I've written before (maybe in an e-mail--I just know I've written about it) about the lunch room and all we have is rice and chicken or fish and rice--sometimes we have spaghetti (that's a big treat for us!). We expats know that the contractor must be making some good money since he's feeding us cheap--we do pay--it's not free. The expats talk about the days of French fries and hamburgers--those days are long gone.
Well I've been working in the basement a lot lately--researching on the internet for the General. There's a young airman--Khalid--that really likes me and I really like him. Khalid always has a smile and handshake and will help me with anything I ask.
I've been complaining about the lunch room food so Khalid decided he wanted to take "Mr. Tim" out to get me some seafood. I thought that was nice of him--making sure his American is fed good (I'm not losing any weight--there's plenty to eat). So today was the day Khalid took me to lunch.
Before we left I asked him if Sultan could go also--Sultan is kind of the boss for the linguist--I really like all the linguist--plus Sultan knows Rashed. Sultan came with us.
In the car Khalid and Sultan are talking--I hear my name--Khalid is driving around. I ask Khalid what they are talking about.
"Sultan said that we should go to this Jordanian restaurant and have chicken and rice. But I told Sultan that you are tired of chicken and rice."
"Well if Sultan says it's good then we should go."
"Mr. Tim are you sure? You said you were tired of rice."
"Khalid I'm sure. Sultan this is good?"
"Yes very very nice and good--you will like it."
We get there. It's nothing fancy. Only one table is empty. The waiter brings a menu--no pictures and no English. Sultan explains each dish--there are 6 of them. I ask him what he's going to have--the chicken stiffed with rice. So I agree to that too--in fact we all have the same.
Then they bring out soup and salad. The soup--wow--it was the best soup I've had in a long time--really really delish. The salad looked so nice with the green of the lettuce and the deep red tomatoes.--and it had a dash of fresh mint--yum.
We get our chicken and rice. The plate is full of white rice and almonds. The chicken was cooked with cinnamon and I don't know what else--but it was stuffed with the most delish rice. I ate it all. I couldn't stop eating. It really was a great meal. Khalid was very happy that I liked it. I gave it my two thumbs up.
As we got ready to leave I asked Khalid how much I owed.
"No Mr. Tim I paid. In our country when you take a friend out for the first time you pay." I'm really touched by this hospitality. BUT I told him and Sultan that I was paying next time and they said "No problem."
The restaurant--men only--no family section. But they do home delivery--everybody does home delivery. I'm sitting here hours later and I can still smell and taste this chicken and rice--YUM!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Tim, you must be hungry - 6out of your last 10 posts have been about eating:) I love it! I like it when you say "delish", it makes my mouth water for whatever you're describing. I'll talk to you later - I need a snack. Ruth
I can't wait to get there and taste all that "delish" food myself! I love all your descriptive blog entries.
:) Me
Ruth--
I love talking about food and traveling. Laurie swears that I plan vacations and trips around the different restaurants I want to eat at--and she's right (except if we do get to go to Paris in December I don't know any restaurants there!).
The food here really is delish! There are all these smells and tastes--awesome.
Today I went to Danube--it's like a Target--more upscale than Carrefour. You should see the desserts and pastries--puts anything that HEB, Krogeg, Publix, Albertson's--or any other grocery store (including a really fancy one in CA--something Farms) to shame. I'm going to see if they'll let me take a picture next time. The cakes--my mouth waters everytime I'm in the store.
I just love food. And now I need a snack--I know there's some Pralines and Cream Baskin Robins in the freezer--but that means going downstairs--haha.
I'm here, I've read your blog and now I can go on living! Thanks for the invite. Can't wait to come visit y'all someday!
Ann
Tim, Thanks for including us in your travels. Jay and I stayed up well past midnight reading your blog, laughing and discussing it all. Jay is SO SO SO jealous! If we weren't shooting for retirement I think he'd be asking you to hook him up. We love your descriptions and laughed heartily. I am excited to hear your next adventure and how Timmie and Laurie will like it all. Glad to know that you are being well fed and cared for.
Jay's two questions are does AEC offer a weight watchers program? Sounds like a lot of great eating going on. Also that by judging the Saudi Generals he can guess the answer to his question.
Second question...I know this is your blog but he'd be really interested to know how family dynamics work amongst the expats more than the Saudi's...ie. do the wives have to handle all the kids at the restaurant? etc.
Jay also says it's hard to go wrong in Paris. Missy says :P because she hasn''t ever been outside of the US except for a three hour tour of Niagra Falls.
Hey Tim, glad to have the chance to read about your adventures! We had fun swimming with Laurie and Timmie last night. Ryan and Timmie have hit it off again like they'd never been separated. We'll be sad when they leave for Saudi, but glad you'll all be together again.
Post a Comment