Where We Are Going Today: Maritime

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Updated 29 November 2024
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Where We Are Going Today: Maritime

Where We Are Going Today: Maritime

Afshan Aziz

Located in the Jeddah Edition hotel at Kurnaysh road, Maritime delivers an unparalleled dining experience, blending French finesse with Asian culinary traditions.

The restaurant’s design features contemporary sophistication, with stylish tables and seating that enhance the overall aesthetic.

Guests are welcomed into a sleek, inviting space where an open-show kitchen serves as the focal point, allowing diners to witness the artistry behind each dish.

Maritime’s menu is a celebration of culinary creativity, showcasing an inspired fusion of flavors. Chef Cedric Vongerichten, celebrated by Zagat as one of the top 30 chefs under 30, has meticulously crafted the menu, skillfully blending locally sourced ingredients with global influences to create a distinctive selection of dishes that delight the palate.

The lunch menu offers an array of vibrant salads, comforting starters and hearty entrees, tailored for a midday feast. Highlights include the zesty avocado salad with quail eggs and peanut relish, the delicate salmon sashimi with turmeric dressing, and the savory mie goreng, a stir-fried noodle dish enriched with prawns and bean sprouts. For those seeking comforting bites, the corn fritters, paired with sambal oelek and kecap manis, deliver a satisfying mix of sweet and spicy flavors.

Dinner elevates the experience with an expanded and more refined menu, showcasing small plates and entrees. To begin your meal, the monkey bread is served warm and fresh, accompanied by salted butter — a comforting and flavorful start that sets the tone for the dining experience. The shrimp dumplings draped in velvety lemongrass beurre blanc and topped with caviar are a standout, alongside crispy baby squid paired with galangal emulsion.

Main courses offer an exquisite range, from the flavorful garlic crab rice, accented with tapioca crisps and fresh cilantro, to the juicy half chicken Lombok, served with smashed rosemary potatoes for a perfect balance of spice and comfort. The lamb shank, paired with crunchy okra and a deeply spiced gulai sauce, is another favorite that impresses with its tender texture and bold flavors.

Whether it is lunch or dinner, Maritime’s offerings cater to diverse tastes. While the lunch menu features lighter and quicker fare, the dinner menu adds a layer of indulgence, offering an expanded selection of thoughtfully crafted dishes.

Maritime’s desserts are as indulgent as the savory dishes. The pandan custard with passionfruit and the banana sundae featuring ube ice cream offer the perfect sweet conclusion to a meal.

Complementing the menu is a selection of temperance beverages and innovative drinks. Highlights include the vibrant Saffron Spritz, a blend of clementine, honey, ginger, and saffron, and the creamy yet refreshing Avocado Oasis, combining Lyre’s white cane, avocado, cucumber, chilli honey and black lava salt. The tangy Rujak Bounce delights with pineapple, tamarind, lime, gula jawa and tajin, while the elegant Amaretti Sour pairs Lyre’s amaretti with lime juice, cherry, and orange peel. For a classic touch, the Martini features Conviv bianco, Lyre’s dry London, mementi blue and olive brine, offering something for every palate.

For private gatherings, Maritime offers two elegant dining rooms, providing exclusivity and intimacy for special occasions.

Check @maritimejeddah for more information.
 


Where We Are Going Today: Orenda Coffee Hub in Dhahran

Updated 14 January 2026
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Where We Are Going Today: Orenda Coffee Hub in Dhahran

  • The Hasawi cookie was the highlight of my visit, and definitely something I would order again

In search of a hot beverage that you can hold like a hug for your hand as the winter weather cools? Try Orenda in Dhahran.

According to Dictionary.com, Orenda is defined as “an invisible magic power believed by the Iroquois people of North America to pervade all natural objects as a spiritual energy.”

While geographically far away from the land in which the word originated, the cafe has plenty of inspiration from local and global lands.

Their Hasawi cookies—caked with dates and a tiny bit of nuts and cardamom tucked within to give it texture and an elevated taste of neighboring Al-Ahsa—goes for SR 12. This was the highlight of my visit and I would definitely order again.

I tried it with a satisfying SR 16 cappuccino in a ceramic mug. Soft jazz played on the day of our visit. Plenty of natural light bathed the space with the giant windows and many people were typing on their laptops or scrolling on their phones in silence.

 It has a perfectly quiet, perhaps even an orenda atmosphere.

While the weather is still pleasant, you can find many options for outdoor seating. There’s also an upstairs section, up a fun, winding green spiral staircase. Though no elevator was in sight, the bottom floor interior seems wide enough for a wheelchair.

If you do find yourself wandering up the second floor, you’ll find even more seating with an even cozier feel with decor reminiscent of a warm home.

Restrooms are situated on the next and final floor, up even more steps.

A prayer area can be found on the third floor too, along with a massive glass door leading into an outdoor space with tables and chairs aplenty.

Opened eight months ago, it remains the first and only branch in the Kingdom.

Because it seemed very popular, I ordered an iced Orenda matcha for the road, at SR 24. It was decent.

It is open from 6 a.m. until midnight daily, aside from Thursdays and Fridays when it closes at 1 a.m.

Follow them on @orendacoffee.sa.