What? No lunch menu in Dubai @ SMAT Resto-Cafe

Dubai - It was 11:30AM and time for lunch so we went to this place - SMAT Resto-Cafe located at Design Centre and they showed us a breakfast menu.

Beautiful decor of SMAT Cafe

We were recommended the Turkish breakfast selection and it comes with selected breads, kaymak honey butter, labneh balls, assorted cold cuts, Topy ball cheese, herb olives, fresh Nimbles, and their home made Shakshouka.

Turkish breakfast

Assorted bread and Pita

Kaymak honey butter

KAYMAK is a creamy dairy product, similar to clotted cream, made in the Balkans, Turkey, the Middle East, Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, and India. It is made from the milk of water buffalos in the East or of cows in the West. The taste is honey was too sweet for this 'lunch' meal. Arabs love sugar and all things sweet - The simple reason is that if the climate is hot, to avoid dehydration they add sugar in their meals.

Rest of the Turkish breakfast

Another new taste for me it LABNEH is considered a yogurt cheese made in the same way yogurt is, but it's ultra thick, like cream cheese, because the whey is nearly all strained out. Labneh is also high in protein. It's popular in the Middle East as a savory dip or spread. My first time taste of the Labneh is the cheese tasted so dry and void of any moisture.

Another new taste was Topy Ball cheese - Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Balls - it tasted soft and delicious but it was too much cheese for 'lunch'.

Shakshouka

SHAKSHOUKA is a North Africa dish (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt) consisting of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion and garlic, commonly spiced with cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper. My first time and it tasted good.

Cold cuts

Masala Tea

It was strange to have breakfast at noon - 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do"

Comments

Calesa around Intramuros

Manila - Together with Albert, we took a calesa (horse drawn carriage used in Philippines) around Intramuros. Albert and Lesley Albert and I Intramuros is the oldest district and historic core of Manila. The walled part of Manila was called intramuros, which is Latin for "within the walls"; districts beyond the walls are known as extramuros meaning outside the walls. Construction of the defensive walls was started by the Spaniards in the late 16th century to protect the city from foreign invasions. Guarding the old city is Fortaiago wich is located at the mouth of the river. Gallery of Philippines past and present presidents General MacArthur Battle HQ Entrance of General MacArthur HQ Manila Hotel Manila Hotel in the distance Manila hotel is the oldest hotel in the Philippines and the most well known icon. Baluarte De San Andres Cannons lined in a semi-circle Colegio de San Juan de Letran was founded in 1620 and is t

Cheong Guk Jang - fermented bean soup

Seoul - Lunch with Youngjin was at a traditional soup restaurant and it was crowded. Youngjin asked me many times Cheonggukjang "ok", I said ok not knowing what to expect. I have tried many weird and smelly good in Seoul, so I was very prepared. My first time tasting Cheonggukjang and I like it. CheongGukJang 청국장 is fermented soybean soup aka Stinky soup. Actually, I like fermented food and the smell does not put me off. I like fermented food because of the many health benefits and also we have them here in Singapore - tempe, belachan, fermented bean curd (which I love with my porridge), chincaluk, etc.. very hot Cheonggukjang I always buy danjang paste and bring home to make soup. I understand that they are the same but the difference is Cheonggukjang beans are uncrushed and are fermented for a longer period of time.

Temple Street Night Market

Kowloon - This flea market is full of quirky, Hong Kong souvenirs and t-shirts to take home. The actual market on Temple Street is in the Yau Ma Tei and Jordan sections of Temple Street. The flea market starts in the late afternoon every day and continues throughout the evening. You can find fake’designer' handbags, sunglasses, clothes, and electronic gadgets. The atmosphere was filled with many tourist of different nationalities. Along the sides were many seafood restaurants, mostly crowded. You will also find fortuner teller stalls plying their trade.

Travelogue around Asia Pacific Part II

Search This Blog