Iftar Out
1:08 PMHomemade food is always the best no matter how simple it is. Nonetheless, once in a while, it would be nice to just seated while other people served you your food. However, living in Q8 where everything could easily costs you a fortune, eat out once every 2 weeks is like a guilty pleasure.
Well honestly, it's more on guilty than pleasure specially when you see this on your way...
:: Iftar tents near my place for the needy. Normally approaching breakfast time, there'll be long que waiting to get food. However, when I passed this area, it's still early so no Q yet. Insaf ! ::
One afternoon, out of sudden he said he felt like eating Nasi Mandy for Iftar so off we go to one of quite infamous Mandy place in Abu Halifa. I didn't really remembered it's name(my bad), plus it was written in Arabic. If my mind served me correctly, the place name got words Mat'Am( restaurant), Mandy and Rayyan hehe..
:: Dates and potato samosa, on the house. Despite it's un-appealing looks, the samosas was very tasty ::
:: Salads, to be eaten with Mandy rice. This is how Arabs eat their Beriyani and Mandy anyway, with lettuce, slices of onion, and pickles. ::
:: The gravy.. There's no dhal whatsoever. However some restaurant offered but you have to asked for it, and of course it'll be on separate charges as it doesn't include in the set. The red one is finely chopped tomato with chillies. The yellow one is like soup or something with noodles. Some place put macaroni in it. My kids like it very much. ::
:: Main character ! 1/2 Laham and 1/2 Dujjaj Mandy. The portion was big so since I didn't eat lamb, En Muddy asked the waiter to make it half portion each type. This is the only food they served so don't ever expect a menu. All you need to do was tell the waiter whether you want Laham or Dujjaj ::
:: Most eating place like this will have this kind of seating arrangement where you had to bersila. Some place will provide family section, where it'll be separated and closed from public but some place don't. Always show courtesy by asking 1st. Anyway, in Q8, the culture are a bit modernized unlike Saudi and local people here doesn't really mind about having ladies in the same space. In Saudi, if the restaurant doesn't have family section, those with family will not be allowed to eat there at all. I've read somewhere that if the restaurant was nearby a hotel, you have to rent a hotel room, on hourly basis if you want to eat at a place without family section, and the food will be sent to your "temporarily" rented room ::
:: This is before picture... before what you may ask.. You will find the answer in following picture ::
:: After! ... Noticed any additional in both picture?? ::
ANSWER : THE WOODEN BLIND !
This is the norm here. Since En Muddy had experience eating here before, so he knew that the place have no family section, kinda small and there's no partition either. Before me and kids entering the restaurant, he went in 1st and asked whether is it okay for him to bring family inside and the waiter said no problem. However, we chose the most end section of the sitting place so that other male guests will not be uncomfortable with my presence and like wise, so that I will be comfortable to eat considering the fact that I am the only lady in the whole restaurant that particular evening. Being considerate enough, the waiter put up a portable blind few minutes after we seated just like above picture. Anyway blind is compulsory item one restaurant should have here. As we know it, there's a lot of Kuwaiti ladies wore niqab ( face covering ) so by any chance they eat out, the waiter will build a blind around them so they can opened up their niqab and eat at ease.
:: For info, Arabs ( most of them) break their fast with fresh milk and Laban ( Arab's Lassi or errrr should I put yoghurt?) It's in green bottles in above photo. Explained why there's more Laban than P3psi. I think I am the only one drink P3psi for Iftar that day hehe.
After Iftar and performed maghrib prayer, we decided to drop by at M@rina M@ll, just to kill some times and window shops. It's so happened that they're having some exhibition on the connecting bridge.
Another info for those who interested to know.. As I mentioned earlier in few posts away, during Ramadhan, there'll be changes in working/business hours. For instant, government office will be open from 8am till 2 pm only. For shopping malls, mini market and others, they will open in the morning and closed the shops around 3-4 pm, until after break fast. Like totally closed even if their staffs were non-muslim. This is to respect prayer and breakfast time and also allowed their staffs to rest, breakfast and pray comfortably. How thoughtful ...
Back to story, I realized that after berbuka, most shopping mall will organized a lot of activities to entertained their customers since most store opened until 2 am in the morning in this Holy month. It's so happening ! Last week while we're at Al-Bairaq Mall, there's so much activities and things going on specially for kids. There's face painting, clowns, giant snake and ladder games, coloring, clay making, crafts, mini golf and so much more for free. Each game section will be handled by one appointed staff so you don't have to worry as there will be some one assisting your child should they want to participate.
Anyway, this is the exhibition I've been talking about....
:: After! ... Noticed any additional in both picture?? ::
ANSWER : THE WOODEN BLIND !
This is the norm here. Since En Muddy had experience eating here before, so he knew that the place have no family section, kinda small and there's no partition either. Before me and kids entering the restaurant, he went in 1st and asked whether is it okay for him to bring family inside and the waiter said no problem. However, we chose the most end section of the sitting place so that other male guests will not be uncomfortable with my presence and like wise, so that I will be comfortable to eat considering the fact that I am the only lady in the whole restaurant that particular evening. Being considerate enough, the waiter put up a portable blind few minutes after we seated just like above picture. Anyway blind is compulsory item one restaurant should have here. As we know it, there's a lot of Kuwaiti ladies wore niqab ( face covering ) so by any chance they eat out, the waiter will build a blind around them so they can opened up their niqab and eat at ease.
:: For info, Arabs ( most of them) break their fast with fresh milk and Laban ( Arab's Lassi or errrr should I put yoghurt?) It's in green bottles in above photo. Explained why there's more Laban than P3psi. I think I am the only one drink P3psi for Iftar that day hehe.
After Iftar and performed maghrib prayer, we decided to drop by at M@rina M@ll, just to kill some times and window shops. It's so happened that they're having some exhibition on the connecting bridge.
Another info for those who interested to know.. As I mentioned earlier in few posts away, during Ramadhan, there'll be changes in working/business hours. For instant, government office will be open from 8am till 2 pm only. For shopping malls, mini market and others, they will open in the morning and closed the shops around 3-4 pm, until after break fast. Like totally closed even if their staffs were non-muslim. This is to respect prayer and breakfast time and also allowed their staffs to rest, breakfast and pray comfortably. How thoughtful ...
Back to story, I realized that after berbuka, most shopping mall will organized a lot of activities to entertained their customers since most store opened until 2 am in the morning in this Holy month. It's so happening ! Last week while we're at Al-Bairaq Mall, there's so much activities and things going on specially for kids. There's face painting, clowns, giant snake and ladder games, coloring, clay making, crafts, mini golf and so much more for free. Each game section will be handled by one appointed staff so you don't have to worry as there will be some one assisting your child should they want to participate.
Anyway, this is the exhibition I've been talking about....
:: Exhibition of Original Kuwaiti Chests ::
I just came to know through this exhibition that there's soooo many types of chest there is. All chests that were on display was for sale if anyone interested of owning one for your home. However, even the smallest one already costs KD 50 ( RM 500 +/-), just imagine the bigger one with all those tiny pretty detailing. I may have to sell both my arms to own one. Some of the chest even have up to KD 500 price tag. Anyhow, to be fair, all those chests were handmade from scratch which makes it value-less actually and I would really love to own one if I could afford it. Too bad my wallet was way thinner than I imagined ha ha ha..
:: Seeeee.. told ya it was handmade u'oll. They even bring the craftsmen here to do live demo. Cool kan pakcik ni bertukang dgn kain pelekat je... I didn't now the proper name so I shall name this rope chests :) ::
:: Chests with metal detailing. This uncle is so focus, even there's so many unpaid paparazzi clicking and snapping at him including yours truly, with flash and all, he didn't even blink. Yer la, kang ade yang terketuk jari lak kan ::
:: Dan ade juger demo buat wooden boat. Rileks je pakcik ni mengatam kayu tetengah jejantas ni ::
:: Clay vase in the making ::
Apart from the handcrafts exhibition, they also selling souvenirs, pots, wall decorations and paintings. All of which had Kuwait's essence and value in it.
:: Different case with chests, painting that were on sale that day was much more affordable. Mostly the paintings was about Kuwait in the old days so basically you can see how the market, souq and shops looks liked 50 years ago. There's 2 types of paintings that day, which is paper printed one and hand-painted on canvas type. Of course the paper printed was way cheaper than the canvas type. You can get printed paintings between the range of KD 3-KD 6, depending on size while the canvas one started from KD 60 :( ::
:: Seeeee.. told ya it was handmade u'oll. They even bring the craftsmen here to do live demo. Cool kan pakcik ni bertukang dgn kain pelekat je... I didn't now the proper name so I shall name this rope chests :) ::
:: Chests with metal detailing. This uncle is so focus, even there's so many unpaid paparazzi clicking and snapping at him including yours truly, with flash and all, he didn't even blink. Yer la, kang ade yang terketuk jari lak kan ::
:: Dan ade juger demo buat wooden boat. Rileks je pakcik ni mengatam kayu tetengah jejantas ni ::
:: Clay vase in the making ::
Apart from the handcrafts exhibition, they also selling souvenirs, pots, wall decorations and paintings. All of which had Kuwait's essence and value in it.
:: Different case with chests, painting that were on sale that day was much more affordable. Mostly the paintings was about Kuwait in the old days so basically you can see how the market, souq and shops looks liked 50 years ago. There's 2 types of paintings that day, which is paper printed one and hand-painted on canvas type. Of course the paper printed was way cheaper than the canvas type. You can get printed paintings between the range of KD 3-KD 6, depending on size while the canvas one started from KD 60 :( ::
If we had Lahm Mandy upon En Muddy request, so it will only be natural if the next day, he have to entertain to mine. This time, I requested for Shake Shack. This place has been quite talk in town. I've been reading about this recently opened infamous burger place from New York for quite sometime and I was tempted to try it. The tagline goes something like The Burger worth stopping by or something along those line lah, can't remember the exact one and too lazy to google. I was sold and determine to try it to see what's the hassle is all about so I recommended to En Muddy about this place, and with him being a meat lover, all I really need to do, was ask heheh...
:: The place opened only at 6.30 pm and break fast time for that day was 6.25 pm. Anyway, their service was pretty fast and very systematic, we need to wait for maybe 5 minutes only, despite the super long Q ::
Once you submit your ordered, you will be given this gadget, and you may be seated while waiting for your orders be processed and prepared......
When your orders ready, this "thing" will notify you with it's LED like this....
and ohhhhh it's vibrates too :).
Anyway, we ordered this today. Being a first timer, I believed it is always wise to go with Chef's Recommedation or their signature dish, hence we chose this..
:: Their Classic Dog for kids ::
:: AMerican Cheesy Fries. Apart from the nice cheese sauce, nothing to shout about really about this meal ::
:: My Cheeseburger and En Muddy's Shack Burger. The burger looked messy but the taste speak otherwise. It's soo good and definitely lives up to it's exaggerated reputation. I am definitely a returned customer, errrrrr maybe in another 2 months. Their burgers ain't cheap though ::
Then we strolled around The Avenu3s just for window shop since the sale was not so impressive around this time of the year.
:: When I said window shopping, I really meant it :) ::
:: Whoopsieee.. 2 lil window shoppers terkantoi sebab berangan depan H&M. Erin was in the phase where she thinks grinned widely and making monster expression is cute and adorable, so let her be. Please just bear with her coz I predicted you'll be seeing a lot of this pose in near future ::
:: The place opened only at 6.30 pm and break fast time for that day was 6.25 pm. Anyway, their service was pretty fast and very systematic, we need to wait for maybe 5 minutes only, despite the super long Q ::
When your orders ready, this "thing" will notify you with it's LED like this....
and ohhhhh it's vibrates too :).
Anyway, we ordered this today. Being a first timer, I believed it is always wise to go with Chef's Recommedation or their signature dish, hence we chose this..
:: Their Classic Dog for kids ::
:: AMerican Cheesy Fries. Apart from the nice cheese sauce, nothing to shout about really about this meal ::
:: My Cheeseburger and En Muddy's Shack Burger. The burger looked messy but the taste speak otherwise. It's soo good and definitely lives up to it's exaggerated reputation. I am definitely a returned customer, errrrrr maybe in another 2 months. Their burgers ain't cheap though ::
Then we strolled around The Avenu3s just for window shop since the sale was not so impressive around this time of the year.
:: When I said window shopping, I really meant it :) ::
:: Whoopsieee.. 2 lil window shoppers terkantoi sebab berangan depan H&M. Erin was in the phase where she thinks grinned widely and making monster expression is cute and adorable, so let her be. Please just bear with her coz I predicted you'll be seeing a lot of this pose in near future ::
:: Noticed the black curtain behind the girls? In here, everytime the SA need to remodel the mannequin, change it's outfit, they'll cover it like this. Even mannequins here need to behave and dress decently. This is something good and positive approach in my opinion since some mannequin was made to look freaking real like a person with all the "detailing" so in a glimpse, without the cover, even adults will look twice at nude mannequins. I know I would ha ha ha ::
We decided to had sahur here too before we went home since I would be too tired to cook for sahur and it will be such a hassle to singgah at other place to tapau either.
:: Sushi set, De@n & Deluc@ . En Muddy's and kids ::
:: Prawn something2.. En Muddy's ::
:: Why have one if you can have two, rightt??? Another sushi set grrrrrrrrrr. En Muddy and kids's ::
:: Baked Mac&Cheese. Super nice I tell you. Kids's but I had a bite of this ::
:: Coffee for En Muddy ::
:: Last but not least, my sahur that day.. Blueberry Muffin :) ::
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