-friendly restaurants of Riyadh, so this may not be a valid comparison.
Syria Ice Cream – https://maps.app.goo.gl/e77HUZhPnncGQHuE6
While it will never beat a decent kulfi (for me), I am not opposed to enjoying some decent ice cream to cool down on a hot day. It just so happens that in Riyadh, it is always a very hot day. That is why, I tracked down the best ice cream shop in town and gave it a go as soon as I could. This was the best decision I made in a long time. The owner of this humble shop greets you with not only a massive smile, but also one of the tastiest cup of pomegranate juice ever. Most satisfied with what I just drank, I asked for two scoops of ice cream, one plain (as usual) and one pomegranate flavoured. In this shop, everything you buy is as natural as possible. The pomegranate ice cream was excellent, even though I do not enjoy fruity flavours normally. The plain (as in purely milky) ice cream came with some pistachios in it, which only made it more enjoyable for me. What truly added to the experience was just how the owner added a third scoop on top of my cup for free, a decadently tasty apricot flavour one no less! This gentleman is truly an ice cream master, and his shop must be a part of everyone’s Riyadh itineraries.
TEAFE! – https://maps.app.goo.gl/t6yWaReapbVVidH86
Well, another delicacy goes really well in a hot day is an ice-cold drink. Thankfully, Riyadh (and most Arab cities for that matter) figured out how to cool down throughout the year by drinking some of the tastiest drinks known to our kind. While I love karak chai and drink it wherever I find it, I never liked the fact that it was often served hotter than lava. I understand that many enjoy their chai as hot as possible, I am just not one of those people. That is why, I was most satisfied to find out that iced karak chai is rather popular in Riyadh, and it is often quite affordable as well. For around 2 USD, you can get a massive cup of potent karak chai that is both sweet and cold, essentially the perfect cure against the scorching desert heat.
RONO – https://maps.app.goo.gl/VF9a3BXC2hWWrB8E9
However, while the iced karak chai at TEAFE! was decent, my heart flutters for the one I had in RONO. This hole in the wall establishment serves the finest karak chai I had in my entire life, and I am glad that it is cold by default. The tea they use is extremely potent, and their spice mix is a celebration of all that is tasty and memorable. Unsurprisingly, I ended up ordering a second cup right after I finished the first one. They also seemingly serve some highly praised chapati rolls, though I was too full to try any of them when I was there at that time. And frankly, if I had the room for anything more, it would have been a third cup of ice cold karak chai. I cannot wait to go back to Riyadh and visit these fine folks every single day.
