Life Style: Where We Are Going Today: KOA

KOA is a modern take on European and Asian fusion fine dining that aims to offer customers an immersive experience of flavors and aromas from around the world.

The restaurant, started by four siblings from the Bagedo family, is located in the heart of the luxury Atelier La Vie development in Jeddah, a new hotspot in the Red Sea port city. It offers an eclectic menu for lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner, and drinks at its firefly bar.

The bar offers a variety of non-alcoholic mojitos, cocktails, and gins inspired by fireflies including vivid yellow, pure amber, warm orange, and red, along with different bursts of hues and flavors.

The signature cocktail, the blue akarui, consists of kiwi, yuzu, jalapeno, orange blossom, lime, apple juice, melon syrup, basil, and aquafaba producing a light, fruity, coconut flavor.

The restaurant’s spring season a la carte menu includes its popular chicken terrine en croute dish made of confit chicken, fig jam, parmesan sable, and pineapple chutney. Other options are hamachi tiradito, bibim noodles, and grilled scallops.

Main courses offer a selection of proteins, from Dover sole and turbot, to chicken and beef tenderloin. The restaurant also has tempting vegetarian choices such as black truffle risotto. For dessert, three options are available, a chocolate and hazelnut delight, raspberry and pistachio mousse, or tropical mousse.

During the holy month of Ramadan, KOA will be offering an $80 per person six-course set menu.

Top-end prices per person are around $150, reflecting not only the thought, effort, and attention to detail that has gone into the dishes’ presentation and flavors but also KOA’s Michelin-star status.