Salmontini Le Resto — a taste of an age-old tradition

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Updated 02 October 2013
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Salmontini Le Resto — a taste of an age-old tradition

Salmontini is an international fine dining restaurant that serves different dishes and focuses on high quality Scottish salmon.
After the success of Salmontini Dubai and Beirut, the restaurant opened its first branch in the Kingdom and chose Jeddah as a first flagship restaurant and boutique for it.
Salmontini is located on Mahmoud Farsi Street on Cornieche Al Hamra. The restaurant’s exterior is shaped like a like a loft, with dark wooden and brick walls with large glass displayed windows over viewing the beautiful Jeddah Cornieche.
As soon as you step inside you find a wooden stairs that lead you to the second floor of the restaurant and in front of you is a big fridge that displays different kinds of Scottish smoked salmon and there you will be leaded to your table by one of the hosts dressed in a black suit. Walking in the dinning area you will find a simple and elegant design with hard wood floors wide glass windows over looking the outside area. The white walls are decorated with simple lights and huge canvas paintings of orchid flowers. You can choose between sofas and chairs, they are colored in beautiful warm pastel velvet fabric those seats up to 250 diners at once.
When your seated in your table, the waiter instantly delivers an in house baked breadbasket with a side of butter and grilled salmon puree mixed with cream cheese. The menu is very appetizing and you might get lost from the big variety of dishes, it is great to find the restaurant does not only offer seafood as you might expect from the name, there is also a selection of steaks and chicken.
For warm appetizers try the Calamaro “a la Proveniale” is recommended, it is a traditional recipe from South France made with fried calamari in a tomatoes zesty sauce. As for the signature salmon platters, try The Plate platter which gives you the opportunity to discover different kinds of salmon made in different smoking temperatures from the traditional smoked salmon, marinated salmon to the traditional Norwegian salmon and salmon tartar.
As for the salad, I loved both the Warm Goat Cheese salad made with fresh goat cheese on a bed of herb bread and dry tomatoes with a mix of fresh greens. The other salad is mozzarella tomato perso sauce salad made with a mix of lettuce, tomato and fresh Mozzarella seasoned with homemade pesto.
The restaurant just introduced its diners with an interesting sushi menu that comes in different tastes. I highly recommend the Dragon Roll that comes in a beautiful presentation imitating a green dragon with eight pieces of shrimp tempura rolled in sticky rice and topped with fresh avocado and drizzled with spicy mayo sauce. It even sounds appetizing doesn’t it?
If you are a salmon lover like me you will be very happy with the main course selection, I tried the salmon wild rice made with grilled salmon pave served with wild rice and herb sauce. The Salmon Couscous is a very interesting choice for those who are looking for an oriental taste; it is made with Salmon Pave with couscous, vegetables and garnish with harissa spicy sauce. I also recommend the Salmon Unilatera dish made with lightly grilled skin side salmon pave with creamy wasabi sauce.
For those looking for other choices the beef tenderloin comes highly recommended by many, it is made with grilled Black Angus Beef Pave, garnished with potato and broccoli and served with a choice of mustard, pepper or the chef’s secret sauce.
As for drinks, I would recommend you ask your waiter to match your dish for this restaurant has a unique concept that gives you the opportunity to match your drink with food to enable you to experience different tastes in each bite. I fell in love with two drinks; the Raspberry Bellini made with soda and raspberry juice and comes with a stick of fresh raspberries. The other one is Apple Cinnamon made with apple soda and cinnamon and served with fresh green apple, it tastes fresh and summery.
The best part of the meal comes at the end, the desert. I recommend the crème brulee come in three small plates with different flavors French vanilla, pistachio and salted caramel. I would also recommend the raspberry macaron that comes with a side of ice cream.
Opening hours: from 12:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Expect to pay: SR 210 per person.

Email: [email protected]


Chef serves up a taste of Spain at Ithra Cultural Days in Saudi Arabia 

Updated 20 January 2026
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Chef serves up a taste of Spain at Ithra Cultural Days in Saudi Arabia 

DHAHRAN: Among the attractions of the Ithra Cultural Days: Spain at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), visitors can try a tantalizing selection of Spanish foods — none more renowned than its famous paella. 

Arab News spoke with chef Jose Zafra at the event, which runs until Jan. 31, who flew in from Spain to offer a taste of his homeland to the people of Saudi Arabia. 

A “master rice cook, paella researcher and promoter,” according to his business card, his logo is even designed around the recognizable cooking pan and the phrase “Pasion por la paella,” or “Passion for paella.”

“That's why the pan is round because people get around and eat all together — to share culture and passion and life,” Zafra told Arab News as foodies lined up behind him, eager to try a plateful.

Arab News spoke with chef Jose Zafra at the event, which runs until Jan. 31. (Supplied)

“It’s not just a food. It’s a link, a connection. Paella is the symbol of unity and sharing. And people now are going to try it — authentic Spanish paella in Saudi Arabia.”

The word “paella” comes from the Latin “patella,” meaning pan.

In Spanish, it refers both to the rice dish itself and the pan in which it is cooked.

Paella was introduced to Spain during Moorish rule. It originated in Valencia, on the country’s eastern coast, as a rural peasant dish that was cooked by farm workers over open fires using local ingredients. Over time, the dish’s popularity spread and other versions evolved, for example featuring seafood and meat.

It is different to Saudi Arabia’s kabsa, a communal dish which similarly uses rice and meat. Kabsa is cooked in a deep pot to ensure the rice stays soft and aromatic from the meaty broth, whereas paella uses a wide, shallow pan to fully absorb flavors evenly, often creating a prized crispy layer at the bottom. 

Visitors to Ithra’s Culture Days can enjoy the flavors of Spain made with a sprinkling of local love — true to the origins of the dish.

Find the scoops of Spanish joy near the food truck area and try chicken paella, seafood paella —or both! You will see the signs offering a plate, at SR35 ($9) for chicken and SR40 for seafood, or let your nose lead you there.

Zafra concluded: “The chicken is from here, the seafood is from here — and the passion, well, that is from Spain.”