DUBAI: The son of billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal has announced plans to open a series of vegan restaurants across the Middle East, as he tries to encourage the region’s population to move away from ‘conventional diets’ and live a healthier lifestyle.
Prince Khaled laid out his plans on his Facebook account to open a minimum of 10 vegan restaurants in the Middle East by 2020.
“Our region occupies parts of the top ten most obese counties in the world. This is crazy and frankly a joke we have reached this level,” he explained.
Among the locations favored by the health buff Prince Khaled, who was recently named as president of the Saudi CrossFit Federation, include the UAE, Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
And the Prince said the restaurants were not the answer to region’s health complaints, but just the beginning.
“I’m not saying opening 10 restaurants will solve this issue, but you better believe it’s a step in the right direction,” he said.
Prince Khaled was named among the world’s top influencers toward veganism in 2017 for his investments in Matthew Kenney’s vegan lifestyle company. He took the brand international by opening the first vegan restaurant in the Middle East with Bahrain’s new Plant Cafe.
Commenting on his Facebook page about the current diets of people in the region, Prince Khaled said the side effects “on states and society, economic, social, and health,” were disasters “that must be fought.”
“We have to boycott fast food restaurants and focus on our health and our children’s health before this disaster increases,” he said.
Saudi Arabian prince to open vegan restaurants across the region in healthy lifestyle push
Saudi Arabian prince to open vegan restaurants across the region in healthy lifestyle push
Where We Are Going Today: Thaiya in Riyadh
RIYADH: Located on Riyadh’s Tahlia Street, Thaiya is one of the city’s newer Thai restaurants. With five-star reviews circulating on social media, we stopped by to see whether it lives up to the hype.
The menu is concise, focusing on Thai staples including tom yum soup, curries, pad Thai and mango sticky pudding.
For those starting with soup, the classic seafood tom yum is the better choice over the creamy version, which leaned too heavily on coconut cream and dulled the soup’s signature tang.
Among the starters, the shrimp dumplings stood out. Light, well-seasoned and neatly portioned, they worked well as a shared opening dish before the mains.
The mango avocado salad, however, was less successful. Heavy on raw onions and lacking textural contrast, it proved difficult to recommend.
For mains, the chicken satay was fairly standard and nothing to write home about. The fried rice emerged as a highlight, while the shrimp pad Thai was generously portioned and well-suited for sharing, with a noticeable amount of shrimp.
Presentation was polished and portions moderate. Overall, the food was solid but less flavorful than other established Thai restaurants in the city, particularly when compared to favorites such as Thai Soi and Phet-Phet.
Service was a strong point with staffers knowledgeable and attentive throughout the meal.
The atmosphere was warm and cozy, featuring dim lighting and quiet background music that made for a pleasant dining experience.
In terms of value, the prices are reasonable when compared to other Thai establishments in the area. But when the time comes to settle the tab, hold back on reaching for your wallet.
What truly sets this restaurant apart is a unique game of chance. One person per table can participate, with outcomes ranging from a complementary bill for double sixes to smaller perks such as free dessert or discounts on a future visit.
So, is Thaiya the best Thai restaurant in Riyadh? It shows promise, but greater consistency and bolder flavors would be needed to claim that title.
