SURA Korean Fine Dining — Restaurant in Makkah Region

Thursday family lunch

I had heard about SURA before trough word of mouth. I had never tried Korean cuisine before, so I was very excited to learn of SURA.

Service At the door we were greeted warmly and guided to a table. There are 2 options: Traditional Korean seating Regular western table

We chose the table due to health reasons, although I would've loved the traditional option.

I must mention, I didn't catch the name of the person who welcomed us in, but they were very friendly and seemed happy with having us as guests. Perhaps next time, I could learn it.

Our main hostess was Miss Hanariza, she's very friendly, polite and very knowledgeable with the menu. Adding her patience with us, especially when it is our first experience with SURA and Korean food.

She helped guide us towards options without actively pushing for specific dishes. We felt comfortable despite our indecisiveness.

We were tended by 2 others during our stay, and we didn't get familiar with either, unfortunately. But they were very efficient and displayed friendly body language.

Food The food was marvelous. Everything was freshly made. The flavors were apparent but not overbearing. All seasonings were balanced. We didn't have any spicy (chili) options, so I can't speak on it. The food didn't take long to prepare so that's very important.

Orders: Seafood Soup It had a clear orange broth (color), soft vegetables, and a variety of seafood. Seafood wasn't chewey or overcooked, just perfect. The soup had a homelike flavor to it, very warm and comforting.

Chili Saeu Don't let the name discourage you. It's not spicy. It's simply the best fried shrimp I've ever had in my life. So light and sweet and fluffy without being overcooked. It's simply amazing and a must try!

Gunmandu Fried dumplings, it was very flavorful and juicy. Very different than other dumplings in Asian quasine, which tend to be on the drier side when fried.

Galbi-Gui Best Asian beef dish I've tasted in my life. Sweet and tender ribs cut thinly cooked with soy glaze and rained on with sesame seeds. It would serve as a foundation of our orders.

Modeum Kimbap Verity of pleasantly mild flavors wrapped in a familiar packaging of sushi rolls, except they are not. It's Korean Kimbap and don't you forget it. Super fresh and vibrant, a good palate rest.

Fried Chicken Tenders The sleeper dish. Ask yourself, how can someone reinvent Chicken Tenders, well tray them for yourself. They are crispy and not so tender. They pack a mean punch of flavor. The chicken was so juicy yet firm. It didn't fall apart when you bite into it (it's a good thing). And was so crispy on the outside. It's a good paring with Chili Saeu. Also, the diping sauce is well chosen.

Haemul Dolset Bibimbap Seafood and vegetables Korean fried rice? Yes, it's all that and more, served with broth for extra flavor, not that it needs it. The rice is drenched in sesame oil, but it was never heavy. It was so unique yet had a homelike familiar flavor. It's quite filling, so order to taste and take the rest home so you can enjoy the verity of other dishes.

Desert I'm not sure if this was a special treatment or if it's standard. We had complementary vanilla ice cream with grated toasted peanuts and honey. I must say, it was a pleasant surprise. The ice cream is so creative but simple. The ingredients humble as they may be work very well. It was stunning.

I absolutely recommend the place. 5 stars

inshallah, I'll be back...

I had the pleasure of hosting my client at SURA Korean Fine-Dining, seated at the illustrious Table 14. Our waitress, a Saudi lady, greeted us with warmth and an impressive grasp of the menu—well, most of it. She tried to guide us through the culinary labyrinth of Korean cuisine, but unfortunately, my client was as clueless about Korean food as a cat at a dog show.

As a delightful prelude to our meal, we were served a complimentary salad. Picture this: about 15 pieces of ½-inch lettuce that looked like they’d just graduated from the baby greens academy, a single cucumber slice that could double as a garnish for a cocktail, and a hint of red cabbage that barely made it to the party. All of this was drizzled with a sweet red sauce that could only be described as a culinary mystery—tasteless, yet somehow still managed to evoke a profound sense of confusion.

Now, let’s talk about the rice pudding. It was a peculiar experience, but with a generous dash of salt and black pepper, it transformed from a bland dessert into a surprisingly enjoyable dish. Who knew that adding a bit of seasoning could make it edible?

Most of the dishes were shared among the three of us, which is always a fun way to bond—until someone orders something that leaves everyone scratching their heads. I took the plunge with the Galbi - GUI, blissfully unaware of what “GUI” even meant. Apparently, neither did any of the waitstaff, including Gilbert, our charming guide through this culinary adventure. Eventually, I learned that "GUI" translates to grilled, but not before I had a good giggle over the mystery. The galbi ribs were well-cooked and medium, which I appreciated, but let’s just say they came with a side of fat that could rival a butcher’s shop.

The charcoal-grilled bulgogi, which I had high hopes for, turned out to be drier than a desert in July. Given that the meat was sliced so thin, one might assume it would be infused with smoky goodness. Instead, I was left with just a whiff of charcoal—pleasant, but I was hoping for a bit more than a fleeting scent.

As if the meal wasn’t eventful enough, they managed to forget my seafood soup, which made a grand entrance only after I had finished the rest of my meal. Talk about timing!

And then there was the kimchi. Oh, the kimchi! It was a real showstopper—not in a good way. Bland and lacking that signature fermented punch, it felt like it had been made in a rush. I half expected it to start apologizing for its lack of flavor.

Overall, the experience was not bad, but let’s just say there’s plenty of room for improvement. With a few tweaks here and there, SURA could elevate itself from a curious dining experience to a truly memorable one. But hey, at least my client left with a story to tell—one that might just make them rethink their next...

Visited this place yesterday after becoming fed up of the same old duplicate post lockdown menus that have infected many restaurants in Jeddah. Hidden away next to Burt's on rawdah Street... This place was amazing... From the intimate venue and authentic cuisine... To the excellent service. The food was excellent with portions that generally catered for two people which mitigates the prices which are more expensive than your typical casual dining spot. If you like the flavour and textures of Chinese food but with the quality dial turned up to 10 then Sura is definitely the place to be.

UPDATE: 30.12.2022 as a customer of this restaurant for years myself and my friends have spent literally thousands of riyals on food at this establishment and the quality and consistency had been second to none. Unfortunately this seems to now be consigned to the past. I visited today and it seems a change of chef has resulted in food that is a shadow of what it used to be. I ordered the signature bulgogi and was disappointed to find it fatty and mixed with vegetables. I also ordered a chicken dish which felt way below the standard that this restaurant used to uphold. If all of this didn't add up to a bad enough experience, I was about to be shocked by the worst restaurant manager I have ever encountered in this city. On complaining to the manager called 'jung' I found him to be dismissive and obnoxious... Offering no apology and walking off mid conversation after stating that the food we had was more authentically Korean than what they had previously offered.... As if that subjective 'fact' was supposed to make me feel better about the unpleasant food that I had half eaten. Needless to say, sura lost themselves a patron today... As I will not be going back... And I advise readers to avoid this place unless you are intent on witnessing a master class in poor...