al yarmouk club aka "the joint"

al yarmouk club aka "the joint"

what was consumed: hummous, garlic sauce (aka tthoum), fattoush, mixed grill, chicken tikka

there's a little shwerma place near the embassy that has some long arabic name that i was never told (and i never took the time to ask or to read. hahaha. so much for the months of arabic language training!). instead, i hear embassy staff (at least the RSO) refer to it as "the joint." j and g couldn't stop raving about the place (and they kept going without the rest of us!). the rest of us finally got our acts together and made a plan for a midday lunch off the embassy compound, a rare treat.

the server (i don't know what else he does at "the joint") is charming and likable. he likes to play the "i got your plate! do you want your plate? here you go ... whoop! i still got your plate!" game. the first time, and for the first person, it's sort of funny. but that's one game that i don't find funny in repetition, especially when we're on a crunch for time and all i want to do is eat.

honestly, i didn't even look at the menu. i'm sure there are lots of other things that are delicious. but with this being the first time, we had j order. and soon enough, plates of food started to appear on our table. overall, the food was fresh, the meats were juicy and well seasoned, and the hummous/tthoum combination! be sure to include that in every little mini sandwich that you make and it'll melt in your mouth. it just makes everything taste better.

and that our entire meal was just a couple of KDs each was total icing on the cake.

all right, guys, when are we going to "the joint" again? sooner than later, please.

al watiya

al watiya
in the bebehani complex, kuwait city

what was consumed: kuwaiti cuisine!

when i ask friends to recommend kuwaiti restaurants, many will respond with, "oh man, my mom makes the BEST kuwaiti food!" ummm, so where's my invite? thanks for nothing, "friend." i'm working on it. but until then, i have al watiya.

al watiya has a large array of traditionally kuwaiti cuisine: maschboos, mourabian, and a whole array of hamour dishes. they also serve stereotypical middle eastern fare, quite deliciously if i might add.

al waitya sits in a traditional space within the bebehani complex in kuwait city. the tables are set within a home built with traditional kuwaiti architecture. as a result, it's great for those who are new to kuwait in that you get the opportunity to see that homes were not always the massive concrete structures (or high-rise apartments) that seem to line the kuwaiti coast today.

al watiya is also next to some of my favorite places - dar al funoon and the amricani center - a total bonus. just a quick note about their service: al watiya is definitely for the days where you are looking for a more leisurely meal. and if you're running short on time, you'll have to do some (polite) prodding. just sayin'.

i've been back to al watiya with friends and with guests. each visit was way fun and totally worth the wait! i'll have to visit al watiya a few more times while i can - nom nom nom ...

ryoog

ryoog

what was consumed: arabic breakfast

down a small street near z's (former) place is the cute little ryoog. it's not near a large strip of restaurants or in a highly populated area. but that doesn't keep patrons from this tiny gem. the tables are covered with gingham cloth (one of my favorites, it turns out), though the coveted seats are the ones that are next to the window. there isn't a great view (it looks out into the street), but there's still the appeal of a window seat.

z and i went to ryoog for a leisurely brunch on one of the days we had off (i'm not sure which one. also odd because i usually try to get out of Q8 on those days. but i digress). still, there was a bit of a wait before we were seated. while waiting, we drooled as we looked at the display case of cakes and pastries available at ryoog.

between the two of us, we opted to share an arabic breakfast (really, this is the way to go). it's quite a hefty portion of hummous, cheese, veggies, foul, etc. served sort of "english tea" style. and since everything is spread on ryoog's bread, one order goes a long way. the ingredients were fresh, the flavors were solid, and the service was nice. we easily sat through multiple cups of coffee as we enjoyed the food and enjoyed each other's company.

i once did see another colleague of mine there. he is a son of a baker (how cool is that!) and so mentioned to me on numerous occasions that he's rather particular about his bread. at ryoog, he was sitting in front of a large basket. i'd say that that's a good sign. lots of points for ryoog!

the early bird

the early bird

location: jabriya
tel: 25343009
hours: 0500-1500 (closed on sundays)

what was consumed: monte cristo, breakfast club sandwich, bottomless drip coffee (!!!), country-style potatoes

brunch has turned into a regular thing. ok, so it was a regular thing back at home, so i'm happy it's one of those things i'm able to continue doing while overseas. kuwait has quite a few options for an "american" brunch. or an american breakfast that comes pretty close anyway. i was never really one for breakfast overall (i was the one who always ordered lunch items during brunch), but it has really grown on me.

so, knowing my predilection for going out to eat and looking for good food, lots of people have asked about my thoughts on the early bird. it's taken me a yer and half, but i finally made it! woohoo!

we got to the early bird at a pretty regular brunch hour (10:30ish) only to find all of the seats occupied (note to future diners: it's a tiny place - 4 top inside, 4 top outside (and when it's 100+ degrees, i will opt for the air conditioned inside)). so, we put our name on the waiting list, and then went to the starbucks around the corner to wait for the call.

when we finally got a table, we took a quick look at the menu and put in our order. the menu is what you'd see at any greasy spoon, denny's, etc. pancakes, waffles, omelets, (beef/turkey) bacon, hashbrowns, etc. but it's a nice respite for those who've spent so many years in the U.S. (aka so many kuwaitis!).

honestly, there's nothing particularly extraordinary or gourmet or fancy pants or blah blah blah about the early bird. BUT, you can get some solid favorites that hit close to home (and are, therefore, so heartwarming) especially when home seems so far away. and THAT is totally worth it.

and, oh! they have drip coffee! and they give complimentary refills! i've missed this american luxury. and so, on principle, we all had seconds.

i can see why people love it at the early bird, for better or for worse. i'll be back. for sure.

p.s. all of this brunch talk reminds me of the bloody mary burger at matchbox back in WDC. i could go for one of those right about now :/

online: www.earlybirdkw.com

souq mubarakiya

souq mubarakiya

@kuwait city

what was consumed: grilled meats, fattoush, hummous, lemonade with mint, lots of iranian bread

open air markets are one of the best things ever. in kuwait (and the rest of the middle east for that matter), we call them "souqs" and the one in kuwait is called "souq mubarakiya." here, you can literally get anything you want and while very little of it is made in kuwait (like much of the rest of world, lots of the stuff is made in china :/ ...), it has the "smell" of kuwait, as my mom would say.

that said, i still love the souq (though not in the summer when it feels like it's a thousand degrees outside) and look for any and all opportunities to go.

one of my all-time favorite places to eat "local" is also at the souq. there is an area that is set up like a more western "food court" and each of the places seem to sell similar fare (minus the one eatery that sells pizza. i know. weird). i tend to frequent the first one, run by folks of eqyptian decent. i've been there enough to have the only english speaking server ask me why i don't come more often. either i'm the only asian person who visits as a patron or he really remembers all the different characters i take to his eatery (i think it's the former).

the first time i went, i was brand new in kuwait, just a few weeks in. friend s and i sat and ordered a bunch of different things, not really knowing what we were ordering. all we know is that the food started coming out real quick. a plate of veggies to put in the endless service of iranian bread (omg, so delicious! the bubbly flat bread that was cooked in the ovens that you can see (and smell!) as you walk by), grilled meats that are lightly seasoned (if at all) but cooked just right so that they're still juicy and tender, all covered in the hummous that you scoop in mass quantities. and fattoush that is lightly seasoned with a tangy dressing topped with crisped bread. and don't forget to take a sip of the delicious lemonade with mint that i can't seem to get enough of (and can't seem to make at home. what is the secret?!).

every time i return, i seem to order the same variation of things. but it's THAT good. also, i don't know what else is on that menu (i.e., the menu lists options, but doesn't have any descriptions. oh well). oops. but that's ok because i can't seem to get enough of what i do order! so grab a seat, order up, and enjoy! i will most definitely be back. see you there!

hello kitty cafe

hello kitty cafe

location: bidaa, near the movenpick hotel

what was consumed: panini, hello kitty mousse (vanilla)

yes, there is a hello kitty cafe (HKC) here in kuwait. it opened sometime last fall/winter (2012), if i'm not mistaken. at first, i was a little shocked that something like that would open its doors here. and then i remembered where i was and was then not surprised. rather, there was a little flame of joy in my heart, even though i'm a my melody fan (as you all SHOULD know), NOT hello kitty. all that said, i could not wait until my chance to visit HKC.

now, here's the thing: i usually see guys occupying most of the tables in front of the HKC which is waaay weird (imo) and has deterred me from venturing inside. but seeing as it was the first day of eid al-fitr and HKC was actually open, L and i couldn't not go in ... !!! it was also the 3rd place we tried to go to - it's the first day we could actually have lunch outside. why weren't more places open?! and if they're not going to be open (which is fine), why did they say that they were going to be open!? but, per usual, i digress.

HKC. right when you walk in, you are overwhelmed by hello kitty cuteness. we couldn't help but to take some photos. luckily, we weren't the only ones, as every other customer did practically the same.

as for the food ... HKC offers quite a variety. including pizzas in the shape of hello kitty's head. of course. but you know all of those candies that you grow up getting your mom to buy for you from the sanrio store? that was sort of the sense that i got when eating my panini. think of that what you will. i did make a comment about the food being expensive (or more expensive than usual for this sort of "thing"), but i know that you're also paying for the experience (totally worth it!). our server at HKC was kind (albeit slower that i'd like, but par for the course here) and dealt with all of the moving we did (downstairs, upstairs, then back downstairs).

if not for the cute overload, go to HKC at least once to enjoy their mousse. yes, it's sort of creepy because it's in the shape of hello kitty's head and you end up eating into it (we may have made some disturbing comments about eating the "eyeballs" first). that said, the mousse was pretty delicious. creamy, but not too sweet, in vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and mango flavors. i'll likely want to come back at least for this.

ubon

ubon

@kuwait city

what was consumed: green papaya salad (extra spicy), healthy fresh rolls, banana leaf chicken, crispy thai fries, pad thai, chicken green curry, cashew nut chicken, chocolate cake (molten!), sticky rice with mango

as much as i like oriental cuisine (see below), i find myself frequenting ubon when i want to enjoy thai cuisine.

the first time i went to ubon, i didn't know what to think of it. it was in the middle of a pretty banking/ministry heavy area kuwait city (quite a few restaurants have popped up in that block since then), but it was pretty hip with contemporary decor, a catchy playlist, and, of course, delicious food.

now, everyone has that one thing per cuisine that they use to determine whether that restaurant will be up to par. for me and thai restaurants, it's papaya salad. admittedly, i didn't eat a whole lot of papaya salad that one time i was in thailand years ago (honestly, i didn't know about it back then), but i have since come to love it and use it as my gauge as to whether i will enjoy any given thai restaurant. ubon's? delicious. the fish sauce they use as a dressing is present, but not overwhelming. the papaya is pickled, but not too much (so it's still a little crunchy). and you can order it pretty spicy! that's good. imo, i can go for a few more peanuts and green beans, but i'm still ok with it as is.

a friend of mine once said that one should never order a dish that one may easily make at home because that defeats the purpose of eating out. now, while i don't necessarily agree with the entire statement, i agree that i should enjoy foods that i can't/don't make at home. and so, while i've tried quite a few items on the ubon menu, the tried and true menu item that i enjoy the most is the chicken green curry. if you're a fan of coconut based curries, this is the way to go. be sure to order the steamed jasmine rice (they're served/sold separately) ... and enjoy!

i have since returned to ubon on countless occasions and am happy to each and every time! and so, ubon, don't you worry! i'll be back. have your papaya salad, healthy fresh roles, and chicken green curry waiting for me. yum!

online: http://www.ubonkw.com/

solo pizza napulitana

solo pizza napulitana

@sharq

what was consumed: garlic bread, pizza pizza pizza! and nutella dario (nutella in bread)

the ambassador was invited to a pre-ramadan event where the local organization highlighted their summer internship program with kuwaiti-owned businesses. solo pizza napulitana was one of the participants. and so, after the pre-ramadan event, friends and i got together for some dinner at solo pizza to check it out.

now, i love love love pizza. so i may not be the best judge when it comes to how good pizza is (i.e., i will generally enjoy most pizzas. it falls in line with my love of fried potatoes  no surprise). but the vera pizza napulitana association has approved its authenticity and that means a whole lot, don't you think?

solo pizza isn't huge - just a handful of tables calling everyone to squeeze around. but that's ok - i don't think anyone minded. the delicious scent of the pizza overtakes all and any crankiness quickly flies out the window. we sat and ordered some garlic bread (thin slices of garlic baked into pizza crust bread with olive oil) and waited for our pizzas. the garlic bread was delicious. i guess you can't go wrong with slivers of garlic in bread, but the combination at solo pizza was super tasty - garlic-y enough, covered in well kneaded and seasoned bread.

our pizzas were delivered shortly after. the pizza crust was light and baked well (in the wood-fired oven!), toppings were generous (though, sadlly, no pork products. sigh), and deliciously placed on the pizza. as much as we said "oh, i couldn't eat this all," we certainly put a huge dent into our order and took very little home (let's face it - napulitana style pizza doesn't do well the next day. a great reason to enjoy it all right from the oven!).

of course, we couldn't go without nutella. nom nom nom. basically, replace the garlic and olive oil with nutella in the appetizer and you get dessert. i don't see the problem. delicious bread filled with nutella. yum.

something to note: very rarely will you see kuwaitis waiting tables, slugging dishes, taking orders, etc. but you do see this at solo pizza. there's a sense of pride in their service, their quality of food, and the overall experience. i'll say that that was a true bonus, imo, at enjoying solo pizza's fares.

and so, while i miss the likes of red rocks, 2amy's, graffiato, and the like, i will enjoy solo pizza i the meantime. nom nom nom ...

online: http://solopn.com/

mustard

mustard
@52 degrees in shuwaikh

what was consumed: hamburger, fries, rocket salad, crunchy shrimp, orea shake, orange fanta!

the Q8 'burger challenge continues!

in the hip "52 degrees," degrees space out in shuwaikh (i know, i went all the way out there!), mustard has the hip and cool feel of being a "pop-up" hamburger place without actually being a pop-up, from what i understand. friends and i visited mustard on a hot summer day. i had heard about the '52 degrees' space, but had not yet gone out there, so this was a double whammy of goodness.

for as hip and cool as the space supposedly is, we walked in to a virtually empty space (we met up around 7pm, so maybe business picks up later in the evening, or on the weekends?) so finding seating was pretty easy. we put in our order and waited for our (hopefully) delicious fare. i had heard that the inspiration behind mustard was the east coast chain "five guys," which i frequented while living in wdc (note: while i'm still a die-hard in 'n out fan, i am happy to see five guys have make appearances on the west coast because five guys fries >>> in 'n out fries). mustard is different from five guys - the burgers are different, the options are different, the bread is different, etc. but having five guys as the basis for your burger joint isn't a bad place to begin. and i was happy to try out the local variation.

i started out with a salad that was nicely dressed with just the right amount of dried fruit and nuts. real simple, but a good (and healthy?) start to the meal. the fries also came out at the same time (not fresh cut, but i enjoyed them anyway). i should have explicitly said that i wanted the fries with the burger (i thought that was a given, but my mistake for making that assumption). next came the crunchy shrimp. this was the one thing from our large order that we didn't finish. there was something about the shrimp that made them ... a little off. i couldn't tell what it was, but i kept trying to figure it out. maybe it's the oil the shrimp was cooked in? i dunno. finally, our burgers!

i ordered a pretty simple burger - extra lettuce, extra tomatoes, and cheese. no sauce. of course, it came with mustard (which i didn't want, but didn't mind). the bun was soft, the burger didn't come with extra veggies (sad day for me), and the patty was cooked well done (the only option) but in a pretty good way. it (the patty) could have been seasoned a bit, but it didn't matter as the flavor of mustard pretty much took over everything else. no biggie - the entirety of the burger was pretty delicious - fresh tasting and clean, more like an in 'n out style burger than five guys. i enjoyed mine and gobbled it right up. note: the burgers were accompanied by salt-pickeled cucumbers. e and i were saying that it reminded us of korean style pickles! nom nom nom ... 

the service at mustard, sadly, was below par. i don't know what's better though: the totally unavailable (and uninterested) wait staff at mustard or the overly indulgent tcn staff at other places. why can't there be a happy medium? i tried not to have this affect my thoughts on my burger, but you know how it goes. oh well.

it's also next door to chewy gooey, so be sure to pick up some cookies for me on your way out :D