During my trip to AlUla in December, I had the chance to visit many luxurious hotel restaurants. Tama at Habitas was among the most outstanding.
Tama is located in the heart of AlUla’s enchanting landscapes. I was surrounded with panoramic astonishing views, not to mention the ‘Infinity Pool’ and its crystal-clear, beautiful blue water.
The restaurant’s name is inspired by Aramaic, one of the world’s first-known written languages, and translates as “here and now”. The place brings you positivity to appreciate the present moment and where you are at.
The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor dining. I chose indoors as the weather was a bit cold. Near my table was an artwork of a woman in an indigo blue gown practicing yoga on top of a rock, created for Desert X 2020 by Lita Albuquerque, an American environmental artist.
The artwork features a statue called Najma, which represents a fictional astronaut visiting our planet to spread wisdom and knowledge.
The menu of Tama is infused with global and Middle Eastern cuisine, with some recipes inspired by Saudi Arabia’s unique flavors.
I was starving after a two-hour flight and a 50-minute ride to reach the resort.
For starters, I ordered beet hummus, consisting of pickled beets, za’atar, extra virgin olive oil, and freshly baked homemade naan bread.
A Spanish side dish called ‘Berenjena de Tamarindo’ is aubergine glazed with tamarind sour and sweet sauce, sesame oil and lemongrass, with edible flowers and leaves for presentation.
For my main course, I chose a beautifully slow-cooked lamb shank, which was juicy and tender and served with tepache gravy. Caramelized sweet potato rounded off the plate.
As a sweet tooth, I said ‘Yes’ to dessert. The menu was tempting with so many options, inspired by mostly Arabian sweets such as baklava, kunafa, Umm Ali, and more.
I ended my solo lunch with a warm date cake served in a cup with fresh berries and vanilla ice cream on top.
For more information and to experience Tama visit: experiencealula.com.
