Archive for the ‘restaurant’ Category

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Dear Waitstaff,

August 2, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

bowl of won ton soup

Dear Waitstaff,

Please never utter the word “momsir.” It is two words, ma’am and sir. Also, please use sparingly, not before and after every sentence.

If a plate is completely emptied of food, you do not need to ask if you can remove it from the table. We don’t want to have to give permission for the removal of each and every dish.

If the customer asks for something special, like real lemon or more syrup, you don’t have to overcompensate by bringing more than they could possibly use.

If there is still liquid in a glass, do not remove it, especially if it is an expensive drink. We’d like to finish it, thank you.

If your customer is paying by card, do not hover while they are signing the transaction slip. It will decrease your tip every time.

Please do not have loud conversations with other staff or customers. Especially if you are discussing your private life not so privately.

And, most importantly, do not sing along with the “mood music.” You are not on [insert country here] Has Talent.

We understand that your job is difficult with long hours and small pay. If our stay in your establishment is pleasant, we will try to return the favor.

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In Search of Good Food

July 29, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

It’s time for an update on our exploration of Fujairah restaurants. Here are the latest fields of inquiry.

Two buildings away, within walking distance, is the Shahrzad Palace Restaurant. Judging from the full parking lot, it appears to be the place to go. Iranian food, beautiful interior and atmosphere, quiet, reasonably priced – great place for special occasion dining. Pictured below is the chicken & corn soup. I also had the cholo kabab barg. The entrée I judge Iranian restaurants by. (My favorite at Special Ostadi. It was as good as Special Ostadi, although twice the price and completely different atmosphere and service.)

bowl of soup

Next, is the Ace’s Bar at the Tennis & Country Club where I had the “All American Burger.”

salad, fries, and a burger

The salad was quite nice and healthy. The fries were crisp (and unhealthy). The burger was passable, but could never hold a candle to the Carolina Alehouse burger.

menu description of the burger as huge patty on giant bun

The bun was giant, but the patty was not huge enough to fill it.

All in all, the food is tasty and reasonably priced. The beers are the lowest price we have found, yet, at 20AED (approx. $5.50)

Last, but not least, is Al Asmak restaurant at the Al Diar Siji Hotel. I was intrigued by the menu description of the Chop Chop Salad, pictured below.

lettuce, cucumber, carrot, mushroom and mango

This did not disappoint. It is lettuce, cucumber, mushrooms, cooked carrot, and mango. The menu mentioned pear also, but there was no pear in my salad. Really yummy. I like the contrast of veggies and fruit.

The restaurant was pleasant. The food and service was good. Fresh juices were twice the price they should be. Watch out for the tax and service charges, though. Also, don’t bother with an after dinner cup of coffee. It was not brewed, just reconstituted instant coffee. Not worth the price.

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Beef Stroganoff

July 18, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

I have now had the beef stroganoff at one of our favorite restaurants three times. Each time it has been different. It is now something that I must order until the recipe repeats.

First of all, the menu lists it as “ground beef stroganoff,” but it has yet to be made of ground beef. It is always beef chunks. The first incarnation was very like beef stroganoff is supposed to be except that it was heavy on the black pepper, so it had a bit of a zing. This is what I expected the second time I ordered it, but that order turned out to be beef stroganoff without the abundance of pepper. The third version is pictured below and was tomato based instead of cream.

plate of white rice and meat in red sauce

Each one has been tasty. I can’t wait to see what number four will be.

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And So It Begins…

July 7, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

plate of fish and chips

We’ve begun to identify and collect favorite restaurants in Fujairah. Freddy’s Restrobar in the new Fortune Royal Hotel offers good food at a reasonable price, free wifi, and they know to turn on Bollywood movies when we arrive.

plate of rice and chicken breast

Today, we tried out the Thai Express on the corniche, next to McDonald’s and Subway Sandwiches. The dining area is too small to accommodate the customers it draws. Very good food and reasonably priced. There were actually three chicken breasts on my plate. No skimping on the portions.

Thai Express would not be able to handle a tweet-up crowd and not everyone is comfortable at a bar, so we will keep looking for appropriate venues.

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Now, This is a Hamburger!

June 11, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

plate of fries and a burger

After the graduation ceremony, we headed to the Carolina Alehouse for the best burgers in the world and to watch the Dallas Mavericks defeat the Miami Heat.

hamburger cut in half

Lettuce, tomato, pickle, fried onions, bacon and cheese on the most savory ground beef. Now that’s a burger!

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Served with a Side of Loud Mouth

June 5, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

restaurant befind a used car lot

Craving an American breakfast, we went to the Waffle House nestled behind a used car lot.

eggs, biscuit, hash browns and two pork chops

Eggs, biscuit, hash browns, and two pork chops. The food was tasty, but the staff were loudly discussing their private lives. Also, they only refilled our coffee cups once, which is a travesty. Coffee should be cheap and bottomless. So, the experience turned out to be as classy as the used car lot setting.

Since sitting there a spell, drinking coffee and reading our books peaceably wasn’t an option, we went in search of a better place to do that. We ended up at Books A Million bookstore which is close to our hotel and has a little coffee shop.

So, this librarian is spending her vacation browsing for books that might be of interest to her future students. No surprise there.

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Food Tsunami Aftermath

April 27, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

Seven attended the Turkish food tweetup at Shikidim Restaurant last night. Both food and hospitality abounded.

table full of plates of food

The challenge was finding room for each plate of food that arrived.

plate of lamb meat, fries and vegetables

Faisal indulged in this lovely serving of lamb.

five servings of different desserts

As if we weren’t completely stuffed having over eaten the delicious salads and main dishes, samples of desserts arrived. Tea flowed freely. Conversation was lively. A good time was had by all.

For excellent food and great service, head on down to Shikidim Restaurant.

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Shikidim Restaurant

April 26, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

During our two week vacation in Istanbul in January, we developed a love of Turkish food. (For me, it is now my number one “comfort food.”) Upon our return to Dubai we began searching for Turkish restaurants, looking for the same great food we found in Istanbul.

We had previously visited Ankara Restaurant on the corniche, but did not know what to order. Now, we are wiser. The waiter seemed delighted that we knew about and wanted ayran, which wasn’t listed on the menu.

Next in our discoveries was Harput Restaurant. It is located close to the Mall of the Emirates, which is anything but close to where we live. However, it is close to our veterinarian’s office, so we combine buying pet supplies with getting a fix of Turkish food.

Newly opened, just down the street from where we live and solving all our problems is Shikidim Restaurant. The food is wonderful. The staff are helpful and friendly. AND we don’t have to drive across town!

If you are reading this (on the date of posting) and are in Dubai presently, join us tonight at Shikidim Restaurant for a tweetup 7:00-10:00 pm. For a map and information Click Here. (Muraqabat Street between Ittihad Road and Abu Baker Al Siddiq Road)

Here’s what you can look forward to:

plate of meat, tomato sauce and yogurt

Iskender is thinly sliced meat and cubes of freshly made flat bread covered in a tomato sauce and served with plain yogurt. It sounds simple, but is so much better than I can describe with words. I love the contrast of textures and temperatures.

brass mug of yogurt drink

And, don’t forget the ayran!

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This is not a food blog

April 16, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

Despite the frequent food related posts, this is not a food blog. We eat frequently and tend to want to share the good meals. I’m going to consolidate several meals in one blog, just to get caught up.

plate of rice and a plate of grilled meat

This is Afghani kababs. Yummy! There are two Afghani restaurants side by side in the Naif neighborhood. Both have good food and fresh bread from a bakery just down the street.

baker with brick oven

This is the baker at Harput, our favorite Turkish restaurant. He’s making fabulous fresh bread.

yogurt, red meat and tomato base sauce

This is iskender kebap, my favorite dish at Harput. I’m sure they have other wonderful things on the menu, but I can never get past the iskender.

brass mug of yogurt drink

Here is the cutest mug of ayran (yogurt drink). It has a tangier taste than laban and not as thick as buttermilk. I prefer ayran over pretty much everything else.

three dishes and flat bread

And, finally, this evening’s meal was at our new neighborhood restaurant, Rara Avis. It is one of the few places where DaddyBird can get spicy food and I can get chili free food. It’s tasty and inexpensive.

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Taken in by the Fez

March 11, 2011

Posted by Kanga.

sign showing a man's head wearing a fez hat

Turkish food is my new “comfort food,” so when I saw this restaurant sign, I was hopeful that it would lead me to good food.

indoor fake waterfall and pond

I suspect that someone in the 70’s or maybe 80’s made a killing installing these kitchy fiberglass waterfalls in restaurants all over the country. It’s actually rather charming.

silverware wrapped in paper napkins

I’ve never had my silverware wrapped quite like this before.

plate of various finger foods

We ordered the vague “platter” off the breakfast menu. All but two of the items on this platter involve white bread – regular ol’ sandwich bread. The dark brown ones on the left were the tastiest, but turned out to be chicken breast meat wrapped in a slice of white bread and then deep fat fried. Just when you thought white bread couldn’t get any more unhealthy.