Saudi Gazette After performing a spiritually rejuvenating Umrah or spending a couple of hours worshiping at the Grand Mosque, one usually gets tired and hungry. A comforting and peaceful ambience with fresh and delectable cuisine is something one looks forward too. Although there are many fast food eating joints around the Grand Mosque to cater to ones growling stomachs, burgers and fries with cold drinks do not always look very appetizing. However, worshipers can now dine with peace in a comfortable atmosphere at any restaurant in Makkah Clock Royal Tower Hotel. The restaurants are not restricted to hotel guests, they warmly welcome all guests of Allah. Smoking is not allowed in any of the hotel's restaurants, except for Mazaq Lounge, which offers visitors freshly brewed tea, coffee, beverages, pastries, sandwiches, and other light snacks. For scrumptious Asian food, Aja restaurant is the perfect place to dine. It does not have the breath taking view of the Grand Mosque unlike other restaurants in the hotel, but its gentle and soothing interiors puts you at ease. Beautiful Japanese flowers and fragrant sandalwood adorn the restaurant. “When you say Asian food, it usually means Chinese or Indonesian food in most restaurants in the Kingdom. We wanted to offer something new to our customers. Aja restaurant brings signature dishes from many different parts of Far East Asia for you, right here in the heart of the Arab world; including dishes from China, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia,” said Yusmaini Jasni, Assistant Food and Beverage Manager. For appetizers, we tried their Thai shrimp cake, Japanese sushi, and Chinese shrimp spring rolls. To be a bit more adventurous, I chose an unfamiliar soup, which was a Malaysian prawn soup with vegetables and coconut milk. The soup had a mixture of flavors - spicy,sweet - yet delicious and invigorating. For the main course, the grilled sea food was good but a little too bland for my palate. The Singaporean beef with whole black peppers, black pepper sauce, and broccoli was absolutely delicious. The beef was not hard and chewy, and the sauce was rich and flavorful. The dish that you can indulge in without feeling guilty is Chinese sautéed mixed vegetables with garlic and oyster sauce. I always enjoy rediscovering the taste of rare vegetables like Chinese black mushrooms, bok choy, bean sprouts, green pea pods, Chinese cabbage, and bamboo shoots. Hence, we tried both, the Indonesian and the Thai fried noodles, and I found both of them quite tasty though Indonesian noodles were too spicy. Thai chicken with dark sauce and cashew nuts is also worth trying. As for dessert, I literally had to pry myself away from my dessert plate to avoid packing on too many calories after a filling meal. But, I couldn't keep myself away from this dessert - Indonesian jackfruit topped with tropical passion fruit ice cream, drizzled with caramel sauce, and garnished with thin chocolate shapes. The fleshy and sour fruit which tickles your tongue and the soft and cold ice-cream provides every ounce of heavenly sweetness in your mouth. The waiter told us that the passion fruit ice cream is 100 percent natural and made by the chef himself. Despite being a coffee lover, I declined the offer of coffee or tea so as to save the taste of the passion fruit ice cream in my mouth. I also met Fadjar Zein, the chef at Aja, the mastermind behind those yummy and innovative desserts. “I love to watch people eat. I have a passion for food, serving people, and bringing my customers joy with the food I make. I can tell from my customers' faces if they are happy with the food I made. My line of work has also given me the opportunity to travel around the world, meet all sorts of people, and cook in places like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Riyadh, Dubai, Oman, and now Makkah,” said Zein. Another wonderful and unique restaurant for you and your family to enjoy and experiment with flavors on your next trip to Makkah. __
