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
