Eat Like Ushi

The cafe in a wall sits near a bunch of shops and locals (I assume) were about their day wondering why were there - maybe a combination of summer, Covid and the less central part of Aqaba.

The menu at this place is completely in Arabic. Unfortunately the owner (I assume) who was the falafel maker didn't speak English either. There was a man sitting at the door who helpfully translated for us. I thought he might have been an employee or cashier, but in the end realised he was a regular customer just helping us and the shop out.

I suppose being in a falafel place means you know what you're going to order anyway.

Bread, fol, falafel which were lightly crisp with a strong chickpea flavour, hummus, tahini salad. Everything had a lot of oil (hoping it was EVOO). A tasty meal washed down by their homemade ultra fermented ayran. And the price was JD4.

I can't say it was the best falafel I've ever had (probably at this point it's between this mysterious one I remember in Amman in 2009 although no idea where it was now, London's pilpel or my most recent local discovery Tahini in Fitzroy was phenomenal) but it was a good one and a great overall meal.

After a hard afternoon of snorkelling against the strong Japanese Garden current (worth it though), we freshened up at the accommodation. Given the real limit of food places here, a trip to Aqaba and to watch the sunset was on the cards.

Aqaba traffic was so busy compared to what we were used to (ok, not that bad, but the main roundabouts are a pretty mess). We wanted to go to the beach promenade to see the sunset but there is nowhere to there. Every bit of strip is occupied by restaurants and their tents, only allowing guests to sit. It really makes it quite unpleasant for the casual stroller. It didn't take long to leave that area and head to my choice of restaurant (using Google for inspiration).

Although others have reported difficulty getting a table, the quieter summer meant we had an immediate table outside near the sidewalk. Large outdoor airconditioning units (what's the point really?) hummed away in the background without any real noticeable cooling. And that menu with those prices - I wanted to try it all...

- Hommus with meat (topped with ground beef & almond) JD2.85 - deeply savoury hummus with almonds crunch and tasty mince beef;
- Tabulle salad (chopped parsley, tomatoes, bulgur wheat mixed with olive oil & lemon) JD1.85 - well balanced tangy tabbouleh;
- Tahini salad (chopped parsley with cucumber, tomato & tahini sauce) JD1.65 - decent;
- Lamb with vegetables (well spiced lamb with garlic, onion, carrots, oven baked) JD5.50 - tender lamb pieces and baked potato and vegetables in a salty meaty sauce, with some tangy sweet tomatoes for contrast;
- Fresh orange juice JD1.75.

I could have (given an extra stomach) gone for mutabal, eggs with mix cheese, and araayes.

Next time... (altough a third time in Aqaba this lifetime seems unlikely. Then again I probably thought a second time was too).

After the amazing Red Sea experience in Egypt, we weren't intending to go see the Jordan side of it as we thought it might just be too much time to drive down and then back up toward Amman/the airport. However during the enduringly hot afternoon in Wadi Rum spent indoors keeping cool and reading about it, we decided one last bucketlist swim and snorkel (hopefully won't be the last regardless) was worth the trip. Although not in Aqaba itself, the South Beach area is known for the best snorkelling in the area, particularly the Japanese Garden.

Our accommodation nearby was one of a few located directly across the road which triple as accommodations/resorts, dining facilities and dive centres.

We ate a nicely grilled fish with local savoury spices and crisp crinkle chips, and a local dish (can't remember the name now) of tomatoand  chicken mix with bread which was decent. It did take a while to cook, but probably because an American family with a very large number of children with large appetites were there just before us. In any case it gave us fuel to spend the next few hours on the beach, snorkelling against the relatively strong current, seeing the miracles of life there. Afterwards a quick dip in the pool to refresh was a nice touch.

Petra Moon hotel was the closest hotel to the entrance to Petra other than Movenpick (which was much too expensive for us). It was a very nice room at an affordable price, and had a lovely rooftop complete with a pool to escape the nearly 40C afternoon temperatures we were experiencing. The other side of the rooftop overlooked Wadi Musa and the sunset and meant for a pleasant dinner setting.

The hotel had set menu dinners on offer, essentially paying for a large amount of shared salad and then a main. The hamour white fish (Googled to mean grouper) was so delicate and soft. The mixed platter contained a lamb chop, lamb kebab, chicken kebab, and kofte. All of the meats were good with probably the kebabs being the best. The grill plate was partnered with parsley salad, grilled zucchini, tomato, hot chilli, peppers, blanket bread, and baked potato. Salad was fresh with mild cheese, and also was served some very bitter leaves which were a strong acquired taste.

Breakfast was quite expensive for the quality given - the dips were ok, antipasto a bit weak and the breads not fresh (which should be the easiest thing to get right). Fine for the very early start before Petra but not worth paying for going forward.

That evening two of us shared one dinner menu and it was enough food for 2.

An excellent hotel, setting, facility and dinner. Next time I'd probably stay a little closer to the main part of town for better/closer dining options but this would be a fine option to go back to also.

After several weeks in Egypt I was still yet to find a place that made kunafa freshly. After ordering food at Rainbow Restaurant, I went for a walk across the road to the general store just to see what they sold (yes, it's what I enjoy). Turning back across the road I noticed a little bakery/sweet shop just a few shops down from Rainbow.

I saw the round metal tins on a table outside and I knew I had finally found it.

After our meal we sat at the sole table outside and had our dish made fresh to order. It was a nice sweet version, crisp on the shell, although not as cheesy as I was expecting. Still the only one I found and the it hit the spot.

This little outlet isn't on Google Maps (another one seems to be) but just around the right hand corner from Rainbow Restaurant.

Staying down toward the Petra end meant it needed a drive (and a really detoured one also considering the main road was closed off for works) and finding street parking which was lucky to be in a quiet season. I actually wanted to primarily try Bahia Rooftop to see the sunset from high up, but it was closed. Rainbow was the second choice and only 1 minute walk away. I did mentally note that the restaurant directly across the roundabout Beit Al-Barakah was really busy - maybe a sign to try it next time.

But Rainbow was a little hole on the roundabout with a bit of outdoor seating to see the sunset down the descending road and get a bit of street atmosphere.

They seem to be best known for the kebabs and shawarma. But the reason I chose here was because they had local dishes that I wanted. I recall eating mansaf at a restaurant in Amman back in 2009, and it was the best food I had in Jordan maybe also because it wasn't part of the tour group restaurants.

- Jordanian mansaf (lamb cooked in yogurt served with rice, local bread & nuts) - reasonably tender lamb in a rich creamy yoghurt served with additional slightly tangy sauce to drizzle over and soak into the rice. Delicious;
- Mandi (chicken & rice with special blend of spices & vegetables cooked in a pit underground) 7JD - grilled chicken with mildly seasoned but nicely coloured rice.

Both meals were topped with a very thin paper bread. If I was cynical, I'd say that after ordering the young waiter went out down a lane and brought some takeaway boxes back. Just being cynical. At least the food was authentic and delicious and I would definitely go back.

There is also a fresh kunafa place just around the corner called Sanabel for a fresh dessert.

I spent a LOT of time figuring out where to stay in Hurghada to maximise diving and snorkelling. Diving centres are mainly located in town, and snorkelling off the beach is best much further south in Makadi Bay. Fort Arabesque seemed to popup as the place most commonly mentioned for great local snorkelling but there were comments about it being old and staying next door at Sunrise Royal Makadi being a better option for food and just wading/swimming over for the better reef.

In the end I decided upon FA, only really because we were only staying for 2 nights (meaning the food options albeit limited would be adequate) and convenience to the reef for the best possible snorkelling was really what I wanted.

The location is incredible for the snorkeling - it is simply amazing with schools of tropical fish and colourful coral. This is the real reason to stay here and makes up for the negatives. Beach BBQ dinner is vastly better than the buffet, but needs to be reserved (they don't tell you this in advance). It comes with a series of salads and sides and you choose from a grilled main such as fish or mixed meats. All were nicely prepared and tasty.

Club 159 live singing each night is really lovely and turns into a little dance too. Drinks at Club 159 from the standard included cocktail menu are made much better than those from the beach bars. Air conditioning in rooms works well. They also have a PCR service at the hotel (didn't use it as didn't know, they need 72h notice). Not sure how much they charge.

Given the reputation for The Mariner's being one of the best pubs in the UK, I really wanted to eat there. Unfortunately given it was the weekend that indoor dining started it had been fully booked well in advance. There were outdoor tables saved for walk-ins but I wouldn't expect it would be easy to get this under the circumstances, particularly with decent weather. And it was a reasonable drive from the accommodation so going there off the cuff wasn't likely to be fruitful.

Instead we somehow came up with Lanivet Inn, more from a Google search than anything else. And even though it's located on a busy looking road, it was still a quiet evening in Cornwall.

We were tucked at the back area in a nice little corner.

- Seafood jambalaya (traditional jambalaya with monkfish, salmon, cod, mussels, prawns) £14.95 - I didn't realise this would come with rice. It was a huge serving of warming broth and bits of seafood. I hoped for mussels as good as in St. Ives, but these were more standard;
- Baked crab au gratin (white crab meat, cheese sauce, baked in its shell, parmesan crust, served with salad and buttered new potatoes) £14.95 - not too bad but didn't have as strong a crab flavour as hoped;
- Chunky chips £3.7 - a tiny serve for the price but the chips themselves were really excellent, perfectly crisp and seasoned;
- Sticky toffee pudding - can't remember the price, but it was a warm sweet delicious thing.

A pleasant dinner enjoying some of Cornwall's seafood. I wouldn't specifically go back here but if in the area would be happy to stop again.