Restaurant Review: Kuuru, Jeddah

When you walk up these steps and enter through the doors, you'll enter a world of fine dining.

Welcome to Kuuru.

Kuuru is a Nikkei concept located in Jeddah's Al Khalidiyyah district. From its menu, to its lush interiors and the high-value ambiance, everything has combined to become a go-to dining destination for city residents and visitors alike.

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Nikkei refers to a dining concept that combines Peruvian and Japanese flavours, and cooking techniques, acknowledging the influence of Japanese culture on Peruvian cuisine.

The experience begins as soon as you walk through the doors.

Softly lit, the restaurant's interiors set the scene: the walls are a symphony of textures and colours, and geometric patterns where Peruvian and Asian inspired interiors fluidly combine. The furnishings, swathes of velvet in hues of blues and yellows, meet the rustic feel of lightly stained wood and industrial copper tones.

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The staff are warm and attentive, a dream team of international talent and home-grown culinary creatives, who have honed their skills through working in top-tier fine dining establishments all over the world, from London to Lima.

Central to Kuuru is the open, live cooking station located right in the middle of the restaurant. Here, guests can watch on as some of the most talented chefs do their thing - and this will certainly set the tone for your evening.

On my most recent visit, I kicked things off with a favourite, the Yuzu Road Trip mocktail: an ice cold blend of citrussy yuzu, tropical coconut, ginger syrup and milky oolong tea. Refreshing and interestingly complex, this will certainly whet the palate.

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Our waiter helpfully suggests some cold appetisers: Nika Panca is a delicious wagyu tataki (meaning thinly sliced and lightly seared) that you won't want to share, arriving alongside this dish is the Otoro Nikkei with orange ponzu, thinly sliced ribbons of top-tier fatty tuna served with a side of refreshing ginger and an orange ponzu sauce.

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We also order some hot appetisers: Kani Kari, a dish consisting of king crab and cream cheese mix wrapped in filo pastry served with a tangy-spicy passionfruit and honey sauce, and Rocoto Scallops, an elegant scallop gratin dish with a dash of red chilli sauce, a grating of Parmesan topped with tobiko (classic, fine orange sushi roe). We also couldn't help but order the classic Kuuru wagyu beef sliders too.

Take it from us, it is most definitely unwise to visit Kuuru without experiencing the tasty nigiri selection.

When it comes to sushi and sashimi, Kuuru offers a wide selection, including Otoro, Chu-Toro, Yellowtail and Octopus. The makimono and hand-roll selection presents an array of hot, fried and crispy options alongside the more traditional options.

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The mains are a culinary masterpieces, such as Peruvian Umi Meshi. A dish of flavourful black cod, a drizzle of citrussy yuzu teriyaki sauce, served alongside aji amarillo rice and crispy quinoa for an added texture.

For foodies looking for something a little bit more, we recommend trying the Wagyu Nikkei: a char-grilled A9 grade Wagyu beef, served with crispy sweet potato, truffle infused Maldon salt flakes and a bqq balsamic glaze.

Vegetarians won't be short of choice, starters include dishes like Corn Kakiage whilst mains include a selection of Japanese robata dedicated to vegetarian options: with dishes like Corn Tomorokoshi and Asparagus Truffle.

Now, let's talk sweets.

The dessert selection at Kuuru will most definitely catch your eye. The Caramel Huaca is an upside-down flaky millefeuille topped with richy, silky caramel and crunchy praline, paired with a creamy, fresh scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Kuuru also offers a quirky take on the classic Italian Tiramisu dessert is the Green Tea-Ramisu. Layers of sweet, rich and creamy vanilla sabayon, home-made mango sorbet, a sprinkle of hazelnut praline, a daub of yuzu gel topped with a dusting of top-grade matcha.

There's no substitute for experiencing Kuuru for yourself: the moment you walk in, you'll understand
what the fuss is about.

@kuuruksa
Al Malik Road, Al Khalidiyyah, Jeddah 23422