Where We Are Going Today: Dwar Bahia - a beautiful Egyptian cuisine
At Dwar Bahia, they do not have any frozen items, every item is freshly prepared, and I could see that with how bright the color of my Molokhiya was
Updated 04 September 2022
DEEMA AL-KHUDAIR
If you are looking for a unique Egyptian cuisine experience, look no further: Dwar Bahia (meaning Bahia’s home in the Egyptian dialect) is a top-tier restaurant located at the U-Shape square in Jeddah’s Al-Rawdah district.
Step inside this palatial restaurant of olive green chairs and couches, where wooden frames and golden dome ceilings surmount the seating areas, which are decorated with black and white photos of Egyptian movie stars and singers from the 1960s.
They play popular classical and fun Egyptian music — it’s good enough to make you want to get up off your chair, leave behind the food and dance.
But you’ll be rushing to sit back down, because Dwar Bahia boasts beautiful Egyptian cuisine. One of the North African country’s most famous dishes is Molokhiya; chopped jute leaves that are boiled until it becomes thick broth, sometimes served with beef or chicken.
At Dwar Bahia, they do not have any frozen items, every item is freshly prepared, and I could see that with how bright the color of my Molokhiya was.
A popular poultry dish in Egypt is Hamam Mahshi “stuffed pigeon” served with a side of rice with mixed nuts and raisins. It was my first time trying pigeon and the restaurant gave me an excellent debut.
I visited Dwar Bahia with my family and we enjoyed different dishes together because their portions are great for sharing. For dessert, it was the perfect place to try authentic Om Ali — a pastry pudding with pistachio, nuts, raisins and cream, wifey considered one of Egypt’s most iconic sweet treats.
For more information about the restaurant and its menu, visit their Instagram @dwarbahia or website dwarbahia.com
Where We Are Going Today: ‘Jumbled’ – Salad Bar in Jeddah
The summer crunch salad — refreshing and well-balanced — combines romaine, grilled olives, melon, halloumi, and almonds with a light balsamic vinaigrette
Updated 31 August 2025
Afshan Aziz
Tucked away in Jeddah’s As-Shati district, Jumbled at Trio Boulevard is for health-conscious diners looking for flavorful and balanced meals.
Though not widely known, the restaurant offers an impressive array of salads, grain bowls, soup, sandwiches, wraps and power bowls, all designed with fresh ingredients and creative combinations.
With prices ranging from SR40 ($10) to SR60, it caters to those willing to invest a little more for quality and nutrition. The salad menu is the highlight, offering both classic and adventurous options.
The summer crunch salad — refreshing and well-balanced — combines romaine, grilled olives, melon, halloumi, and almonds with a light balsamic vinaigrette.
For those seeking a more complex flavor profile, the Szechuan salmon salad pairs oven-baked salmon with kimchi cucumber, pickled cabbage, and roasted sesame dressing for a subtly spicy kick.
The cauli Caesar crunch and winter crops salads are hearty and visually appealing, though some may find the dressings slightly overpowering compared to the fresh greens.
Grain bowls at Jumbled are thoughtfully crafted, with the fiesta chipotle and Tuscan grain bowls standing out for their bold flavors and satisfying textures.
The option to “Jumble It Your Way” is a nice touch, letting diners customize their meals, though busy times can make the ordering process slightly slow.
Healthy drinks and smoothies stand out on their own as a nourishing treat. The beet it drink, made with fresh beets and carrots, has a naturally sweet yet earthy flavor that is refreshing and wholesome, while the spirulina glow — blending apple juice, mango, raspberry, coconut, banana, and blue spirulina — offers a vibrant, nutrient-packed boost.
Smoothies like matcha magic with avocado, oat milk, and matcha, or the berry boost, combining green apple juice, beetroot, pineapple, and blueberries, are creamy, flavorful, and filling, making them ideal for anyone looking for a healthy, energizing boost at any time of day.
Where We Are Going Today: Jamm Restaurant in Jeddah
The wagyu frittata, a rich mix of minced wagyu, feta, spinach, and creamy baked eggs, will appeal to those looking for a hearty morning meal
Updated 29 August 2025
Afshan Aziz
Jamm Restaurant, located at Prince Sultan Road in As Salamah, Jeddah, offers a culinary experience that combines contemporary flair with comforting flavors.
From breakfast to dessert, the menu is eclectic, ambitious, and carefully planned, providing something for every palate.
Breakfast is a standout, with dishes that balance classic and adventurous flavors.
Roasted pepper eggs, with oven-roasted red peppers, onion, garlic, and halloumi cheese, are a simple, yet satisfying, start to the day.
The wagyu frittata, a rich mix of minced wagyu, feta, spinach, and creamy baked eggs, will appeal to those looking for a hearty morning meal.
The smoked salmon pide, with its light, crispy base, herb cream cheese, and capers, is fresh and indulgent, while amba eggplants bring a Middle Eastern twist with amba tahina sauce, pine nuts, and coriander.
Appetizers and salads maintain the same level of creativity. Highlights include Turkish coffee beef hummus, with tender beef cubes enhancing the lime and coriander-infused hummus, and garlic butter shrimp cooked in the pizza oven, which delivers bold flavor.
The bresaola burrata salad and peach gorgonzola salad are beautifully plated, although the gorgonzola’s sharpness might not be to everyone’s taste.
An eggplant arrabiata pasta is satisfying, though possibly slightly spicy for those sensitive to heat.
Service is attentive, but the restaurant can get busy during peak hours, which may affect wait times.
Recipes for Success: Chef Francesco Luigi Carusi offers advice and a savory pan brioche recipe
Updated 29 August 2025
Shyama Krishna Kumar
DUBAI: At The Rustic Bakery in Riyadh, the scent of freshly baked sourdough greets every visitor. But for its executive chef, Francesco Luigi Carusi, it’s another aroma that lingers deepest in his memory.
“The smell of trippa in my grandma’s kitchen. For the non-Italians: trippa is cow’s stomach lining, slow-cooked with tomato sauce, carrots, and celery. Sounds scary, but trust me, it was always a celebration dish in my family,” he tells Arab News. “Every Sunday lunch we had it, all of us around the table. That smell is basically the smell of my childhood.”
That early connection to food was the seed of a journey that would eventually see him work in more than 50 venues worldwide, and earn recognition in the Gambero Rosso Guide and a UNESCO endorsement for sourdough bread.
The Rustic Bakery in Riyadh. (Supplied)
But Carusi reveals his path wasn’t always destined for the kitchen. “It just sort of happened. My original plan was to become a lawyer. But after school, I used to help my father in our family bakery in Tuscany, and slowly, I fell in love with the craft,” he says. “So let’s just say law’s loss was baking’s gain.”
The Rustic Bakery, he says, takes “a slow-food approach, where ingredients are always the star.”
“It’s built on a simple idea: from the people, for the people,” Carusi says. “The purpose is to let the raw material shine. Everything we do is long- and cold-fermented, sourdough-based, and as authentic as possible.”
When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made?
Following recipes instead of creating them. Especially in baking, people tend to just Google recipes, but it rarely works. Flour in Tuscany is not the same as flour in Riyadh, and every ingredient behaves differently. Recipes are guidelines, not the law.
The Rustic Bakery in Riyadh. (Supplied)
What’s your top tip for amateur chefs?
Success isn’t about the recipe, it’s about technique. Learn the moveset. Gentle hands, the right folds, the right touch. YouTube is full of great videos to train your moves. Once you get the feel, you’re unstoppable.
What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?
Sourdough powder. Sprinkle it into anything and it gives flavor, depth, and a natural prebiotic boost. It’s like fairy dust for food.
When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?
I try to be kind. I know what it means to run a business in F&B, and I know the pain of standing behind the counter. Be kind to restaurant people — they’re killing themselves to make you happy.
What’s the most common issue you find in restaurants?
Neglect of carbs. Bread, pizza, focaccia… if you don’t have the expertise, outsource from a good artisan. Don’t just throw bread on the table for decoration, it deserves respect.
What’s your favorite cuisine to eat?
I’m a simple guy. Give me a clean, rare steak or a plate of pasta al pomodoro, and I’m happy. Basically, I like food that’s honest — not drowned in spices, creams, or heavy sauces.
What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home (say, 20 minutes)?
Caesar salad or chicken soup. Told you, I’m a simple guy.
What customer behavior most annoys you?
Honestly, nothing. Everyone’s different, and I try to fulfill every request. But if I had to pick one thing, I’d say when people try to “customize” authentic products. Just trust the bakery, we’ve got your back.
What’s your favorite dish to cook and why?
Tiramisu. It’s simple, quick, and magical when you use high-quality ingredients. It’s the kind of guilty pleasure you can keep forgiving yourself for.
What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right?
With effort and control, nothing’s impossible. But if I had to pick one: panettone. It’s a beast, it reacts to humidity, temperature, even mood swings. But soon, it’ll be on our menu.
What are you like as a leader? Are you a disciplinarian? Or are you more laidback?
I grew up with the Montessori method: no shouting, no punishing. You won’t find me yelling like a madman. Bread rises better in a calm kitchen.
Chef Francesco’s savory pan brioche
Chef Francesco’s savory pan brioche. (Supplied)
Ingredients (Dough)
Wheat flour (13% protein): 1 kg
Fresh whole milk: 0.5 L
Water: 0.3 L
Sourdough starter (100% hydration, active): 160 g
Eggs: 50 g
Butter: 100g
Parmigiano Reggiano (grated): 40g
Extra-Virgin Olive oil: 20g
Sugar: 80g
Salt: 20g
Procedure – Sourdough Version (preferred)
Mixing: In the mixer bowl, add fresh milk and dissolve the sugar. Add flour, grated Parmigiano, and sourdough starter. Mix until a rough dough forms. Gradually incorporate the eggs one by one. Add butter in small pieces, followed by olive oil. Finally, add salt and continue mixing until the dough is smooth, elastic, and extensible. Keep dough temperature under 26–27°C to protect gluten development.
Bulk Fermentation: Cover the dough and leave to ferment for 3–4 hours at 26°C, with one fold halfway through.
Pre-shaping & Proofing: Divide the dough into 125 g pieces, shape into smooth balls, and place 6 balls per mold (22x12x10cm). Proof at 26°C, covered, until the dough reaches about 1 cm below the mold edge. With sourdough, this may take 6–8 hours, depending on starter activity.
Baking: Preheat oven to 180°C with minimal ventilation. Bake 10 minutes at 180°C, then lower to 170°C and continue for 40–45 minutes. Internal temperature should reach 92–94°C.
Alternative with Fresh Yeast
Replace sourdough with 30g fresh yeast or 15gr dry yeast.
Reduce fermentation times: Bulk proof: 45–60 minutes at 26°C. Final proof: 2–3 hours at 26°C, or until 1 cm from mold edge.
Rate of smoking in the Central Asian state of seven million people is already very low at only 4 percent
Supreme leader Berdymukhamedov, a former dentist, has vowed to eradicate the habit altogether
Updated 29 August 2025
AFP
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan: When he was a teenager, Bekmurad Khodjayev used to hide from his parents to smoke. Fifty years later, the Turkmen pensioner is still hiding, but this time from the police.
“I smoke in my apartment. But if I feel like smoking in town, I find a place without surveillance cameras to avoid a fine — an alleyway, a dead end, behind some tall bushes or trees, a deserted spot,” the 64-year-old builder told AFP.
The Central Asian state of seven million people, where the rate of smoking is already very low, has vowed to eradicate the habit altogether by the end of the year.
Khodjayev said he had already been fined for smoking near his home.
“Since then, I try not to get caught anymore,” he said.
The target of going tobacco-free was set in 2022 by the country’s supreme leader, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, a former dentist.
Only four percent of Turkmens smoke, according to the World Health Organization.
There are heavy taxes and restrictions on cigarettes and smoking in almost all public places is now banned.
Khodjayev said he buys cigarettes at private kiosks since state shops run by the ministry of commerce do not have them.
In his kiosk in the capital Ashgabat, seller Meilis said the cigarettes came from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Iran.
“Most of the time, I sell single ones. Not everyone can afford an entire pack, it’s too expensive,” the 21-year-old told AFP.
Turkmen President Serdar Berdymukhamedov. (AFP)
Active fight against tobacco”
According to several smokers in Turkmenistan, a pack can cost between 50 and 170 manats ($14.20 to $48.50), while individual cigarettes cost between two and five manats.
A pack can set you back more than a tenth of the average monthly salary, which was roughly 1,500 manats in 2018, according to the most recent official Turkmen statistics.
Comparisons with other countries are complicated because of the double exchange rate in Turkmenistan — an official one controlled by the state and the real one which operates on the black market.
In a hospital in Ashgabat, Soltan, a doctor, welcomed the government’s “active fight against tobacco.”
“We treat tobacco addiction. The health ministry has created centers where smokers can get free advice on quitting,” she said.
The authorities rely on more coercive methods with a variety of smoking bans, import restrictions and fines that can reach 200 manats.
“After receiving several fines, I decided to stop definitively after the time I got caught smoking in my car in a public car park,” said Ilyas Byashimov, a 24-year-old entrepreneur.
“No compromise”
The Berdymukhamedovs — Gurbanguly and his son Serdar — have ruled the country for almost 20 years with almost absolute power.
After Serdar Berdymukhamedov called in 2023 for a “no compromise” fight against smoking, around 20 people were shown on state television promising not to smoke water pipes or import tobacco illegally.
There are also regular public burnings of contraband cigarettes, accompanied by shows of traditional Turkmen dancing and singing.
With just a few months to go until the end of 2025, the authorities are not claiming victory in rooting out smoking.
Contacted by AFP, the health ministry declined to reply — not surprising in a country where obtaining and verifying any official information is extremely hard.
Smokers seemed doubtful about a total ban.
“Cigarettes will not disappear completely but will become much more expensive and there will be a black market,” said Haidar Shikhiev, 60, a builder.
Seller Galina Soyunova said that cigarettes “will always be available under the counter but even more expensive.”
“Who will buy cigarettes for the price of gold? Nobody. The question of tobacco addiction will resolve itself,” she said.
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Riyadh’s cafe scene is booming, but M DEE has carved out its own niche with a mix of style, flavor, and a clear eye for detail. Known for its minimalist branding and playful dessert creations, the cafe has become a go-to spot for those who want more than just a caffeine fix.
The standout here is the V60 coffee. Brewed with precision, it is the kind of cup that makes you to slow down and appreciate each sip. Smooth, balanced, and deeply aromatic, it carries the kind of clarity you expect from a specialty coffee house. For enthusiasts who appreciate hand-pour brewing, this is a must-try in Riyadh.
When it comes to desserts, M DEE shows both creativity and craftsmanship. The berry cheesecake is the highlight, creamy yet light, with the right level of sweetness that lets the fruit shine. The portion is generous enough to share, but you might not want to. It pairs beautifully with the iced V60, striking that perfect balance between tart and smooth.
The cafe also offers a wide range of trendy sweets, from mini bites to boxed assortments. They photograph as well as they taste, which explains their popularity on Instagram feeds. Yet not every option delivers equally. The tiramisu, for example, feels underwhelming. It leans too heavily on cream, lacks the layered depth that defines a true tiramisu, and the portion is noticeably small compared to expectations.
Service is efficient, and the atmosphere reflects modern Riyadh cafe culture; bright, polished, and designed for both casual meet-ups and solo coffee breaks. It is clear the team has invested in creating a brand identity that matches its culinary ambition.
For the iced V60 and the cheesecake alone, M DEE is worth the stop. While not every dessert hits the mark, the overall experience makes it one of the more exciting cafes to visit in the capital.
