Restaurant Review: Flamingo Room by tashas, Diriyah Gate

For some cynical food enthusiasts, the word 'out' in 'dining out' might as well refer to outer space, particularly as many restaurants nowadays have great food but lack atmosphere.

Flamingo Room by tashas, however, isn’t one of them – this establishment is a legacy in the making.

Created by Natasha Sideris, the founder of Tashas Group, the first Flamingo Room opened its doors in South Africa in 2015, and a few years later, opened its first international location in Dubai. Bujairi Terrace in Saudi’s historic Diriyah boasts the third Flamingo Room, which opened this September.

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The interiors are sleek, in shades of pink and coral, illuminated by a chandelier resembling a baobab tree in bloom. Scattered across the venue were flamingo-legged brass lamps, hand-stitched pillows, and pink zebra-print furniture.

I was ushered to my table by a chorus of welcomes from Fortune, my waiter for the evening. He then introduced me to my first dining experience at Flamingo Room, explaining how “the menu presents French and Italian dishes infused with African flavours.”

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I immediately noticed a dish ordered on almost every table: Calamari Mozambique, served with roasted cherry tomatoes, peri- peri sauce, and crispy shoestring fries. Being the silent rebel type, I went for the crabcake plate instead. The jumbo crab and citrus cream harmonised, giving the plate a clean yet spectacular finish.

I then had a sensational butternut squash carpaccio, garnished with pumpkin seeds, coriander, pomegranate seeds, honey, and citrus vinaigrette. The dish’s highlight, however, was the charred squash itself – the smoky-sweetness of this vegetarian dish could stand its ground at any South African braai.

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Next was my mocktail, one of many expertly-crafted blends at Flamingo Room defined by herbaceous flavour notes, bright citrus, and tropical fruit – serving a nuanced complexity that pairs well with the food, music, and colours of the restaurant.

I strongly recommend you make room for dessert. Of the many must-tries are a slice of Lizel's lemon meringue tart or the Amira, an apricot-flavoured South African Malva pudding with ice cream and cardamom crème anglaise, and the affogato with roasted peanut and Florentine cookies.

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During my visit, I had the honour of speaking to the kitchen’s executive chef and driving force, Jill Lee Okkers. She explained that while all dining establishments aim on procuring top-notch ingredients, Flamingo Room takes pride in training its team. “It’s been a journey,” she said with smile. As someone who is also from the kitchen and the culinary world, I was in awe of the operation’s dedication.

I also had the privilege to meet the founder herself, Natasha, during this casual tour.

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It was clear that within her joyful demeanour was a determined visionary. Being confident and commanding is how places like Flamingo Room come to be. My send-off was as warm as my welcome, and Natasha’s words humbled me. “I love the Kingdom and it's culture,” she said, explaining how her Mediterranean roots share cultural similarities with Saudi.