It's been a while since I made a blog, and of course, it will be another cafe review here in Najran KSA because I just love eating and trying out different places wherever I may be. Although there are just a few food spots here as of the moment, I am very happy that Najran is one of the fastest-growing cities in the kingdom with a lot of establishments opening every now and then. So if you are here, you might want to read on as I share our gastronomic experience at True Cafe.

Just a month ago, me and my friend decided to try a cafe I've been passing by for a few times but never tried before since it was a bit far from my home. True Cafe is along King Abdullah Road just beside Donut Land. It is very plain outside but once we entered, the cafe had a very beautiful ambiance or maybe because they designed it for their National Day last September. But nevertheless, I loved how it looked inside.

Once you go to the second floor, you will find an alfresco dining area. Actually, I learned about this cafe from a colleague and I wanted to try this place to experience this setup. To be under the night sky, with good music and great food with the company of good friends, just like in the Philippines. 

There are only a few places here in Najran where you can hang out freely like this, because it is still a bit conservative in this part of the Kingdom. Usually, ladies occupy rooms in the family area with closed doors but here in True Cafe, only a small partition is used to separate you from other guests. But take note that only men with family members are allowed to come in this area.

When it comes to food, they serve the usual choices that you can find in any other cafes here in Najran. They have appetizers such as fries, chicken fingers and dynamite shrimps and they also offer salads, sandwiches, pastas, pastries and desserts. For drinks, you can choose from hot and cold coffees, tea, soft drinks, juices and milkshakes. When it comes to pricing, it is on the average side and the servings are quite generous. 

Quesadilla - 22sar

Pasta Alfredo - 25sar

I love pasta so and I always order this in every restaurant I try. Their pasta was very creamy and tasty. Although there was nothing special about it. One serving is good for two people.

True Crepe (Nutella + Kinder) - 26sar

Favorite part of any meal, dessert. Nothing will ever go wrong with a combination of nutella and kinder on my crepe. Love this pair. Serving size: 2 pax. Or if you are a sweet tooth like me, I can finish this all by myself. Haha

Strawberry Milkshake - 16sar

There was a hint of sourness, but all in all I liked my strawberry milkshake. But my problem with drinks here in Najran are always very small and the price, if compared to the Philippines, is already for a big sized drink. 

Spanish Latte with Saffron - 17sar

This is what I usually order, Spanish Latte, my favorite ever since I tried it for the first time last year. But this time, my friend is the one who ordered this drink. I haven't tried Spanish Latte with Saffron before but according to my friend, it was a great coffee, not too sweet and not too bitter. I will definitely try this next time.

In the Philippines, my favorite cuisine other than Filipino is Japanese. I just enjoy eating my sashimi, sushi, ramen, karaage, okonomiyaki, takoyaki and a lot more. But I also tried Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Mexican, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Greek and of course, American. But Japanese food are really something else. 

So when I came here in Saudi Arabia, I was kind of hoping there will be even one Japanese restaurant in the area, but unfortunately there was none. Even Filipino restaurant is not available here in Najran. But there were a lot of Indian restaurants and as I remember correctly, I haven't tried eating at an Indian restaurant back in the Philippines, but yeah, I tried Chicken Curry before and I love it a lot.

After doing researches on which restaurant to try, I stumbled upon this highly suggested indian fine dining called Makan. It is located at Abu Bakr Al Siddiq Street Najran and you will immediately notice it because of its very appealing facade.

The staff handed us a tablet as to where we should place our order. There was a lot of Indian food to choose from, but we noticed that only a few beverage options. It was a bit pricey, but it was fine dining so we were kind of expecting that. While checking the menu, one staff served us a free appetizer which contains crackers which I believe is Bhatura and 3 kinds of sauces. 

At first I found the green sauce weird but after sometime, I got really addicted to it. 

 

Now off to our orders:

Shawarma Biryani - 48sr

This one didn't disappoint. It was the best biryani I've tasted here in Najran. Presentation wise, it was very attractive and the chicken was very tasty. This dish is good for 1-2 persons.

Naan with Nutella with Fries

Nothing special with this dessert. But this is something that the kids will definitely enjoy.

Gulab Jamun - 18sr

This is an authentic Indian dessert which is a milk solid-based sweet made from Khoa and Saffron. It was a bit sweet for my liking but I enjoyed trying this out. Plus points for how it was served in some sort of small goblet. Im not sure if they really served it like this in India, but it was cool.

It was also very nice for the staff to give us free drinks since it was our first time to dine in Makan. They are really approachable and friendly and they served our food fast. Really great service from this restaurant. 

It was a great gastronomical experience that me and my friend had in Makan and we will definitely come back to try the other dishes that they offer. If you want to try it out, you can dine in, order for pick up or deliver at home for a minimum order of 50sr. You can check out this link for their menu. You may also visit their Facebook Page and Instagram Account to be updated on their promos and discounts.

Have you tried Makan before? Comment down below what your favorite dish is and which food should I try next. 

Back in January 2020, 2 weeks upon our arrival in Najran, we went to a park which was a little far from our hostel. I remember it being a wide field with a lot of people doing picnics on huge mats on the grass, just relaxing under the cold sky and enjoying with their families and friends. We just ate with our new found Filipino friends and walked around the park and took photos.

Happy Land is an amusement park for kids and kids at heart with arcades, VR games, indoor park and snack booths. There is no entrance fee although we didn't try to play anything inside so i'm not sure how much are the fees for the games and attractions. You can check out Happy Land's Facebook Page for their packages. I also saw ongoing constructions for a roller coaster and other attractions which are very exciting.

If I remember it correctly, we paid 70sr for 5 laps. You have to wear gloves and supposed to be, we should also wear helmet, but since we just finished hair rebonding, we opted not to wear and brother allowed us.

After Go Kart, we walked around the park to look for the ATV ride. There were also food stalls outside where you can buy sweets, coffee, shakes, etc and you can also rent mats that you can use for picnics as well as small bikes for the kids. We finally found the ATV ride near the water closet (comfort room) between the parking lots about 5-10 minutes walk from Happy Land. (Sorry I can't remember the exact place)

We paid 10sr per head for 1 lap. Although the brother there that time was not too nice when we wanted to have another lap since we took a long time to finish one lap. Then we saw a horse with a cart in the back and we decided to try it out as well. It costs 10sr per person but I don't know for how long, since we decided to stop for a few minutes since baba was only going back and forth in the parking lot. 

Then recently, I saw posts on Snapchat about a festival in Aborshash Park where there were shops, food stalls and rides so of course, I had to check it out again. 😂 I wasn't able to take much photos because there were a lot of people and I don't want them to feel violated or anything and I got really dizzy after trying 2 rides. Signs of aging 😅

Lastly, I bought a souvenir from a shop for only 10sr, and you get to personalize it also for free. By the way, if you will go to this place, make sure to bring money since there are no ATMs near the area.

It was a tiring but fun experience in Aborshash Park and we will definitely come back again to see their new attractions soon.

How about you? Have you been here? Which attractions do you like best?