My Cheap Food Journey Starts With Doubts
So I landed in Riyadh thinking cheap eats would be impossible. Everyone talks about fancy hotels and gold plated stuff, right? Total nonsense. I grabbed my notebook and made a mission: eat like a king on peanut money. First thing? Ditching the tourist traps near King Khalid Airport. Hopped in a cheap cab straight to Al Batha Market.
The Game Plan:
- Find crowds: Followed workers in dusty blue uniforms heading lunchtime.
- Trust holes-in-walls: If the plastic chairs look ancient and sticky, bingo.
- Point & Smile: My Arabic? Worse than my dance moves. Pointing is key.
Breakfast: Fueling Up Like a Local
Stumbled upon this tiny bakery pumping out smells like heaven. Seriously. One guy slapping dough, another tending a giant oven. Pointed at some flaky bread things sizzling on griddle. “Fateer?” the guy asked. I just nodded hard. Got two piping hot ones filled with cheese and herbs, wrapped in newspaper. Cost? Less than 5 SAR total. Sat on a curb, tore into it. Flaky, cheesy, messy perfection. Downed it with sugary karak chai from the stall next door – another 2 SAR.
Lunch: The Hunt for the Cheapest Feast
Afternoon sun cooking the pavement. Saw line forming near butcher with whole chickens spinning. Menu just said “Kabsa” in wobbly letters. Stomach rumbled loud. Joined the queue. Watched the guy chop chicken like lightning, pile rice soaked in yellow spices, splatter oily sauce. Got handed a mound of food on thin cardboard tray. Fork? What fork. Dug in like everyone else. Spices punched hard – cinnamon, cardamom, maybe clove? Chicken was falling apart tender. Cleaned the tray. Price? 12 SAR. Couldn’t believe it.
Snack Attack: Fried Surprises
Rounding corner near gold market, hit a wall of frying oil smell. Vat bubbling away. Tiny brown balls? Sambusak? Lady dropped three in paper bag before I finished nodding. Crunchy outside, steaming minced meat and onions inside. Hot as lava but so damn good. Barely cost 3 SAR. Messy fingers, happy face.
Dinner Dive: Al Nadjah Village Grub
Heard whispers about Al Nadjah for real local prices. Place looked chaotic – plastic sheeting for walls! Saw group slurping soup. Pointed at big pot. Guy plopped down massive bowl of stew (Maraq maybe?) with mystery chunks of lamb bone. Added lime squeeze, handfuls of herbs. Broth deep and meaty. Used bread to scoop. Got rice ball thing (Mentah?) alongside, all soaked in broth. Filled me to the eyeballs. Owner argued when I tried paying 15 SAR, wanted only 12. Confusing but sweet. Won the argument, paid 12.
Why This Actually Works
- Local Economy Wins: Workers need fast, filling, cheap food – cater to that.
- Zero Frills = Low Cost: No AC, fancy plates, just good ingredients cooked well.
- Crowds Don’t Lie: If Saudis queue for it, it won’t rip you off.
Ended the week spending less than lazy tourists drop on bottled water. My gut’s happier than a camel in hay season. Point, smile, embrace the chaos. Saudi cheap eats? Absolute goldmine.
