Ramadan saw the opening by Bateel of its most ambitious project to date, a flagship café on Tahlia Street, Riyadh. The landmark store marks Bateelʼs first café project outside Dubai, in its native Saudi Arabia. It is also the largest in its portfolio.

The flagship boutique and café is the latest inspiring experience to be created by Bateel in partnership with Kinnersley Kent Design. It takes the design concept to a new level. For the first time it combines both a gourmet boutique with a café offer. The original Umbrian menu now offer a fine dining experience, in addition to the coffee, pastry and all day dining menus.

The building, a former furniture store, comprises 3 levels and a roof. The ground and first floors now house the date boutique and cafes. The top floor has been turned into Café Bateel’s new headquarters for all of Saudi Arabia and with 2 new large kitchens to the rear of the café spaces, Bateel can now operate and stock a roll-out of future cafes across Saudi Arabia. The roof garden restaurant (opening soon) will offer spectacular views of the city.

The Architecture

The original façade of the building was completely removed and built out in a modern Arabic style as part of this extensive renovation programme. Three large double-height windows are framed by an elegant bronze detail pattern motif. The façade has been carefully proportioned with decorative balustrading to the roof top terrace. The first floor slab was cut back in a semicircle to realise the concept of a voluminous atrium. The 6m high glass windows and entrances now offer dramatic views into the long deep building. The double height space is flooded with natural daylight during the day. At night the building is illuminated like a beacon to the street since most shopping is done in the cool of the night.

The Boutique

The bespoke oval date boutique counter on the ground floor is highly visible through the full height windows and entrance doors. The mouthwatering product display of gourmet dates, chocolates and whole cakes, has a distinct and authentic appeal that pleases the eye and soothes the palate. The oval two-tiered custom designed counter allows the gourmet products to be displayed to its best with the product sweeping elegantly round.

Respectful to Saudi culture, the building has 2 main entrances, one for singles (men only) and one for families. Entrances at both sides of the boutique lead to the first floor via a spectacular marble sweeping staircase, without crossing into the family or single café areas. The marble staircase has an organic curved walnut handrail.

The same light Emperador Marble floor tiles are used throughout the cafes and boutique, complimented by a rustic and minimal materials palette of warm off-white painted pitted plaster, American Walnut and bronze detailing.

The boutique is decoratively and subtly screened from the cafes by a 3m high curved Arabic patterned fret cut panel, made of bronze. The panel radiates in circumference from the central atrium column in the middle of the oval counter and the bronze screens are divided by 5m high rich walnut louvres.

The Cafés

The cafés comprise two levels accommodating around 150 covers, an area for singles, families and a subtly screened area offering women-only cookery classes. The café design is contemporary European with an underlining Arabic influence. The café plays on a rich palette of muted shades of green, gold and dark rich timbers with bronze metal work and cream stone.

The walls are adorned with images from Bateelʼs own date farms in Al Ghat. Even the menu is distinct, combining Arabian hospitality with serving natural and healthy ancient Umbrian cuisine. The Tahlia Street menu has been extended to offer a fine dining experience, in addition to the coffee, pastry and all day dining menus, thus catering for short, medium and long stay diners.

A beautifully designed and crafted decorative curved bronze and timber screen wall provides the backdrop to the boutique and screens the singles café from the family area. The singles café has cozy booth seating running around the perimeter and a café counter at the back with a feature backdrop wall in Bateel green and henna pattern glass wall.

The signature café counter with coffee machines and mouth watering patisseries and cakes (made fresh daily by Bateelʼs own chefs), are displayed in a curved refrigerated glass cabinet, set against a back drop of the signature green henna pattern.

In the centre of the ground floor café, a square hanging ceiling feature made of walnut with a decorative fret cut pattern, allows illumination through from the lighting above. The design also incorporates a hidden curtain rail that allows families sitting underneath to be completely screened by luxury double-layered silk curtains that only show a slight silhouette view.

The sweeping curved staircase leads up to the upper family area which is screened behind a bronze glass balustrade to provide privacy. Individual mobile, light-weight walnut and bronze screens provide additional privacy at the familyʼs discretion.

The first floor is cut back to the circumference of the curved circular screen at the rear of the boutique, both formal dining and casual coffee seating radiate around the curve, looking down over the balustrade to the atrium and boutique below. The floor is balanced with perimeter banquette seating as well as mid-floor dining table and chairs.

The cookery teaching area and counter appear from a foldable, hidden wall panel that allow the space to be transformed into a ladies only cookery class. The tall façade windows offer distant views of the street life below.

The Roof Garden

A dedicated customer lift provides access to the secluded roof garden (opening soon). The rooftop café provides a sanctuary in the winter months when the desert temperature is cool enough to enjoy the great outdoors. The café offers a tranquil setting, a fountain water feature and spectacular views of the city and Kingdom Mall on the horizon. The perimeter space of the roof are architecturally set out by 3m high vertical and horizontal walnut trellis beams that are partially screened off by silk curtains. Seating comprises of external dining chairs and tables and large low lounges and coffee tables. Private groups can enjoy dining in the private cabanas surrounding the water feature.

The newly refurbished building is a landmark destination for gourmets and date connoisseurs alike. Although the gourmet date boutiques are revered in Saudi Arabia, the Bateel Café concept is relatively unknown. Our local market research showed that there is either a coffee shop or a restaurant, not somewhere that offers coffee, drinks and light meals, sandwiches and cakes, and fine dining all under one roof, to cater for short to medium and long stay. Not only is this a new dining experience for Bateel, but also for Saudi Arabia.

It was important to achieve that fine balance between being an open and vibrant café that still offers privacy and subtlety to local customers, without imposing on the mood and feel. We feel that we have achieved a flexible two-café space that caters for many demographics including local women who wish to engage in social cooking lessons in a safe environment. We have successfully introduced the café offer to the Saudi market, offering the same quality and standards for which Bateel is recognised for, both domestically and internationally.

Our aim was to create a stunning new gourmet dining experience for a diverse range of clients and to give Bateel a presence in its native Saudi, befitting its world class status. The new flagship provides a solid platform from which to grow the café and boutique offer across the country.

There is a new landmark in Tahlia Street. Kinnersley Kent Design has renovated an old nondescript building into a refined and beautiful piece of external and internal architecture and introduced a new Bateel experience at this flagship store in Saudi Arabia.

Yann Jolivet, Deputy General Manager of Bateel International and Mick Kent, Co-Founder and Partner of Kinnersley Kent Design will be presenting the Bateel case study at the Index Design Talks taking place in Design Talk Room No.1, Dubai World Trade Centre on 22 October at 3pm.

Martin Van Almsick, general manager of Al Nassma, said demand for its camel-milk products is rising

Dubai’s Al Nassma, the world’s first brand of chocolate made with camels’ milk, is set to debut in Switzerland next month as global demand for the product soars, its general manager said. The confectionary is already available in Japan and Europe, in addition to Gulf states Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and the company hopes to begin distribution in Egypt in September.

“[Demand] is very big really. Starting next month we will be available in 60 outlets all over Switzerland, in the motherland of chocolate,” said general manager Martin Van Almsick.

“People love milk chocolate but they long for something new and we provide that. We provide a new story, a new taste and we are from Dubai and that stirs up some images in the minds of the European customers, as it does the Japanese customers.”

At its coffee shop in Mall of the Emirates, Al Nassma already sells camel-themed hot drinks such as Camelattes and Camelcinos and has plans for more spin–off products.

“You will see [camel-milk] ice-cream next month in Mall of Emirates,” said Van Almsick, but added the speed of Al Nassma’s growth was limited to the quality of the camel milk sourced.

“Our growth is limited to the camel milk we have available. There is just one company in the world we can use. It is outstanding. Anything else we cannot use as we cannot use [camel milk] from Oman or Saudi Arabia as it is not processed.”

Though demand for camel-milk products may be strong, UAE dairies suffered a set-back after the European Union said it was unlikely to give permission for the export of fresh camel milk before 2013, citing concerns over disease and import controls.

The trade bloc had sent inspectors to review camel farms in the Gulf state in late January, but declined to allow exports until a list of recommendations were met.

The UAE has two camel farms, Al Ain Dairy and the Emirates Industry for Camel Milk and Products, which produce the Camelait and Camelicious brands respectively. The product was launched on to the UAE market five years ago.

If granted, a green light from the EU could open doors to supplying camel milk to the US and Canadian markets, as well as China and Hong Kong.

An industry source told Arabian Business that UAE authorities were in talks with distributors in countries including Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, South Africa, Jordan and the Maldives.

Van Almsick said the ban on milk exports did not affect chocolate sales in Europe.

“As chocolate manufacturers we are not affected by this,” he said. “This is just concerning milk. You can imagine if you ship milk with a shelf life of four days to Europe I mean what is going to be the market success of this of fresh milk?”

Camel milk contains five times more vitamin C than cow milk, less fat, less lactose and more insulin, making it a good option for diabetics and the lactose intolerant, he said.

DineEquity announced plans for its first expansion of the IHOP restaurant chain outside of North America. Where will the griddle serve up pancakes next? The Middle East.

Look for IHOP (International House of Pancakes) in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain and Egypt in the coming years. DineEquity says it reached a deal with Kuwait-based M.H. Alshaya Co. to launch 40 restaurants in the region over the next five years.

“Consumers in the Middle East consistently tell us that they want the great quality and value that IHOP represents and we are pleased to introduce this leading American dining brand here,” said Mohammed Alshaya, Executive Chairman, Alshaya, in a press release.

Recently launched into beta, Riyadheats.com is a guide to the best restaurant hotspot in Riyadh. Similar to Jeddahfood.com, it strives to offer users the chance to share their best dining experiences online,  with real in depth reviews of restaurants that benefit both the restaurants and diners alike.

Readers can find news on the latest openings in town, along with restaurant reviews by real people to help them make informed decisions. Readers can also contribute and share their own experiences at restaurants, submitting both reviews and photos.

When asked why it’s taken founder Rashid Islam so long to get to Riyadh ..”The honest answer here is we didn’t want to offer a half-baked product and stretch ourselves too thin by trying to cover the whole country overnight.” Rashid is also the founder of www.JeddahFood.com which has already been running as a fully fledged restaurant directory since 2008.

For those food enthusiast you can be apart of riyadheats.com contributing by writing restaurant reviews.  To celebrate the ‘Beta’ launch the website is currently running a Contest where they will be giving away a brand new iPad 2 for the best-written restaurant review we receive before the 30^th of July 2011.

Riyadheats.com will soon  a launch a recipes and promotions section, along with a monthly newsletter to keep our audience updated. For those who prefer Facebook as a way of staying in touch,  they have also just launched a Facebook Page which can be found here

http://www.facebook.com/riyadheats

DALLAS, June 15, 2011 - Mr. John D. Harkey, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Consolidated Restaurant Operations, Inc. (CRO) and Mr. Ali Al Sagri, Chief Operating and Commercial Officer of the Safari Group of Companies jointly announced the grand opening of the first El Chico restaurant in the city of Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The original Tex-Mex restaurant brand established in 1940, El Chico offers Mexican cuisine in a simple, relaxed atmosphere.

Safari Group is a Saudi based group of companies with headquarters in Riyadh. Safari recently formed a new company, Unique Hospitality Company (UHC), a fully owned subsidiary of Safari Group. In order to realize the vision of the group’s founder/Chairman Mr. Saleh Al Sagri, in attaining a leadership position in the restaurant segment of the Kingdom through the creation of a chain of boutique restaurants representing selected and exclusive global brands. This vision has been fueled by the passion of Mr. Ali Al Sagri, group COO. Ali aims to undertake this exciting challenge with the leadership of Mr. Talal Azhari, a veteran with 34 years experience in the operation and development of restaurant brands. Thegroup will develop five El Chicorestaurants across the Kingdom.

The El Chico brand is owned by CRO, a Dallas, Texas based company operating 117 restaurants. The CRO portfolio of brands includes Cantina Laredo, Cool River Cafe, Silver Fox, Good Eats, Lucky’s and III Forks brands.

Mr. Harkey said, “US franchise concepts suchas those under the CRO umbrella have attracted international franchise partners for three main reasons: strong brand identification, sophisticated distribution networks and well-defined, proven operating systems.”

CRO has development agreements in place to build 100 restaurants over the next seven years including restaurants now operating in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Cairo.

Mr. Ali Sagri remarked, “UHC is the latest addition of the Safari group and is a result of the chairman’s strategic decision of diversifying into specialized retail business that will stand out for their quality operation and unique products.”

“We are honored to be selected by CRO group as the exclusive franchisee for the development and operation of El Chico in theKingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said General Manager Talal Azhari. “Our first opening will reflect our commitment to deliver the highest standard of food, quality and service for all our guests.”

Maybe this is why Warren Buffett is a billionaire. Dairy Queen, the Edina company Buffet bought in 1998, has announced it will be opening more than 30 of its soft-serve ice cream franchises in Saudi Arabia, a country where summer temperatures average 108 degrees and can soar to over 120. So what will

Saudi DQs look like? Apparently, a lot like Dairy Queens in Minnesota. The Saudi stores will serve the familiar menu of Blizzards, GrillBurgers, soft-serve cones, and frozen cakes, the company said. The first DQ is scheduled to open in the capital, Riyadh, in 2011, with 32 others to follow over the next few years.

Dairy Queen will be partnering with a Saudi company in the deal, and it already has franchises in several Mideast countries such as Bahrai

n

and Qatar. The Minnesota chain operates more than 5,700 stores, including 680 in 17 countries outside the U.S. and Canada.

b+f Riyadh

The Middle East’s first gourmet burger joint. Specializing in a wide array of classic and gourmet burgers as well as mouth watering sliders and sides! Burger Boutique is an upscale casual restaurant concept focused on serving high-end classic and gourmet burgers, sliders, fries, fresh salads and sides in a trendy and hip setting.

Burger Boutique finally opened it’s doors here in Riyadh. You can check out b+f at Mousa bin Nusair St, cross Olaya behind alnimir Center.

The FreshBerry menu features exclusive frozen yogurts. All natural fresh berry Tart, All Natural Decadent Dark Chocolate, No Sugar Added Vanilla, and Classic Strawberry, just to name a few.

They also offer fresh fruit and yogurt smoothies with an ample choice of fruits including strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, kiwi, pineapple, orange and mango. Additional highlights of the menu include additives and flavor bursts for the Smoothie Bar, and FreshPops frozen yogurt pops made from FreshBerry frozen yogurt.

Owners of Tulsa-based FreshBerry Frozen Yogurt Cafe have signed a deal to put 120 restaurants throughout the Middle East in places such as Dubai and Riyadh. Tulsa-based Beautiful Brands International, which owns restaurant concepts such as Camille’s Sidewalk Cafe and Coney Beach, has an agreement with Saudi Arabia-based United Food Co. for exclusive rights to put the restaurants in eight Middle Eastern nations. “It’s amazing how the world has shrunk,” said David Rutkauskas, founder, president and CEO of Beautiful Brands International.

The new FreshBerry deal will put 120 of the stores over the next 10 years in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. The first locations are expected to open this summer in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh.

The FreshBerry menu features all-natural frozen yogurt with fresh fruit and other toppings. Also available are fruit smoothies with additives and flavor bursts; yogurt by the pint or quart; and FreshPops frozen yogurt pops. Rutkauskas said the Saudi group approached Beautiful Brands in October. United Food Co., based in Riyadh, is one of the world’s largest franchisees with hundreds of Pizza Inn locations throughout the Middle East. “They have the resources to make this happen,” Rutkauskas said. BBI officials see the Middle East deal as a major coup for a concept that is less than 18 months old. FreshBerry opened its first location in Tulsa in January 2008 at 111th Street and Memorial Drive. Since then, another local FreshBerry location has been added in Jenks and othersave opened in Arizona, Texas and South Carolina. So far, five FreshBerrys are open and 35 more are in development, not including the Middle East deal.

Other states where locations are planned include Illinois, California, Florida and New York. FreshBerry’s sister company, Camille’s Sidewalk Cafe, recently opened its first Middle Eastern location in Bahrain and has a deal with the Jawad Business Group, a retail and industrial company. That group plans to open 25 more of the sandwich shops there. Rutkauskas said FreshBerry won’t need to make any changes to the menu, except language, to adapt the frozen yogurt and fruit concept to the Arab world. With Camille’s, Rutkauskas said the company removed pork bacon, which is forbidden by Islamic customs, from menus. Rutkauskas said in many instances they simply substituted turkey bacon for pork. However, there are no rules against frozen yogurt and fresh fruit. Most of all, Rutkauskas said the deal is huge in light of the worldwide recession. “You know how the economy has been for the last six months; it just makes it that much more satisfying,” Rutkauskas said. Rutkauskas has said several times during FreshBerry’s development that he believes the concept eventually will be as big or bigger than Camille’s, BBI’s first restaurant and the one that put the company on the map in the franchise world. There now are more than 100 Camille’s open worldwide and 800 in development. The first location opened in Tulsa in 1996. Other BBI-franchised brands include Coney Beach, Dixie Cream Donuts, Crusty Croissant and Greenz.

- First Fresh Berry now open on Tahlyia St., Granada Mall, Riyadh Gallery Mall Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

What is 6alabat.com.sa? 6alabat.com.sa is a web based delivery service provider that operates in Saudi Arabia with many restaurant chains. Which means you can place an order through our website to your favorite restaurant.

What does 6alabat.com.sa do? We simply take your submitted order and send it to the restaurant, so you don’t have to deal with all the hassles and we make sure that you received you order on time.

How do I place an order on 6alabat.com.sa? Simply follow those instructions You must first be a registered member of 6alabat.com.sa Select the area from where you live and click on Go. Choose your favorite restaurant from the list by clicking on the name or logo. Check the box next to your choice of item and add the number you wish to have next to the box. Scroll all the way to the bottom and click Done. Make sure all the information is correct and hit done to process your order Your order will be routed to the restaurant immediately. Note that if you are using our service for the first time we will call your mobile numbe

r for confirmation purposes.

Where does 6alabat.com.sa deliver? Currently we provide delivery services only in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait but soon we will be covering all of the Gulf Countries.  Do I need a credit card to pay for my order? No, our member restaurants will only accepts COD (cash on delivery) How much will it cost me to use 6alabat.com.sa services? It depends on the restaurant policy, Most of the restaurants will not charge any extra fees however there might be a marginal charge for using our services.

If I made an order, how long does it take to get the food? It depends on the type of restaurant, and it also depends on how far is your home from the restaurant. Normally delivery under normal circumstances takes 45 minutes however it may take up to 1 hour to make the delivery depending on road traffic and congestions. For more information and registration at 6alabat.com.sa Click Here