The Globe review: Refined European menu competes with great views at Riyadh restaurant

The hushed and elegant dining spot at the top of a skyscraper offers panoramic view of the Saudi Arabian capital

The Globe at The Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah offers sweeping views of Riyadh. Photo: Victor Romero

When it comes to a fine-dining experience in Riyadh you need to go straight to the top.

Part of the The Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, The Globe is perched on Al Faisaliah Tower, one of the Riyadh’s first skyscrapers and signature of the city’s skyline.

Serving modern European cuisine amid panoramic views of the pulsating city, the elegant establishment is one the city’s most sought-after dining spots.

Where to sit, what to expect

The rotating spherical restaurant is nearly 270 metres above ground and accessed through a dedicated lift for diners with prior reservations. Arriving for a dinner service, I am struck by how stark it all is.

To say lighting is minimal is an understatement. But it all serves the star of the show, the unparalleled view of downtown Riyadh with a heaving King Fahd Road coursing through the middle.

I see the glimmering Kingdom Tower in the nearby Olaya District, while further west is the shadowy contours of Diriyah, a historical town with its winding alleyways and cafes.

I walk on thick red carpets to my table beside floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. The only time I realise I am in a moving building is when a waiter advises against placing my belongings on the window rail, as it will be on its way to the next table within a few minutes.

The staff, all dressed in vests and bow ties, are attentive and refreshingly restrained. I spot mostly couples having dinner and conversing over a muted jazz soundtrack. The concept and vibes feel all so retro, yet it is a time machine worth travelling on.

The menu

While a la carte service is available, The Globe's signature seven-course tasting menu is an ideal choice to appreciate its approach to modern contemporary European cuisine, albeit with a deft nod to the region.

My opener is a ricotta tahini, presented as a refined hummus bowl with deshelled English garden peas, mint and asparagus. It is mild and creamy while maintaining that nutty and earthiness of the tahini. Well dressed with olive oil, it all makes for a satisfying and crunchy bite when dipped with the selection of in-house bread.

The yellowfin tuna shows great command of produce and ingredients. The moderately firm texture of the slightly sweet fish serves as a base for the aromatic and minty flavour of Shiso herbs and the tartness of finely cut apple slices. The kohlrabi, with a texture that is a cross between cabbage and broccoli stem, adds a crispy and earthy flavour to the mix.

The beef consomme may have been positioned as a palate cleanser, but holds a subtle umami punch with broth paired with foie gras, ravioli and pickled shimeji mushrooms.

A hefty roasted salmon is up next and while perfectly cooked it’s the use of saffron elevating it above standard French bistro fare. In The Globe it is not used for mere colour, but for a relish reminiscent of a less acidic lemon-butter sauce. Amplifying the richness is the ikura, a briny salmon roe, served on top of the fish.

An expertly tender lamb loin is a carb free treat. Unexpectedly served without the mashed potato, it comes with a delicate white onion sauce and slightly charred shallots.

The fact my palette is stimulated while still holding room for dessert is a testament to the balance of the previous five courses.

It allows for dessert to truly feel like a reward, beginning with a refreshing lemon sorbet with lemon honey cake – the latter is garnished on top to resemble sweet croutons.

The chocolate ganache with the candied hazelnuts is suitably decadent, however I wasn't fully sold on the accompanying jasmine ice cream, with floral notes distracting more than complimenting all that cocoa-fuelled bliss.

A chat with the chef

The tasting menu finds Aussie executive chef Matthew Starling putting his stamp on The Globe since arriving in the kingdom last year.

“For me the focus needs to be on the flavour of the food itself and not just covering everything in sauce and spices, which is quite tricky and something we had to educate the guests at times,” he says.

“But the take up of the tasting menu has been great and we do more of that than à la carte so that is gratifying. We stuck to our guns and guests kept coming back for more.”

That said, serving fine dining in a room with a killer view poses its own challenges. Starling admits it can be a task at times to divert diners’ attention to the painstaking prepared dishes on the table.

“The biggest challenge with creating a menu is to make sure that while they are looking out there at the view, the food can also grab their attention when it arrives,” he says. “I want them to take photos of the food as well as the skyline. So we always try to keep the food looking different and rarely the same.”

A former head chef at London's Brown's Hotel, Starling says he came to Saudi Arabia to be part of a burgeoning dining scene. “With all the great names that have come and established here in Riyadh it just feels like someone picked up Mayfair in London and dropped it in Riyadh,” he says.

“But I do feel I came at the right time because the concept of food in the country has already changed and it allows us as chefs to be creative and leave our mark. I think there are more exciting things to come here.”

Price point and contact information

Tasting menu begins at SAR 400 for four courses and SAR 780 for seven. A five-course vegetarian tasting menu is SAR 385. A la carte options are also available. The Globe is open for dinner service from 7pm to 11.30pm Sunday to Thursday and 8pm to 11.30pm on Friday and Saturday.

Reservations can be made by calling [phone] or email [e-mail].

This review was conducted at the invitation of the restaurant