Vicoli Lounge brings a taste of the French Riviera to Saudi Arabia

Walking into the Vicoli Lounge in Alkhobar, it feels like one has been transported to a serene and chic boutique restaurant somewhere along the French Riviera. 
With opulent white interiors dotted with blue accents, wide windows, shimmering chandeliers, and an outdoor seating area to enjoy the pleasant weather, Vicoli Lounge is a perfect sanctuary in the middle of a long week or even as a weekend indulgence! The ambience is nothing short of sophisticated, creating a charming location to enjoy a meal. 
“A year onwards— since its opening in August 2015— the Lounge has established itself as a first-in-choice restaurant for French and Italian luxury dining,” manager Mohammed Eissa says. 
The Vicoli Lounge serves a wide range of breakfast items, entrées, salads and soups, main courses, beverages, and desserts. The menu is primarily French and Italian cuisine, with a few items customized to Saudi preferences. The head chef is from Jordan and the pastry chef hails from Lebanon, lending a cultural influence to the food they create. 
As an entrée, we ordered the risotto balls, a dish that social media users are raving about. It was worth the hype! Crunchy, cheesy risotto balls, served up with a tart sauce that is similar to marinara sauce. Other options on the appetizer menu include dynamite shrimp or chicken, burrata salad, and quinoa salad, with prices ranging from SAR 30 to SAR 50.
The pasta and pizza menu offers fresh and hearty options like the usual Penne all’arabiata, pesto pasta, ravioli, Margherita pizza, chicken pizza, and the four cheese pasta, with prices ranging from SAR 30 to SAR 50.
From the mains menu we ordered steak accompanied with a fragrant rosemary and mushroom sauce and a new item on the menu, the Melanzane, which was a layered dish of eggplant, minced meat, and lots of cheese. Other main course options include the Turkish steak and pesto chicken, with prices ranging from SAR 50 to SAR 120.
Complying with the culture of coffee and dessert, the menu includes several options for hot or cold beverages and sweets. The most popular item on this menu is the much-talked-about ‘Vicoli pops’, mini-donuts dunked in a decadent milk and white chocolate sauce. Other choices include the Lotus cheesecake and chocolate fondue, with prices ranging from SAR 12 to SAR 60.
Their breakfast menu is extremely enticing, so much so that we would definitely go back. Some of the dishes that caught our eye (and appetite!) were the Kinder pancake, avocado banana crepe, salted caramel waffle, potato soufflé and halloumi special platter. The breakfast menu ranges from SAR 30 to SAR 50 and will make for pleasurable coffee morning with friends and family.

Source: Arabnews