RIYADH: As winter sets in across Riyadh, residents are looking for new ways to enjoy the city, from trying different restaurants to exploring outdoor activities. For those who want to combine a meal with a fun new experience, Ki in Riyadh offers a way to enjoy a restaurant outing with friends while trying something different. The Japanese dining spot has two locations in Riyadh: one in the northern neighborhood of Al-Narjis and another in Hittin, closer to the city center. The spot offers great food while also introducing the concept of playing card games while putting participants’ phones in a box on the table. The card games are great for couples and groups as they explore deeper questions about the other party. The cards are reminiscent of a popular card game titled We’re Not Really Strangers, which uses conversation and play to help people build stronger connections. Alongside the activity, guests enjoy a selection of Japanese dishes. The menu features familiar favorites, including dynamite shrimp, bao, gyoza and sushi. The restaurant has a softly lit interior and calming decor, with a limited number of tables that create an intimate atmosphere. We decided to order our food before starting the game and placed our phones in the lockbox provided on the table. We chose the rock shrimp, crispy chicken bao and wagyu beef gyoza, priced between SR49 ($13) and SR68, along with sweet potato maki, tuna nigiri and steamed Japanese rice. The dishes offered good value for money, with generous portions that made them well suited to sharing among a group of friends. The game featured a mixture of deep and personal questions, as well as funny hypotheticals, which each person at the table took turns answering. The phone box allowed everyone to decompress from the outside world and really became a part of the zen atmosphere that the Ki aesthetic has created. For dessert, we tried the matcha tiramisu, priced at SR41 and served with berries. It was a welcome choice for a table of matcha lovers. Although the experience was enjoyable, Ki does not offer a reservation option, and one must join the queue on the Requeue app which, for us, took two hours of waiting before securing our turn for a table. However, Ki is worth a stop this winter, especially because it offers a fun and new experience for anyone looking for a delicious and entertaining dinner.