It is time to eat out for business or pleasure and no one can agree on where to go. When you have a large group it is hard to satisfy everyone because some people like Lebanese food, some prefer Chinese, others like steakhouse-style restaurants, and there is always one odd person who throttles every suggestion. We found just the place to settle any dispute over where to dine and to impress even the most difficult person in your group: Goodie's. It is one place that serves almost every cuisine and caters to all tastes. Goodie's is designed as a cafeteria-style restaurant and is separated into several sections. You can walk around the varied stalls and look at the different foods to whet your appetite and get a feel of what you are in the mood to eat. A waiter follows you around with a notepad in hand to write down everything you order and answer any questions. Freshly made juices of every color and flavor fill large glass containers for you to choose from. On average, the juices cost SR15 and the pomegranate juice that we sampled was definitely fresh and thirst-quenching. Head over to the next section where you will see around twenty tempting salads and appetizers. They have got Middle Eastern starters like: hummus, baba ghanoush, mutabbal, fried cauliflower, stuffed grape leaves, pastries, fried kibbeh, tabouleh, fattoush, and the more Western Caesar, garden, and potato salads.The appetizers are all around SR15 per order. The main course will be a tough decision because there are way too many dishes to choose from! For seafood lovers there are four types of fish: battered, fried, grilled with buttery lemon sauce and baked with tomato sauce (as well as baked salmon). Salmon is hard to find in the Kingdom since this type of fish thrive in rivers, so you may want to try it at Goodie's. At this restaurant you can enjoy the home cooked meals your mom used to make that you love so much. Our busy lifestyles and never ending demands leave us with less and less time to spend in the kitchen making elaborate dishes like stuffed zucchini and eggplants, wrapped and stuffed grape leaves, stuffed chicken over rice, and kibbeh. When we said Goodie's has it all we meant it! You can find steaks, Chinese sautéed vegetables, several pasta entrées, and Middle Eastern mixed grilled meats. The average price of the main course is around SR60 and if you want rice with your meal you have to pay extra. After you order everything you want, you are directed to the seating area and your meal is brought to you. If you just want a quick sandwich, go to the shawerma stand to order chicken or meat shawerma. They charge SR10 for shawermas if you dine in, and SR7 if it is take away. The steak with mushroom sauce we ordered was absolutely delicious and it came with steamed vegetables. It also came with a very interesting side dish: pasta, topped with broccoli cooked in a creamy garlic sauce, and then covered with melted mozzarella cheese. We tried the Chinese food which was not bad, but not really exceptional either. Remember to pass by the dessert section and admire the gorgeous cakes and the Arabic sweets too. Goodie's has the usual cakes that you can find at almost any bakery: tiramisu, chocolate mousse, chocolate forest, white cakes, and fruit tarts. But what caught my eye and brought back delightful childhood memories was the strawberry shortcake. We used to make this soft, layered sponge cake. Each layer is moistened with sweet fruit syrup and filled with fresh strawberries and cool whipped cream. I give the strawberry shortcake at Goodie's my stamp of approval. If you are more into Arabic sweets you must try this treat that is not very well known, called karabeej. It is a crispy baked kunafah dough, filled with sweetened crushed pistachios, with a fluffy and marshmallow paste lavishly spread on top. The cakes are at SR9 per piece while you pay for the Arabic sweets by weight. The special signature of Goodie's is the towering baskets of fruits and vegetables that almost reach the ceiling. Not only is it intended as a beautiful, natural décor but you can also purchase fresh produce. You can buy gift wrapped Arabic sweets, candies, date cookies, and dried fruits. Jeddah has two branches of Goodie's restaurant, one in Coral Mall near Tahlia Street, and one in Stars Avenue Center on Sari Street. The family seating area at the Goodie's in Coral Mall is not especially attractive. The Goodie's in Stars Avenue Center is far more entertaining because you can sit right in front of the awesome dancing water fountain show on the ground floor. Budget for lunch for two adults with one shared dessert: SR175.
