Traditionally, a windrose is a meteorological tool that indicates compass orientations (North, South, East, West, and intermediate points) for use in navigation, which does make an enquiring mind wonder why a restaurant surrounded and sheltered by tall buildings has been named after such a device. That said, however, after successfully navigating the route to the Windrose brunch, Riyadh, on Fridays, few explorers are disappointed.
Different to Other Hotel Brunches
Most hotel brunches these days seem to be a showcase for the best offerings the kitchens can produce, and are possibly as much part of a wider marketing campaign as they are a dining experience. This is not the approach taken at the Windrose brunch, where diners can still enjoy a good graze that’s priced much more realistically than other venues where it is impossible to enjoy much of the food that is on offer due to the acres of different dishes available.
Windrose brunch (photo: MySaudiGuides.com)
Mocktails at Windrose brunch, Riyadh
The waiters insist on bringing water and mocktails (there’s a decent variety to choose from) to the table before guests make their way to the food counters, so sit back, relax, and take a few minutes to settle into the surroundings.
Check out What's on Offer
It’s always a good idea at hotel brunches to take a wander past all the offerings to see exactly what there is in order to plan the dining experience for the next few hours. At some brunches this can take longer than the consumption of one of those courses, although this is not the case at the Windrose brunch.
It has been observed that most diners choose to start with seafood. There is a selection of sushi dishes as well as other cold seafood specialities. Although the platters these items are presented on are small, don’t worry about them running out; they are refreshed regularly.
Cold seafood at Windrose brunch, Riyadh
The Middle Eastern inclination is next to go for a salad and mixture of warm and cold mezzas. Again, the choice is smaller than at other establishments, but this can be seen as beneficial to ensuring that guests get to sample a greater proportion of the dishes at the Windrose brunch.
Salads at Windrose brunch, Riyadh
Warm mezze at Windrose brunch, Riyadh
Cold mezze at Windrose brunch, Riyadh
Curries at Windrose brunch, Riyadh
Something unique to the Windrose brunch is the lack of roast meat on offer. Sometimes there is only chicken. What they concentrate on, however, is their curries. These are well made and very tasty.
There are alternatives for main courses for those who prefer their food with less spice, and a selection of meats, either grilled or prepared in flavoursome sauces, as well as vegetables, ensures that people coming for a Friday filling will not leave unsated.
Lamb skewers at Windrose brunch, Riyadh
Main courses at Windrose brunch, Riyadh
Green vegetables at Windrose brunch, Riyadh
Exquisite Puddings
Once the main course has been completed, it is a good idea to sit back, take a break and enjoy conversation with friends. In our review of the Garden Barbecue, special mention was made of the bakery & confectionary, which is shared by the Windrose.
Puddings at Windrose brunch, Riyadh
After dinner treats at Windrose brunch, Riyadh
About now, most people are waving the white flag, having had a multi course dining experience of enviable variety, but still the experience is not complete! Make sure to sample some of the after dinner treats whilst enjoying a fully deserved stomach settling coffee of tea.
Our Verdict of the Windrose Brunch, Riyadh
The Windrose brunch makes sense. It is reasonably priced; the variety of food on offer is sensible, not over-the-top; all dishes are made with care and attention, and as such are very tasty. It is even good for children, as there is an entertainer outside who will look after them whilst parents enjoy uninterrupted conversation with friends inside. The Windrose brunch shows that it is not necessary to go to extremes of excess, and that concentrating on quality is worthwhile, which is a fairly unique approach in this city of conspicuous consumption.
The quality of the Windrose brunch has remained constant over the years. Read flipboyfoodie's review from 2012 here
How does our experience of the Windrose brunch compare to yours? Add your opinion to the comments below.