Restaurant review

Hello, my name is Becky and I am an American living in Bahrain.


Sorry- I took a hiatus from the expat blog challenge for a few days due to unexpected circumstances. I really want to catch up this weekend and hopefully keep up with the rest of the challenge.


Today's prompt was a restaurant review...so many to choose from! So instead of giving just one, maybe I'll do a quick rundown of a few:


Ponderosa: an American-style all-you-can eat buffet. You probably came because you had a coupon. So did all the other diners. And on your way out, you spin a wheel to win another coupon for a return visit. My kids love it because of the ball pit and room full of coin-operated rides. The food is okay and the wait staff is dressed in Western garb that seems out of place.


The Smurf Pizza restaurant - not its actual name, which is Baba Ghafoor I think- but it has a Smurf on its signage. Copyright is not big here. Arabic style pizza is like a piece of flat bread with some olives, peppers, feta and papperoni- spelled just like that- with an a. Strangely good. But located in a crazy narrow busy street. An adventure to get to. And ignore the strange gross water dripping from a pipe overhead and the dumpster cats giving you menacing looks as you enter.


Al Abraaj - great for reasonably priced good local fare. Locations all over Bahrain but each has its own twist. The food at the Sanad branch is always more consistently excellent than the food at the Hamala branch, which has a nicer ambiance. The one in Budaiya has better meal deals. I love the hummus and Al Abraaj bread warm from the oven, then a fattoush salad, followed by the mixed grills or lamb chops with rosemary. Or the super shawarma. It is all really good actually. And um ali for dessert- like an Arabic bread pudding- the ultimate comfort food.


Coco's - Hip, local food at a location so cool you have to be shown where it is, otherwise you will never find it. In the artsy Adiliya neighborhood. Super good, crowded on weekends, affordable. Perfect for a date. Loved my stroganoff, hamour, salads, everything I've ever ordered.


Villa Mama's - I dream about the grape chicken sometimes. Sounds strange, tastes great. The hamour is good too. Local food. More expensive than Coco's but less crowded usually. Great for a date. In Saar.


The shawarma stand by the Riffa Lulu's, the one next door to Baskin Robbins. They always remember us and are so nice- chatting with Edward. A shawarma is .300 fills- which is like $.75. Reminds me of the good ole high school days of spending my change at Taco Bell. I can feed my family for under $5. The shawarmas here are on this thin bread- not unlike a flour tortilla. The meat is so flavorful and tender. The beef / lamb mix is so good. It is warm and saucy- never dry- which is a shawarma pet peeve of mine. Love the pickle and the French fry and the lettuce. Heaven.


Baskin Robbins, Fuddruckers, KFC, Tony Roma's- there are some American chains here that we come to way more than we ever did in the states (read: never). While in the US, eating out is always significantly more, here food is expensive and labor is cheap, so eating out sometimes isn't that much more than preparing it yourself. Like ice cream at the grocery store- super expensive and a total crap shoot if you'll get the carton that melted in customs and refroze all gross. So Baskin Robbins is the way to go- just get a single cone. And despite the heat- we don't eat as much ice cream as we used to. KFC chicken is cheaper than I can make it. I've had some really bad luck with meat here-so if we want a really good, American tasting burger or steak- a nice one- as a special once every month or two treat- we will go to Fuddruckers or Tony Roma.