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).