Hijazi Corner is a new addition to Edgware Road and boy were we excited about it. For anyone who’s lived in Saudi Arabia for some time will know of the popularity amongst locals of this cuisine: Yemeni/Saudi Arabian*. I’ve realised this food is so hard to find outside of Saudi Arabia, especially in England anyway. So, this restaurant is so nostalgic for anyone who’s missing Saudi Arabia (i.e. those that have lived there)! It really is a if you know you know kinda moment.
Edgware Road is known for its Lebanese restaurants and shisha bars, but if you explore it properly, you’ll find some real gems that goes well beyond this incorrect stereotype. You can sample food from numerous parts of the Arab world from the Gulf to the Levantine region to North Africa. However, one thing that was missing was Yemeni food (I mean one exists, but it isn’t very good in our opinion). So, Hijazi Corner is much needed addition.
Hijaz
Hijazi Corner is a restaurant run by a group of friends who were born and bred in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Hijaz refers to the western region of Saudi Arabia (Jeddah, Makkah etc). They were missing their home food and identified a genuine gap in the market. So, up step Hijazi Corner. Having spoken to one of the owners, Dr. Ayman and some of the other staff members like Adam, I got a very warm, homely and welcoming vibe. Very representative of the Yemeni people and their culture. Always got a smile on their face and they’ll welcome you in like you’re one of their own! That’s exactly the feeling I got here.
The Food
Let’s talk about the food. So, we ordered the three staples, the three quite possible show stoppers of their menu: Masoob (or Ma’soob), Muttabak and Mandi.
Masoob
Now, the most notable, the most distinguishable breakfast dish that you’ll find in Saudi Arabia is the Masoob. What is it? I will dedicate a whole post to this dish later on, but for now it is a wholesome Yemeni breakfast dish (some serve it as a dessert) that is made up of ground chapati, banana, cream, honey and topped with more cream, cheese, nuts and a modern addition is corn flakes. Sounds like a wild concoction, but trust me it is oh so good. The perfect start to the day to be honest! The Hijaz (specifically Makkah and Jeddah) are known to have a special piping hot bubbling version. And that’s the one we tried here. It was lovely and the bubblingness added to the drama of the dish. The taste matched up to the drama and the looks – it was delicious! Quite possibly, the best Ma’soob I’ve had and I’ve had many in Saudi Arabia.
Muttabak
This is basically filled paratha. You can usually choose from a variety of different fillings ranging from vegetarian, chicken, meat, cheese and even sweet! And yes, this is the same dish is what is common in Malaysia and Indonesia- the Murtabak. They’ve got all the varieties here to try.
Mandi
The most popular meat and rice dish in Saudi Arabia is probably Mandi. This dish comes from Yemen and the rice is spiced and cooked in a different way to the other meat and rice dishes to make it distinctive. Our personal favourite is Madhbi, which is chargrilled chicken on the Mandi rice as opposed to the lamb, but they don’t do that here at the moment, but will be bringing it to the menu soon. But when the lamb is done right it is oh so good. Perfect for a special meal. And this was done right right here!
They also have some other classic breakfast dishes like Ful and Liver on their breakfast menu. As well as an authentic lunch/dinner menu too with some really good meat and chicken options. This restaurant is a must visit for anyone looking for an authentic dining experience that is slightly different to the usual Lebanese grub, but no less delicious (I’d argue more!). For me this rekindled some amazingly wonderful memories. Thank you!
Check out some behind the scenes below!
*Yes, you read that right – Yemen and Saudi Arabia. I saw the comments section of TikTok video go viral recently and they were making jokes and a mockery of the concept – making comparisons with Russia and Ukraine. Little do they know, they’re actually just exposing their ignorance. This is because a) this cuisine is a very big deal in Saudi Arabia, like super common and local; b) there is a big Yemeni community in the country including many who were born there and have families there and are living there happily; c) the two nations and communities actually get on and have been getting on for decades if not more and d) for the wannabe politicians – the war in Yemen is not between Saudi Arabia and Yemen – you just have to do a little research and or ask a local Yemeni if you can to find out the truth. This page is dedicated to travel and food, so I won’t go into that. I trust you can do your own research and not rely on Facebook, CNN or BBC.
Getting there
Parking: Norfolk Cresent – park and display and yellow single line lanes are free on Sundays / evenings. You can also drive around to look for other spots; there are some roads that are evenings and Sundays free (a little further out). But most are residents only.
Nearest Mosque: Masjid Alforqan
Nearest station: Edgware Road
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