On May 21, Robata made its official debut in The Canopy shopping center located in Hittin, Riyadh. Arab News Japan visited the restaurant last month, where an elevated Japanese fine dining experience was presented.
The restaurant made headlines when Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo, who had recently signed with the local team Al-Nassr, stopped by for dinner.
It is led by chefs Ian Pengelley and Barry Andrews, the trusted team behind the award-winning World’s 50 Best Restaurants MENA list.
“In the past five years, everything has developed so quickly in Saudi Arabia. Every international brand, from Coya, Beefbar, Billionaire, Signor Sassi, and Giovanni, has come to Riyadh. The restaurant scene has exploded in Saudi Arabia,” Pengelley said.
Andrews said: “At Robata, we are a contemporary traditional restaurant. We take the best ingredients and traditional methods and reinvent them.”
Robata, or robatayaki, is a traditional Japanese cooking technique that originated from the culinary traditions of the Ainu people of Hokkaido. It translates to “fireside cooking.”
Pengelley was inspired by a recent trip to Tokyo, where he experienced the robatayaki concept. Robata utilizes Japanese charcoal, which is renowned as the finest fuel for grilling, and features five open grills inside.
Once guests enter, they are warmly welcomed, and a skilled bartender at the mocktail bar serves drinks. The restaurant’s atmosphere features dim lighting, creating a relaxing ambiance, while the interior showcases a modern Japanese design.
Some of the drinks on the menu include korada, a delightful blend of coconut, toasted hazelnut, and chicha. Another option is raimu, which combines pineapple, blue raspberry, apple, lime, and mint. For a refreshing choice, try agabe, made with watermelon, hipocras, cranberry juice, and agave. Lastly, there is mika, a tantalizing mix of mint, yuzu, mandarin, chili, mango, and vanilla.
Diners are greeted with traditional Japanese hospitality. The restaurant has two storeys, a beautiful bar, and indoor/outdoor terraces with picturesque views of the Riyadh skyline.
Their menu offers gluten-free options and a delightful variety of Japanese dishes and grills. Some highlights include grilled skewers (chicken, lamb tsukune, and lobsters), A5 wagyu gyoza (aged 21 days), popcorn chicken, edamame, maki rolls, sushi, sashimi, mushroom takikomi rice, and more.
For more information, please visit their Instagram page @robatasaudi.
