FACT Review: A taste of truffle at Chez Bruno Riyadh

If you don’t like truffles, you’ll be in trouble.

Bujairi Terrace in historical Diriyah has firmly established itself as the place to see (and be seen at) in Riyadh. This upmarket enclave of restaurants overlooking the At-Taif UNESCO World Heritage Site offers a mesmerising place to dine on the outskirts of the Saudi Capital. Bujairi is home to over 20 restaurants that cover international brands such as Hakkasan and Long Chim to local favourites like Maiz and Tatel.

Chez Bruno brings the charms of Southern France to life in remarkable detail, from the images of lavender fields that line the walls to the pressed table clothes, glittering glassware, and instantly recognisable Chez Bruno napkin rings placed daintily on the table tops. We enter through hanging bougainvillaea and into a near-full dining room on the Wednesday evening we dine. 

The original Chez Bruno sits in a Provençal farmhouse in Lorgues, France, serving a truffle-based set menu anchored around seasonal truffles. In Riyadh, the restaurant has been transported into a two-storey space that exudes charm and sophistication. Despite the distinctive Najdi style architecture of Chez Bruno’s façade, the interiors move away from tradition to offer something chic and sophisticated. The restaurant’s ground floor may be dedicated to the dining room, with tables spilling onto the busy promenade. However, the upstairs, with its mocktail bar and terrace views overlooking the illuminated mud and earth buildings, offers the most excitement. 

Serving a truffle-focused menu of French haute cuisine, Chez Bruno has expanded upon the offering available in the South of France. While most dishes have a truffle focus, the pungent edible spores can be excluded at request. As lovers of truffle, we admire the menu of Truffle Toast, Polenta Fries with Truffle, Artichoke Salad with Truffle, and Lamb Chops with Truffle Jus (you get the gist).

We delve into La Langoustine, a beautifully presented plate encasing roasted langoustine within a yellow and green zucchini carpaccio topped with truffle. The delicate construction of the dish is further heightened by the beautifully nuanced flavours, using the robust truffle to complement rather than overpower the shellfish. Similarly, the crisp base of La Pizzette Burrata is offset by a generous coating of creamy burrata cheese and a more than generous shaving of truffle. The two premium ingredients offer the perfect complement with the sweetness of the cheese offset by the earthy truffle shavings. 

If there’s one unmissable dish at Chez Bruno, it’s the La Pomme De Terre. Never has a potato tasted so good, unless it’s confit and served in a rich and decadent truffle cream that will leave you wanting to mop up every last morsel on the plate. 

Chez Bruno’s main courses include creamy risotto with beef cheek, lobster or tuber brumal (winter truffle), Le Filet De Boeuf, Le Tomahawk and Beef Wellington. Looking for something a little lighter, we opt for the Le Filet De Cabillaud, a beautifully prepared cod fillet swimming in a fish soup and a generous adornment of – you guessed it – truffle.

Desserts offer an interesting take on French classics, from the L’ile Flottante’s enticing combination of meringue, crème anglaise and truffle caramel to the Le Coeur A La Pistache, a pistachio mousse on a pistachio cake. However, the Insta-worthy La Truffe Chocolat captured FACT’s attention. The dessert looks like a bulbous truffle dug freshly from the soil but transpired to be a chocolate truffle, harking back to Heston Blumenthal’s popular meat fruit.

Transported to Riyadh from the French Riviera, where it holds one MICHELIN-star, Chez Bruno immerses diners in fantastic gastronomy based on classic French recipes and the luxurious flavours of truffle.

For a little taste of luxury, Chez Bruno delivers in spades. 

GO: Follow @chezbrunoksa on Instagram for more information.