I went back to the “red” restaurant yesterday. Since it was my third or fourth time, I had the routine pretty well down. This time, when I went to the counter to place my order, a better dressed guy beckoned me to keep walking towards the back of the place. The main restaurant is pretty basic, the equivalent of picnic tables and benches and a decidedly fast food decor. Well, the guy brought me to a courtyard in the back that is MUCH nicer. Out in the lovely Yemen weather, lots of plants, even a fountain! It was quite nice… The food was the same with the exception of the bread. I got fresh cooked bread instead of the stuff that come in bags. That alone was worth it. It made my hummus much better… I also got to try something new to eat! It was a spaghetti casserole with ground, spiced meat in it and held together with a cheese/egg cement. Wow, was it heavy, but so nice to eat something new! I got hummus and fresh bread, a salad (the salads here have no lettuce, just cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and a light dressing. They are quite a bit more substantial than the ones back home, they’re essentially a bowl of veggies), and that casserole thing. It all cost a little under 5 bucks. The wait staff was “up” to the usual Yemeni standard, but it didn’t detract from the meal. I’ll have to do that again…
Isaac