Had driven to the Friday market to buy some carpets as gifts for friends back home. Terrifically hungry, not to mention deeply offended :-) cos I figured I had just been royally "had" by the carpet guys the last time I was there, my driver kept hunting for "decent places" to stop and eat!
After a number of misses and no McDonalds or Burger King en route, we finally had to gently break it to him, that we actually would prefer to eat at a local place. God knows, haven't really come across too many or any distinctive "local" restaurants in Dubai. He promptly stops at a place rather optimistically named"Omar Khayyam" - optimistic cos I didn't once see any signs of that favourite drink of the gods! Strictly non-alcoholic.
Three hungry woman - we marched into the restaurant and happily took the first comfortable seats available. There was this lovely platform with traditional arab lattice work which I was very tempted to occupy. However, sinec it was partially occupied with two Arabs enjoying their afternoon sheesha, the waiter violently shook his head.
In fact, he seemed a tad reluctant to let us sit where we finally did, alternately shaking his head, and muttering something which we couldn't understand. After repeated calls, we finally managed to get the attention of a staff, who reluctantly handed us the menu.
As I have learnt in all my travels across the Levant, if you are a vegetarian, your best and only bet are the hot and cold mezze! Anything else, is a bonus, unless you are not fastidious and can make do with the gravy from the chicken / mutton dishes.
The two of us vegetarians oredered some humous, tabouleh and fattoush, which was served with the most delicious, fresh from the oven bread, that I have had in a long time. Reminded of the freshly baked baladi bread that I used to have at the Naquib Mahfouz Cafe in the bustling Khan-el-khalili in Cairo!
Mother-in-law ordered a mutton curry with biryani rice which tasted delicious but was HUGE!
We were tempted to order the "makarony" with cheese :-) but alas that also came with mutton mince!
It was while we were waiting for our food, we realised why the guy had been so reluctant to seat / feed us. We had happily settled down in the male section of the restaurant, the female section being cordoned off at the back. But hey, it was brighter and more cheerful in this section, and they probably put it down to the idosyncracies of expat women!
After a number of misses and no McDonalds or Burger King en route, we finally had to gently break it to him, that we actually would prefer to eat at a local place. God knows, haven't really come across too many or any distinctive "local" restaurants in Dubai. He promptly stops at a place rather optimistically named"Omar Khayyam" - optimistic cos I didn't once see any signs of that favourite drink of the gods! Strictly non-alcoholic.
Three hungry woman - we marched into the restaurant and happily took the first comfortable seats available. There was this lovely platform with traditional arab lattice work which I was very tempted to occupy. However, sinec it was partially occupied with two Arabs enjoying their afternoon sheesha, the waiter violently shook his head.
In fact, he seemed a tad reluctant to let us sit where we finally did, alternately shaking his head, and muttering something which we couldn't understand. After repeated calls, we finally managed to get the attention of a staff, who reluctantly handed us the menu.
As I have learnt in all my travels across the Levant, if you are a vegetarian, your best and only bet are the hot and cold mezze! Anything else, is a bonus, unless you are not fastidious and can make do with the gravy from the chicken / mutton dishes.
The two of us vegetarians oredered some humous, tabouleh and fattoush, which was served with the most delicious, fresh from the oven bread, that I have had in a long time. Reminded of the freshly baked baladi bread that I used to have at the Naquib Mahfouz Cafe in the bustling Khan-el-khalili in Cairo!
Mother-in-law ordered a mutton curry with biryani rice which tasted delicious but was HUGE!
It was while we were waiting for our food, we realised why the guy had been so reluctant to seat / feed us. We had happily settled down in the male section of the restaurant, the female section being cordoned off at the back. But hey, it was brighter and more cheerful in this section, and they probably put it down to the idosyncracies of expat women!
The food was delicious, the ambience very basic and very highway roadside restaurant like, but the food was absolutely delicious. The humous and the bread was one of the best that I have had in a long time or maybe we were just plain hungry. Whatever it maybe, we packed some humous for my 10 year old who loves it, and decided that the next time we decide to go to the Friday market, this is where lunch is going to be!
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