Our first couple months in Saudi, we would constantly get the question, “Have you tried Al Baik yet?”
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Al Baik is a greasy, fried chicken chain with a major cult following. It gets hyped up similar to Chick-fil-A or In-N-Out Burger in the US – but let’s be clear that it’s more of a KFC quality (although they do have KFC here too). Al Baik mainly serves fried chicken, shrimp, and fish, and has a “secret ingredient” 18 herb-and-spice blend. Their garlic dipping sauce is pretty bomb. It’s the kind of food you crave, indulge in, and immediately regret. 😆
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The restaurant began in Jeddah in the 1970s and they claim to have pioneered the concept of “broasted” chicken in Saudi. They remained a western fixture for almost 40 years, only expanding to Mecca and Medina. Saudis from other parts of the country would order a bunch of Al Baik before getting on the plane back to Riyadh or Dammam so they could take it to their families. That had to smell great. 😬 Now those cities each have several Al Baik branches, thank goodness.
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Admittedly, I’ve only tried Al Baik twice since moving here, but now that I’m writing about it…I’m thinking another visit is in order. 🍗
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