If you live in this part of the world, then you know exactly what it feels like to wake up on a Friday morning with your friends or your family yearning for a good manoosha and a cup of hot karak tea. Choosing the right place, however, can be quite the task.
With so many manaeesh restaurant options on the market, it gets difficult to differentiate between the good and the bad, the classic traditional and the “modern twist” that is just trying too hard.
Forn Wa Saj, in both Riyadh and Jeddah, is somewhat in between.
They have your classic akkawi, zaater, lahmah bel ajeen and others, but they also include some wildcard house specials such as a pesto halloumi, pepperoni and even a pumpkin spread.
Their lahmah bel ajeen is a great option; it is flavorful and contains just the right amount of tanginess.
For zaatar fans, its flavor is good — perhaps the zaatar labneh would have been a better option.
For the house specials, there were some hits and misses. Esh albulbul (mixed cheese with labneh and honey) is for sure a success. The balance of sweet, creamy and slightly salty is excellent.
Both the musakhan and falafel manaeesh are pretty good but could use some minor adjustments — the musakhan is great quality chicken but you might wish for a bit less tanginess, and the falafel just need more falafel.
Overall, Forn Wa Saj is a good choice for your weekend breakfast. It may not blow you away but will leave you satisfied.
The portion sizes are pretty generous, and although the prices are a bit high, they are average among the more “modern” manaeesh restaurants.
