Food is my gateway into experiencing cultures that I’m unfamiliar with and every now and then, I get to experience something new and lasting. I haven’t really much of an opportunity to experience ‘North African’ cuisine and thanks to my colleague Wagdi, I experienced the Sudanese version of a Nigerian favourite called ‘Tsire’ also known as ‘Suya’.

Located in the ‘Petromin’ area of Jeddah, it is packed with expatriates from Sudan and other African nations. Parking isn’t too hard to find and ‘Milano Grill’ is located on a side street off the main road. The entrance to the restaurant is where the grill is setup and there was quite a crowd when we got there. This Sudanese restaurant is known to sell one thing only, ‘Tsire’. Local to Nigeria, the Sudanese version doesn’t vary much (Articles found online discuss the differences) from the Nigerian version. 

Marinated in flour, ground peanuts, a hint of ginger and other spices, the thinly sliced beef skewers are grilled till tender and then chopped into tiny bite size pieces. The peanut wasn’t very prominent though but the beef was really quite tender and mouth-watering. You would imagine this tasting a bit like Satay, but the peanut doesn’t really make an appearance.

They also serve a side dish with a spice mix that you can use as a dip and paired with yogurt, this is the perfect complimentary dip to go with the meat. A 1 person portion costs SR. 12 and it is absolute value for money.

There is no seating area for families and cleanliness isn’t their forte, but I would definitely visit again just to try my new favourite dish, ‘Tsire Tsire’.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/HAxpgMxzFpCFMman7