My Iftar night

My wish is granted! Got my first Iftar. We went to Cafe' Arabia yesterday to celebrate Kuya Willie's birthday. I am overwhelmed by the place. It's a 3-storey Villa on the 15th street. When going there be sure to drive slowly so that you will not miss the place. Outside you will see a sign "No picture taking inside" since according to Hassel there are some paintings that are conspicuously on display. And true enough the place is a haven for arts enthusiasts! Paintings are displayed in every wall, photographs, and books while the place is bursting of a modern interior mixed with mid-eastern ornaments. One will be a little dazed at first what with comfortable sofas and tables casually and comfortably arranged everywhere. It's a villa after all turned cafe'.

Our group seated beside the glass window on the second floor overlooking the street. Since 15th street is not a busy one, outside just seems to be a quiet night. Hassel told us that aside from the buffet she has ordered something special on the menu. Since the guys doesn't want the hassle of going down, Hassel and I helped ourselves on the buffet table. The buffet is all Arabic sweets, breads, salads, and some starters. I specifically loved their dried apricots, sweetened figs with walnuts, and small biscuits coated with dark chocolates. We heaped two plates each with some and brought it upstairs for the guys.

Our first serving is a creamy vegetable soup. It's made of squash. I remembered my mom used to make a similar recipe back home and hers tastes richer. Anyway, we weren't yet done with our soups when our orders came. Six big plates more! Our table was overflowing with food.  We had 2 pastas - one is a seafood pasta in tomato based sauce and the other one is a chicken pasta in cream sauce, 2 grilled chicken,1 salmon,1 beef kofta all served with salad and potatoes on the side. Really a feast made for Iftar!

Since it was not only Iftar and we are celebrating a birthday, the staff gave a surprise birthday song with a mini-cake to Kuya Willie. Really made us all smile...

When we had our fill, we ordered coffee and black tea (with mint) while chatting the night away until past 2AM. 

So we called it a night and walked our way to hail a cab. The guys were ahead of us but I saw Mario talking with an Indian guy. He was given a tray full of dates. Ramadan Kareem!

It's a glorious night having shared dinner and stories with friends. It's the essence of Iftar after all =)

P.S. Luv to be back here!

Note: To the respect of the cafe', i have limited my pictures due to their policy and to the artists who's paintings and photos are in display. It would be nice visiting the cafe' in person. ☺

Iftar

I want an Iftar! Been browsing Time Out Abu Dhabi for the best deals in dining and found this.

Must Try Iftar Dishes

I want an authentic Middle Eastern food. I do not want the commercialized Lebanese Arabic food that is so common and popular in Abu Dhabi, I want what the locals eat to celebrate Iftar.

I just hope that I may be totally free from my stomach upsets and dizzy spells so that I can go out at sundown and truly experience Ramadan. Got about 3 weeks to go! ☻              

ZaatarWZeit - PART2

I promised that I will be posting pictures of Zaatar w Zeit or ZwZ when I come back. Well it did not take long 'coz Friday night, Hassel wanted to go out and have coffee with us. So since Zaatar is again the most ideal and convenient place to go (even with our pambahays), off we went. 


ZwZ is fronting the ongoing construction of Salam Street.

Inside ZwZ

The vertical view of the restaurant

 That's Mar, Hassel and my empty chair =)

Really had a great night chatting while having coffee and Jebneh (Arabic simple cheese in Wraps). We stayed there until past 12MN and still Hassel and I continued our chat in the flat until the wee hours of the morning while my hubby snored away. =)

Cold Stone Creamery

Yesterday, we went to Abu Dhabi mall to watch the much-awaited Harry Potter finale. Kuya Long, Mario & I went earlier before lunch since this for sure will be another blockbuster and we do not want to wait in line just buying tickets. We bought 7 tickets, watching with us are the Galolong couple,Kashif (their Pakistani friend) and Bunso. We got a 2:30 showtime.


So while waiting, we had merienda at Cold Stone Creamery just across Grand Cinemas. One of my favorite ice-cream!

Coldstone Creamery was founded by Donald and Susan Sutherland in 1988 when, driven by their passion to serve the world's best ice cream, they opened the first Cold Stone Creamery in Tempe, Arizona. And now, more than 1,400 stores later, people have really warmed up to their cool idea.

Cold Stone's innovation: "If it has anything to do with ice cream, it has everything to do with Cold Stone Creamery. From unique ice cream creations to smoothies, cakes and shakes – nobody serves up the ultimate indulgence like Cold Stone.  It starts with using the highest quality ingredients and ends with our signature process for preparing your custom creation on a frozen granite stone."


Yep that is right. Ice creams are created on a granite stone...So I am waiting while my 'creation' is being prepared.

 Viola! My Apple Pie a la Coldstone =)

Mario, enjoying his Mocha Latte', and Kuya Long, enjoying his Coffee Lovers' only =)

Comfort Food

I was bone tired today. Too much work and stress. I went out of the office a little late slowly making my way home inspite of the heat. I arrived in our flat a little 15 minutes later than my usual time and then just lie down for awhile. My body is weak and so is my spirit. I'm in such a depressive mode :-( ZERO. I was quiet the whole time and after dinner just allowed myself to shed some few tears...Missing home? Probably or work-related. I am very much critical of myself especially if I am not satisfied with my own work performance. Even my webbie friends did not lift my spirits - bryanboy can't seem to make me laugh and the angry birds just makes me more frustrated. Anyway, around 10:30PM I asked Mario if we can get out of the flat and just walk around. But food is what I have in mind. I remember my sister Margaret who always asks me to stock-up some 'comfort food' at home like Lay's chips or chocolates. But I am throwing my diet out of the window just for tonight.


I asked Mario if we can go to ZaatarWZeit. I have always been meaning to go there because of the great reviews and it is just a minute walk from home. 


It didn't disappoint. The place is very comfy and the food is great! It is like a fast food joint aka Mcdo or KFC sans ordering at the counter. We ordered while sitting down but the ambiance is relaxing and casual and the music is hip.  We ordered their specialty - wraps! It's not the usual Shawarma thing nor the wrap sandwiches you casually buy around 'refreshment' stores. What's special about it is the dough used in the wraps. I heard from our server, Joyce (Filipina), that there are customers who has been asking them their ingredients which remains to be a secret. 
Mario ordered coffee while I ordered their lemonade. Their lemonade is a yum and i was not disappointed. Though some restos offer freshly squeezed lemonades, this one has a zing! 


I have no cameras and no Ipod with me so I wasn't able to get a picture of the place. However, I promised to go back since they will be open 24 hours as per demand. I felt a lot better. :-)


So it's almost past bedtime when we arrived back home. I opened my Ipod for my nightly Bible reading. I am so much in awe by this Bible apps from iTunes. Anyway, today's passage was about Moses asking by God to bring His people out of Egypt. (Exodus 4:10-12). Moses was in a dilemma because he is not a public-speaker but God said He will teach him what to say.... I read some of the notes some readers posted and I am in empathy with all of them. It all gave me strength to know that when God asks you to do something, He has already made a way to do it for you inspite of our weaknesses. I know that my way of coming in the Middle East is a calling and a blessing from Him and that gives me comfort. So what should I fear???


I am blessed! :-) 

La Brioche

Yesterday, Wednesday night, Mario and I decided to have our nightly walk. We do not really have any idea where to go but Mario wanted to have coffee. He wanted to go to Starbucks but I wanted to go to somewhere new. So Mario suggested we visit La Brioche, a French restaurant famous for its breads and pastries. If you remember my previous blog about my birthday presents, you will see a birthday cake from La Brioche given to me by my office mates. I have heard so much about this cafe so I am very eager to visit the place. It's along Najda Street and near to where I work. 

  

Inside the rustic place...

Pastries....

Our orders..

I didn't much like the black currant custard cake. The currant is too sour and the custard is not sweet enough for the sour taste. Their coffee is quite okay as I have ordered cappuccino but comes in small size.

Next time, i will probably try their pasta and stick to the cakes :-)

Mario and I decided to go home and call it a night. It's a long weekend so no rush and passed by the park...Beautiful night!

Bloomsbury's

Mario has been sick over the weekend so I thought we will be housebound for two days. But yesterday late afternoon, he said he is feeling better and requested to go malling, our usual weekend activity. So off we went to Al Wahda Mall. So far this mall has been awarded as no. 1 mall in Abu Dhabi. See for yourself why...

The ambiance feels so great and very classy. So it just feels right that in the middle of the mall sprang Bloomsbury's. It's a new cupcake store with a tie-up from Bea's of Bloomsbury, "London's most fashionable Bakery". What's new? According to Abu Dhabi week magazine,' Bloomsbury's aims to combine Eastern and Western flavours to create indulgent cupcakes with a contemporary British twist...' 


So entering Bloomsbury's is like going into a different dimension...

I checked out their displays...

 

  

 We ordered German chocolate cupcake for Mario, chocolate as usual, and mine is one of their all-time fave Diabetics' dream. It's a banana cake with cream cheese on top and pecan nuts..

 And i ordered English black tea. Very nice presentation...

  

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me" - CS Lewis

The tea, made of fresh leaves in a bag, is dipped inside this delicate tea pot and is timed before drinking. You can ask for more hot water for second or third infusions. 

So busog!

Mario doesn't want his picture taken coz' he looks ill...Anyway, i enjoyed eating the cakes as much as the tea and will definitely go back. Though with Mario, it's just so, so...I swear I need to exercise after this treat =)