Saudi Ramadan Scenes

The month of Ramadan is in full swing. It began May 26 and will end June 24 this year. Ramadan is the month of the year when Muslims abstain from food, drink, and impure thoughts during the daylight hours. It is a time of reflection, self-discipline, and devotion, generosity of spirit, and for family and friends to get together.

As soon as the sun goes down each day during Ramadan, the fasting period ends and Muslims are permitted to eat until sunrise the next morning.  Many special foods are traditionally prepared and eaten during Ramadan.

In Saudi Arabia, the daily fasting period is often broken with a glass of buttermilk and some dates, which is what is done in my husband's family.  After the sunset prayer is performed, the "Iftar" meal is eaten together with family and friends.  

During Ramadan, many restaurants offer fancy Iftar menus and oftentimes an all-you-can-eat buffet menu is provided.

Sweets like Baklava, Kanafeh, and Basboosa, are in abundance and are often given as gifts during the month of Ramadan as well.  The gentleman in the photo above is selling many types of sweet golden honey.

Decorations for Ramadan often features this red, white, and blue design pattern.  Special captivating lanterns are lit and are commonly seen in businesses as well as homes.

Ramadan buffet food displays in restaurants are sumptuous elegant works of art.  Patrons pay one set fee to partake of the buffet.  There are also many public places that offer free Iftar meals where people gather to break the fast together.

Television programming is also very popular during Ramadan, with a special line-up of religious discussions, dramas, comedies, soap operas, and game shows, as well as old time favorites.  After the Iftar meal, many families gather around the TV to watch their favorite shows together.  

Like the Christmas season in the US, Ramadan in Saudi Arabia is a very spiritual time of giving and being kind to others.  The end of the month of Ramadan is marked with a celebration lasting several days called Eid al Fitr.  People often sport new clothes for this celebration, and children are given gifts.

Special thanks to my friend Vicki Reynolds, who gave me permission to use her photos for this post, as I am currently outside of the country for the summer.

The Entertainer

I used The Entertainer when we lived in the states and I was so delighted to discover that it is now a worldwide product that is available here in the Middle East as well.  Editions available in Saudi Arabia include Jeddah and Riyadh and the Eastern Province.  The book quickly pays for itself and offers brilliant discounts at a wide variety of restaurants and activities.   

For sports, pleasure and leisure, you can go diving in the Red Sea, live it up by ice skating or paintball, or try your hand at ceramics.  Select from an assortment of informal dining restaurants, cafes, or family eateries, or relish a special night out at one of The Entertainer's featured fine dining restaurants.    You can save on haircuts, beauty services, and day spas, or appreciate savings on an immense array of other services and products in your area or even when you travel. Plan your next getaway and choose from dozens of superb hotels all over the Middle East, Asia, or Africa. 

Still have doubts?  Check out The Entertainer's FREE TRIAL OFFER!  You won’t be sorry.

The Entertainer is an easy to use discount coupon book - now available in an even more convenient mobile format - that offers buy-one-get-one-free opportunities at many restaurants, hotels, and other types of businesses.  It is now available at a pre-sale 20% discount for the 2014 edition IF YOU ORDER BEFORE DECEMBER 5th. 

Find out more and discover why so many people LOVE The Entertainer!  Hurry and get yours today!

"Like" The Entertainer on Facebook.

Fish Fry with a Friend

I haven't had any visitors from back home since I moved to Saudi Arabia five years ago - until this past week when an old friend from my hometown of Douglas, Arizona, came to Jeddah for business.  Mike Brady has been living in Riyadh this past year on a work assignment with his company.  Mike's sister Margaret was in my class in school. 
 
My husband suggested that we take Mike out for a very typical Jeddah style meal, so we took him to an open air fish restaurant with Bedouin style seating.  Since Jeddah lies on the coastline of the Red Sea, there are many fish eateries around the city.  Some have individual dining tents or private rooms for families.  Most restaurants have a separate dining area for single men who are not accompanied by female family members. 

First we went inside to hand select the fish we wanted from today's catch.  The restaurant staff then gutted and cleaned the fish and cooked it to order.  We ordered the fish to be deep fried. 

There was a nice undersea mural painted on the outside walls of the restaurant.  

While the fish was being prepared, we went to our seating area, which consisted of red carpets and cushions.  There were no tables and chairs at this restaurant, but most seating areas did have TVs where some guys watched a soccer game.
 
Since the restaurant wasn't that crowded, we occupied an area in the far corner in the men's section away from the other diners, and I sat with my back to them.  It was great catching up with Mike while we waited for the food to come. 

The fried fish was brought to us along with big platters of three different kinds of rice, sauces, lemons and hot green chili peppers.  My husband likes to take a bite of hot chili pepper with each mouthful of food as sweat drips  down his face.

The weather was great sitting outside eating under the stars halfway around the world from where Mike and I grew up.


Next time Mike comes, we're hoping to take him out snorkeling and fishing on the Red Sea.

Vote for the 2012 MENA Travel Awards

One of my favorite restaurants here in Jeddah, the fabulous Il Villaggio Restaurant, has been nominated for a prestigious 2012 MENA Travel Award in the Best Fine Dining Restaurant category.

I wrote about the wonderful evening my husband and I spent at Il Villaggio earlier this year in this post.

To cast your vote for Il Villaggio Restaurant, simply click here, cast your vote and fill out a simple form. You can only vote once in this competition, but I urge you to please cast your vote for Il Villaggio!


You can get further information about the competition on the MENA website. Here is an excerpt:
The MENA Travel Awards 2012 “ Champions of Service Quality “ Award will be presented to, once again, recognize top industry organizations who have shown the extra mile of success in the Middle East & North Africa's growing travel industry. This is no self-congratulatory exercise, or ‘best advertiser' award. It is a real opportunity to receive meaningful recognition from the Region’s travelers, guests, and customers while being highly recognized by both regional and international travel, and the hospitality industries.

An Evening at Il Villaggio Restaurant

A few nights ago my husband and I had the privilege of attending a special event at Jeddah's Il Villaggio Restaurant which was celebrating its 5th Annual International Day of Italian Cuisines. About fifty invited guests feasted on this year's official specially selected dish, Ossobuco in Gremolata alla Milanese, made of tender veal shanks and traditionally served with risotto. The evening's menu also included Sprout Salad with fennel, orange, olives, lettuce, and almonds, and for dessert a delicious Grapefruit Sorbet with cinnamon fragrance.

Prior to the meal, Executive Chef Vincenzo Raschella began the evening with a live cooking demonstration on how to prepare the Ossobuco dish and gave tips about the ease of growing your own sprouts. He was assisted by Sous Chef Raffaele Cuomo.

Il Villaggio Restaurant is housed in a beautiful building on Al Andalus Street, in a bustling part of Jeddah which is home to many consulates, businesses, and other restaurants. The ceiling in the main entrance area is a gorgeous stained glass dome.

Inside there is a lovely courtyard open above to the twinkling stars and the deep cerulean sky where we served a choice of luscious fruit juices. There is also a lovely little shop where one can purchase special Italian ingredients.

My husband and I enjoyed meeting many of the invited guests which included dignitaries from the Italian Consulate, representatives from news sources, as well as other expatriates and Saudis.

I would like to thank the management for including us at this very special event and the finely trained service staff at Il Villaggio Restaurant, who were ultra-attentive and ever-present without being obtrusive.


Stay abreast of what's happening at Il Villaggio Restaurant of Jeddah: LIKE their Facebook page.

For an in depth interview with Chef Vincenzo Baschella, including his recipe for Ossobuco in Gremolata alla Milanese, check out this Arab News article written by Amjad Parkar.

Jeddah's Il Villagio Restaurant Celebrates Italy

ATTENTION JEDDAH RESIDENTS: It's that time of year again when Il Villagio Restaurants and Lounges celebrates its 5th annual International Day of Italian Cuisines - with a Gala Dinner on January 17, 2012, featuring this year's official dish, OSSOBUCO IN GREMOLATA ALLA MILANESE. The Gala Dinner promises to be an exciting and tasty event - there will be a special demonstration about the Ossobuco dish by Executive Chef Vincenzo Raschella and Sous Chef Raffaele Cuomo.


The menu for this special evening features:
******
2012 Sprout Salad
Fennel, orange, Taggiasche olives, lettuce, almonds and a mix of fresh garden grown sprouts
******
Ossobuco in Gremolata alla Milanese
Braised veal shank, sprinkled with chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest on Polenta Incatenata made of corn flour with herbs, cabbage and beans
******
Grapefruit Sorbet with cinnamon fragrance
******


ACT QUICKLY FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A DINNER FOR TWO at Jeddah's Il Villaggio Restaurant. Just LEAVE A COMMENT on this post telling me what your FAVORITE ITALIAN DISH is. Be sure to include your NAME and EMAIL ADDRESS. The deadline for entering is 12:00 noon on Tuesday, JANUARY 17. If you are unable to attend the Gala Dinner that evening, the lucky winner will be able to enjoy your free dinner another evening of your choosing through January 31, when the Il Villagio celebration ends.

For more information about International Day of Italian Cuisines online, click HERE.

Il Villaggio Restaurant & Lounges, Al Andalus Street, Jeddah - Telephone 02-668-8233

Jeddah's Il Villaggio Restaurant Presents Its Mediterranean Festival

WIN a FABULOUS DINNER FOR TWO in Jeddah at Il Villaggio Restaurant! (transportation not included)

Il Villaggio Restaurant celebrates the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy with a Mediterranean Festival featuring the iconic ingredients used in traditional Italian dishes. The festival takes place March 14th through March 17th in Jeddah.

"Sample a menu with ingredients which have been used for a very long time in traditional recipes and are still among the all time favorites today. Taste heritage by indulging in authentic dishes which have their origin in different parts of Italy. Experience a true Italian Menu. Learn through food the history and events what created Italy 150 years ago and made Italy what it is today!

This menu will be served from 14th March to 17th March in the Luigi Restaurant at Il Villaggio Restaurants & Lounges. In addition we also offer cooking lessons with insights about the history of Italian food during the same period.

If you like to reserve a table or want to inquire and receive more details, please contact us by email: agm@ilvillaggio-complex.net or telephone 02-668-8233.

We will be happy to welcome you and your family, friends or colleagues during this special week at the restaurant or any time."

From the Management of Il Villaggio Restaurant & Lounges, Al Andalus Street, Jeddah - Telephone 02-668-8233

For a chance to WIN A DINNER FOR TWO at Il Villaggio Restaurant, LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS POST telling me what your FAVORITE ITALIAN DISH is. Be sure to include your NAME and EMAIL ADDRESS. ACT QUICKLY! The deadline for entering is MARCH 13. Two lucky winners will be announced very soon.

Go to Il Villaggio's Facebook page.

To RSVP to the Mediterranean Festival Event, or to view the Sample Menu, CLICK HERE.

For more info, check out their website at www.mediterraneans.me

Here is a quick video tour of the restaurant interior by the MadTraveller:

If I Could Eat Anything ...

As you know, my husband recently had open heart surgery, and before we left the hospital, the doctor told him that for one month or so, he could eat anything he wants. After that, my husband and I will both go on a heart healthy diet, but for now, the doctor wants him to eat anything he desires, just to build back up his strength. So just imagine if you were given the go ahead to eat whatever you wanted, what would you eat? Well, my list would definitely contain dark chocolate, mashed potatoes, crab, steak, cheesecake, cashews, Crispy Creme Donuts, coconut creme pie, and Cheetos! Hmmm ... seems like an awful lot of those foods start with the letter "C" ... wonder what that means? Anyway, what would you have on your list?

Adnan has always been a healthy eater and doesn't crave sweets the way I do. And since the surgery, he hasn’t had much of an appetite, but the one decadent thing that he requested was a special dish here made with animal fat called “foul wu semn” (beans with animal fat). We enjoy eating the “poor man’s breakfast” here in Saudi Arabia, which consists of a regional bean dish called foul (pronounced fool) and wonderful flatbread which is called tameez. It’s very filling and quite tasty.


Every morning these tiny shops that pretty much only make and sell foul and tameez are bustling with male customers, most of them hard laborers starting their day. Oftentimes there is a crowd five men deep. This breakfast which will easily serve 3-4 people costs a total of 3 riyals, which is about US 75 cents. I had always waited in the car whenever Adnan got this for us for breakfast, but recently I went in to take a look at one of the little shops that sells foul and tameez.


The foul is generally accompanied with extra sauce (similar to salsa) to spice it up to your liking. Other spices are also added. Adnan usually likes to add olive oil as well. The foul is slow cooked in a huge round balloon shaped metal pot which is tilted over a charcoal burner.


Because the opening is so small and the pot is so big, a special spoon with an extremely long handle is required to stir the beans and extract them. The specially melted animal fat (I believe it is from goat) is a rich clear golden yellow color and is added to the foul to enhance the flavor.


Depending on which country the tameez maker is from, the flatbread can vary in size, consistency, and flavor. Most tameez that I have seen is at least the size of a large pizza in diameter.


Some are sprinkled with blackened sesame seeds, some have lines made with a spoked wheel running across them, and others are thicker and almost rubbery, but in a good way.


The tameez is baked in a huge tiled igloo-shaped oven and special long instruments are needed to flip and retrieve the tameez when it’s done. You can also order tameez which is filled with cheese.


Foul and tameez is one of the fabulous ethnic foods available in KSA that I have come to love.

Under the Sea Restaurant

I recently had the pleasure of enjoying dinner at the Under the Sea Restaurant in Jeddah.

I was part of a group of about 25 ex-pat wives and we were treated to a special buffet dinner which is available for groups only.

The Under the Sea Restaurant is aptly named. It is located on the Corniche which runs along the Red Sea and is in the below ground level of a commerical center.

Stairs in the main lobby lead down to the delightful and cozy family restaurant below.

Inside, there are 18 huge aquariums - some are fresh water and some are salt water - which are home to a large variety of colorful fish, an enormous sea turtle, and a moray eel.

In addition, another walk-over aquarium waterway runs underneath the glass floor which contains even more fish visible through the glass below.

All in all, the restaurant is home to about 500 live fish in all their aquariums.

Blue lighting intensifies the feeling of being under water.

The buffet spread was not only visually beautiful, but it tasted great as well.

There was a terrific salad bar with a variety of fresh produce, as well as gorgeous platters of hummus, stuffed grape leaves, and babaganoush.

Plenty of deliciously prepared fish and shrimp entrees and steamed crab were included in the buffet plus some Italian pasta dishes and rice.

And the stuffed crab on a shell was absolutely divine.

 
Special group buffets must be reserved three days in advance. Groups can range in size from 20 up to 50 people and are priced accordingly.

Here are the prices for the full buffet spread for groups: SR1800 for 20 people. SR2400 for 30 people. SR3000 for 40 people. SR3600 for 50 people.

This averages out to about SR72 - SR90 per person, which converts to about $18 - 22 US per person.

Not bad for a full all-you-can-eat seafood buffet!

Under the Sea offers a regular daytime menu from 9am - 4pm from which you can choose mostly lighter fare such as snacks, sandwiches, fresh juices and coffees.

From 4pm - 2am, the restaurant has a dinner menu and cafe service with selections ranging in price from SR20 - SR50.

A specialty of the restaurant is their tasty Cream of Seafood Soup, and another favorite is their seafood platter which is loaded with two types of shrimp, fish, calamari, rice and french fries.

Sheesha or Hookah water pipes are also available in a variety of flavors to enjoy after your meal.

Under the Sea has been in business in the Jeddah Commercial Center in the Al Hamra District right on the Corniche Road in Jeddah for nine years.

Owned and operated by Mr. Saleh Al-Samaan and his wife Sara, Under the Sea offers great tasting seafood for a great value.

If you are in Jeddah, try them out for a unique dining experience - you won't be disappointed.

For more great information on local Jeddah restaurants, w onderful resource is JeddahFood.com.

Under Cover

A   friend of mine, Amber, told me a story about one of her sisters-in-law (SILs), whom I'll call Maha. Amber's and Maha's husbands are brothers.







Maha is ultra-religious, ultra-conservative, and veils herself. Maha never associates with any of her brothers-in-law (BILs) at family functions. The BILs have never seen her face or heard her voice. Maha runs for cover and hides whenever her BILs are around. In fact, I myself have a SIL like this, as well, so I'm guessing this type of behavior is not that uncommon and it just depends on how the woman was brought up and her own personal feelings and beliefs. I can totally understand and respect that.

Amber and her husband have a home in the US too. Once while they were there in the states, Maha and her husband came to "visit." Many Muslim women will relax a little bit when they are in other countries, choosing to dress conservatively instead of wearing the abaya. But not Maha. She remained totally veiled and would not speak to Amber's husband, left the room if he entered, and wouldn't sit at the same table with him when they ate.

But during their visit, they went out to eat at a public restaurant. Maha even refused to sit at the same table with the rest of the family, so she sat at a table with her back to them.

Since I've been here in Saudi Arabia, I have seen many veiled women in the food courts at malls. Most of them leave their veils on while they eat, which is an amazing feat to me. They lift them out slightly from their faces with one hand and shovel the food in with the other hand underneath their veils. The first time I saw it, I couldn't believe it. But I've seen more and more women here doing this, so now I guess I'm used to it, but I still find it fascinating.

Okay, now I can understand and respect Maha's beliefs and actions up to this point. But here's where it gets really confusing for me.

Once Maha got settled at her separate table, she then took her veil off. Maha spoke to the male waiter without any problem. Maha's face was visible by all other men facing her in the restaurant.

I'm sorry, but I don't get this. Could somebody please try to explain to me why it's okay for Maha to talk to a male waiter, but not her brother-in-law? Why is it okay for the male waiter and other male patrons in the restaurant to see her face and hear her voice, but not her brother-in-law? Is it that Maha considers these strangers less than men? To me, a man is a man is a man. I really don't see the logic at all here, and I would love to try to understand her actions. Is it me, or isn't this being a bit hypocritical?

An Educational Day

I   was recently invited to be a guest at a medical conference that was held here in Jeddah at the Intercontinental Hotel which is located on the Corniche – the long and winding boardwalk running along the Red Sea coastline. I know, I know - I am not, nor have I ever been, in the medical field. So what was I doing there? 

My friend "Amber," another American woman who is married to a Saudi and who has lived in this country for nearly forty years, asked me to come to take photos for her. She was a moderator of the event and her daughter was one of the speakers. I was happy to oblige and excited at the prospect of seeing the hotel and actually attending an event that wasn’t a family get together!

The medical profession is one of the very few fields in Saudi Arabia where men and women are allowed to work side by side with one another. There are not many Saudi women who work outside the home, even though many of them may have attained university degrees. Saudi men still largely feel that a woman’s place is in the home, taking care of the family and running the household. Another problem with Saudi women working is transportation since women are not allowed to drive here and must rely on their husbands or hire a driver. There is no public mass transit, and even if there were, women would probably be restricted from using it.

The annual conference is organized by a female Saudi pediatrician. Over 800 were registered to attend, but those attending numbered in the 600s. There were speakers lined up from all over the world. The session of the conference that Amber and her daughter were involved in dealt with problem solving and encouraging the breastfeeding of premature infants, which can be a dilemma when the babies are kept in an incubator, may not learn how to suckle, and are not taken home for the first couple of months to bond with the mothers. The main speakers events were set up in a huge meeting room with hundreds of chairs facing the stage at one end of the room.

Running right down the center of the room were several large screens serving as a room divider to separate the women’s seating area from the men’s section. There were spaces in between the screens so one could actually see members of the opposite sex over into the other section if one dared! So even though men and women are allowed to work side by side in hospitals and clinics throughout the country, they are separated from sitting beside one another at this medical conference. After all, there's no telling what lurid behaviors might happen if men and women are close enough to sniff at each other when the topic being discussed is something so overtly sexual as breastfeeding!

The Intercontinental Hotel is lovely. It has a beautiful lobby and more than adequate meeting facilities. The lobby’s focal point is a beautiful tiled fountain surrounded by wide columns topped with fanned palm fronds. There are many gift shops offering everything from toiletry necessities to traditional Arabic art. The restaurant was very elegant and well-staffed. There were separate dining rooms for men and women and there were even separate buffet lines. But since we were with the conference speakers, we were allowed to sit at a mixed table in a corner of the men’s dining room. The center of the table was overflowing with dozens of dishes filled with yummy items like hummus, shrimp, and potato salad. Waiters continually came around offering shish kebab, fish, chicken, tabouleh, and many other mouth watering foods. It was a delicious luncheon.

At the end of the day as the sun was setting over the Red Sea, we exited the Intercontinental Hotel and from the parking lot we could see the King Fahd Fountain which rises from the sea in a spray to a height of over 1000 feet. You can see a night-time photo and learn more about this remarkable fountain by reading a recent post I did about it on my other blog, Jeddah Daily Photo Journal. JUST CLICK HERE.