Along with the religious activities Ramadan also offers Saudis some of the tastiest food they will eat all year as restaurants seize the chance to introduce creative combinations and flavors.
The process of developing mouth-watering flavors was highlighted by Melted, a Jeddah bakery that is winning a growing army of fans with a single product — brownies.
“We wanted to bring the Ramadan spirit to our famous Oh fudge, so we created the Arabic coffee brownie, which is a delicious combination between the finest chocolate brownie and the famous Arabic coffee,” said Al-Anoud Al-Braikan, a joint owner of the bakery.
Melted’s brownie delivers a kick of cardamom infused with decadent chocolate. “It’s the first of its kind and we are super-proud of it,” she said.
Haya Al-Jamal, the other owner, told Arab News that the brownie started as a “seasonal offering during Ramadan two years ago, but it was so popular that we decided to keep it on the menu.”
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Vines and Leaves has recently gained popularity, with one of the healthiest food in Jeddah.
“We would like to experiment with different flavors in the future, but we promise we will stay true to our roots with what we bring to the table,” she said.
Meanwhile, Jeddah restaurant Vines and Leaves has gained a reputation for selling the healthiest food in the city, serving up fresh sandwiches, salads, snacks and juices.
“Our aim is to encourage healthy eating habits as well as catering to most costumers’ needs from regular to vegan options,” Mohammed bin Laden, the managing partner, told Arab News.
“We combine healthy eating with traditional Ramadan dishes, such as our carb and gluten-free sambosa options made purely from almond flour.”
The restaurant is constantly introducing new items on its menu, “especially during Ramadan when we educate and raise awareness about healthy substitutes and eating habits as opposed to the unhealthy diet patterns a lot of people find themselves in once the holy month starts,” he said.
A food truck named Nine Soft Serve has also played its part, whipping up Ramadan flavors in its ice-cream.
“Our Ramadan flavors are inspired by traditional Arabic sweets such as baklava and atayaf,” Abeer Al-Hashim, the owner, said.
“Ramadan is a competitive month that makes us work harder to turn our most common homemade desserts into professional desserts to catch up with the market and our customers’ desires.”
Ramadan is a challenge for the ice cream truck since people are more inclined toward home gatherings rather than heading out.
“Based on that, we created our Ghabagh menu to let people enjoy Nine Soft Serve at home. It is a box to go. People can pre-order and have their boxes delivered to complement their gatherings.”
