By Aabiya Baqai and Sumaiyya Naseem

We know you crave local.

1. Al Seddah: 9.5/10

Location: Tahlia St., next to Al Baik
Price Range: SR 15-20

Definitely the best option in town, Al Seddah serves the freshest of mandis with flavorful, colorful rice and softly well-marinated chicken that adds pizzazz to the rice. The cherry on top has to be the green and red sauce served with the mandi, that takes you on a whirlwind of tasty experiences.

2. Raydan: 7.5/10

Location: Safa District
Price Range: SR 15-20

Providing an authentic majlis-mandi experience, Raydan’s offerings are delicious when topped with extra sauce. Though the flavors are up to the bar, some people might not be comfortable with the floor seating because of the lack of hygiene. We think take-away is a great alternative.

3. Al Majd: 9/10

Location: Saba’een Rd., before Al Tazaj
Price: SR 15-20

The aromatic and flavorful rice was the highlight of the mandi at Al Majd. The chicken complemented the rice very well, but it could have been a little better in terms of that necessary oomph. Overall, it was great.

4. Makaronah Restaurant 6.5/10

Location: Makaronah Street
Price Range: SR 15 – 20

The white rice might be a bit oily, but the chicken is tasty and fresh. The highlight of the mandi experience was the sauce provided.

5. Soroor Restaurant: 8/10

Location: Al Sharafiyah Dist.
Price: SR 50 – 60

Although the restaurant is at a bit of a dodgy place, it is worth the trip because of the super tasty lamb mandi. The softness of the meat combined with the rice equals to a valuable experience.

6. Soroor Makaronah 7/10

Price Range: SR 15 – 20

The highlight here is the fresh chicken. However, the rice doesn’t have enough flavors and needs to be enhanced with extra sauce.

7. Mat’am and Matbakh: 8/10

Location: Intersection of Arba’een and Sab’een
Price Range: SR 15-20

The rice is on the more okay side, but the chicken is well marinated and cooked. The chili sauce definitely added the flavor we were looking for.