Nakhat Marga, with locations in Al-Naeem and Al-Waha in Jeddah, is a restaurant that focuses on traditional Saudi meat and broth dishes, making it a fitting choice to celebrate Saudi Founding Day. 

The menu is structured around classic dishes, offering a wide selection of meats, chicken, and accompanying sides that reflect the culinary heritage of the Kingdom.

We began with jareesh, a creamy, savory porridge, and marqa, a slow-cooked stew of tender meat, onions, garlic, and different spices, simmered to create a rich broth. 

For the main course, the menu offers a variety of meat and chicken dishes, but the must-try is madhgout laham, a flavorful one-pot meal of spiced meat slow-cooked with rice and served hot.

If you are looking for other rice options, red meat madhbi is cooked in a traditional style, with muqlaqil and maknoom offering familiar tastes that many in Jeddah would recognize from home-cooked meals. 

Among the chicken dishes, kabli stands out for its balanced flavor, but the must try is the maqluba which is served in a generous portion, layering rice and chicken in the classic inverted style. The taste is so good that you may end up eating more than you expected.

Side dishes such as liver and moussaka were consistent with their descriptions and went well with the mains, not too heavy or filling. I also tried the yogurt cucumber salad, which offered a simple, cooling contrast to the heavier meat dishes.

Desserts such as basbousa are served with a dipping sauce, while marsa, made from semolina, sugar, butter, and flavored with cardamom, is similar in texture to basbousa but may vary slightly in ingredients and taste different.

Aseedah is a must-try when visiting, delivering a comforting taste of Saudi cuisine with its soft, traditional porridge served with butter, honey, or date syrup.

The restaurant’s atmosphere leans more toward functional but traditional dining rather than an elaborate experience, which keeps the focus on the food itself.