Maiden Voyage

At an Arabian restaurant by the shore in Jeddah, our order arrived just when I was fretting over not knowing Arabic in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). My disappointment, however, started fading as the sizzling sheesh tawouk was being placed; a feeling of contentment took over me as the scent of sumptuous grilled chicken, cooked in Arabian spices, diffused through the air. Earlier, the starters of humus, brinjal’s pickle and a loaf of bread had brought displeasure, due to the mild taste and insufficient quantity.
My tour’s orientation was purely religious; however, a bon vivant like me could not choose to ignore the delightfulness of indigenous cuisines and specialties. Jeddah was the last destination of this auxiliary expedition and brought in several manifestations.
At Madinah, I tried the popular bread of the region, Zatar Bread with refreshing mint margarita. While at Makkah, I decided to taste the famed Arab shawarma, whose localized version is also available back in Pakistan. It turned out to be a very different one and depicted the Arabs’ love for diversity and variety, as the Arab shawarma consisted of chicken and an assortment of vegetables dipped in the classic spicy sauce, once again accentuating the Arabs’ love for spicy food and reflected their passionate temperament.
Munching junk food at two indigenous bistros, Al-Baik and Kodu, brought a fascinating insight into the Arabs’ quest to attain self-reliance in every field and making accessible for the nation everything that is available anywhere in the world.
Food culture in Arabia significantly echoes the extravagance of the region and Arabs’ love for luxuries. All eateries, small or big, are thronged with public and the number is increasing. The Arab cuisine has made its mark all over the world owing to its diversified and adaptable savor and a desire of Arabs to get themselves recognized, as food has become a science with continuing innovations for the fulfillment of gastronomes worldwide.