Tourism & Hospitality | Tuesday 3 January, 2017 1:13 pm |

Assila Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel located on  Prince Mohamed Bin Abdulaziz Street (formerly known as Tahlia Street) brings to Jeddah an exciting new world of culinary delights exquisitely presented and impeccably served in a choice of three restaurants and two cafés.

 

The distinctive restaurant spaces have been created by Director of Design for Rocco Forte Hotels, Olga Polizzi, and prolific designer, Martin Brudnizki. The combination of their characteristic styles mix both contemporary and classical elements, creating the serene surroundings of a Middle Eastern interior with the warmth of European design.

Developed by Lydia Forte, Restaurant and Bar Development Manager of Rocco Forte Hotels and daughter of Sir Rocco Forte, the restaurant concepts give guests a range of choices, whether looking for traditional Arabic mezze, Argentinean grill or a selection of European favourites. Two restaurants are currently open at the new hotel, with a diverse offering for guests and locals to enjoy.

Twenty Four is Assila Hotel’s all-day-dining restaurant. Now open, the restaurant serves the most delicious pizza fresh from the stone bake oven, as well as celebrated cuisine from around the world. Every morning guests can see freshly-baked bread coming out of the oven while sipping the very best coffees served by Assila’s professional baristas. The menu includes traditional Arabic breakfast dishes, healthy yoghurts, dips, fresh juices and granolas, high quality meats and cheeses, pastries and desserts. A la carte egg dishes and a wide range of hot dishes are prepared to order in our kitchen. Lunch and dinner service will include themed evenings such as Lobster Splash Brunch and Choco Night.

 

Il Caffé is something altogether different. A coffee lounge on the first floor of the hotel it is the perfect place to relax, read a newspaper, meet up with friends, and enjoy delicious homemade Italian pastries, ice creams and cakes. The spacious interior is divided into three, cozy sections with numerous colourful cushions on comfortable sofas and lounge seating, bookcases stacked with books and board games, and a counter displaying homemade cakes and pastries. Guests can also enjoy shisha and traditional Arabic mezze served on the terrace overlooking Prince Mohamed bin Abdulaziz Street.

 

Further dining options are scheduled to open throughout the first half of 2017, with Pampas opening in January, Coco’Ba in April and Aubergine in May, during the Holy month of Ramadan.

 

Opening in May 2017, Aubergine will be located on Assila Hotel’s rooftop, with stunning views overlooking the pool deck and the city of Jeddah. Designers Olga Polizzi and Martin Brudnizki have created a romantic and beautiful space with Bedouin style tented canopies in a retractable roof. The interior is simple yet elegant with teak benches adorned by colourful cushions, mosaic table tops and Arabic lanterns, all set amid lush foliage. The menu will include Lebanese, Armenian and Turkish dishes, a wide range of healthy, Mediterranean salads, and traditional Arabic mezze.

 

 

Opening in January 2017, Pampas will be a spacious Argentinean restaurant. In dramatic contrast to the rest of the hotel, the restaurant is designed to reflect the style of the South American country. The interior features an aged oak herringbone floor, oak wall panelling, a hammered brass bar front and embossed leather banquettes. A striking highlight is the beautiful painting of a bull, a work selected from the Assila’s notable art collection. Pampas will specialise in grilled fish and meat with live cooking demonstrations from the open kitchen grill.

 

 

Opening in April is Coco’Ba, a chocolaterie and bakery that is sure to become a popular gathering place to see and be seen, with visitors meeting friends for coffee and cake or buying exquisitely presented gifts.  Coco’Ba will specialize in delicious homemade Vienoisseries and chocolates from the show kitchen. The team has even developed their own exclusive chocolate flavour at OR Noir laboratory in Paris.

 

Assila Hotel’s Executive Chef Maurizio Panicali, a Swiss born masterchef, has held a distinguished international career as head chef at leading hotels in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. At Assila Hotel he supervises a team of 120 chefs and 35 stewards for five restaurants, in addition to In Room Dining, banqueting and Conference catering.

 

“Assila Hotel’s food philosophy is to offer hotel guests and visitors exceptional fine dining experiences from all over the world,” says Executive Chef Maurizio Panicali. “Given the sophisticated tastes of Jeddah’s well-travelled residents, we are confident that Assila Hotel will become the fine dining destination of choice for discerning food lovers who want to experience and enjoy the very best of international cuisine.”