The newly opened Catch22 at Nakheel Mall in Riyadh offers a fun and upbeat casual dining experience, with a menu that includes international favorites such as sushi, burgers and quesadillas.
Already a favorite in Dubai, where it has two locations, Catch22’s latest venue is its second in the Saudi capital, after the one at The Zone. It is the perfect setting for a casual meal with friends or family.
One of its attractions is the sheer diversity of the menu; unlike many other restaurants in the area that have a more narrow focus, Catch22 is sure to have something to please everyone, including sushi lovers, Mexican food enthusiasts and fans of classic diner favorites.
The restaurant offers a wide-ranging breakfast menu but during our visit we focused on some of its lunch and dinner favorites.
The starter options include a variety of salads, nachos and calamari dishes. The chopped buffalo chicken salad, tossed with a house-made secret sauce, was perfect for sharing. The C22 shrimp was highly recommended by our waiter but we found it to be a very average dynamite shrimp dish and nothing to write home about.
From the main dishes, we recommend trying the double stack Angus club sandwich or the creamy chicken pasta. These are definitely menu highlights, along with the salmon tartare for fish or sushi lovers.
In terms of burgers, they offer a vegan option but we opted for the grandma burger, which is Catch22’s version of a classic cheeseburger and was definitely one of the top options we ordered.
We also tried the southern-fried chicken burger with honey mustard slaw. The chicken was very crispy but the flavors were decidedly average.
Despite offering such a large menu, our food was served at the perfect temperature with very limited waiting time. The interior of the restaurant provides a bright pop of color and graphics reflecting Saudi culture in a fun and upbeat way. The restaurant even offers a mirror photo booth where diners can take pictures to remind them of their meal — and share on social media. The staff are very friendly and outgoing and helped to create a memorable dining experience.
The restaurant can be found inside the new expansion to Nakheel Mall, tucked away at the edge of the movie theater, so it might be a little difficult for some visitors to locate but is definitely worth seeking out.
Where We Are Going Today: Catch22
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Where We Are Going Today: Catch22
Where We Are Going Today: Yashi
Located in Jeddah’s Mohammadiyyah district, Yashi offers a menu focused on Asian staples, from ramen and noodles to dumplings and curry.
The interior reflects its theme, with decor inspired by Asian motifs and a warm, inviting atmosphere that encourages diners to stay longer.
I started with a few light appetizers, including the surimi salad with sesame sauce and crispy rice with shrimp. Both were executed as described, the textures worked as expected and, most importantly, the flavors stayed on the traditional side. The kimchi wagyu taco is another dish worth trying, offering a subtle layer of heat.
The menu may be simple and limited in offerings, but I chose to try three ramen dishes for the mains. The tom yum ramen featured slow-cooked chicken broth with grilled shrimp, fresh noodles, vegetables, and a soy-marinated egg.
The broth had a clear balance of tang and spice, though the shrimp could have been slightly more prominent in flavor. Secondly, the yuzu ramen, with grilled chicken and enoki mushroom tempura, features a yuzu-infused broth that adds a light citrus note, offering a unique flavor not found elsewhere in the city.
The shoyu ramen, with wagyu beef slices in a 12-hour slow-cooked broth, offered tender meat and a flavorful broth. I also tried the spicy noodles with Chinese chili oil and wagyu beef. The heat was noticeable but manageable, and the bok choy added a fresh element to the dish.
A highlight is that the chili oil used in the noodles is available for purchase at the restaurant, allowing you to take a taste of Yashi home.
Dumplings, including shrimp and beef gyoza, were prepared cleanly, with a solid filling-to-wrapper ratio. For dessert, the mango sticky rice was consistent with expectations, with the mango adding a fresh, fruity note to the dish.
The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday and is worth a visit.
