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Showing posts from April, 2019

TRY: Lunapark Restaurant

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Colourful main courses with vegetables, fries and rice! My sister, BFF and I had a truly enjoyable time at Buyukada, the largest of the nine Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara. The island is reachable from Kabatas in 2 hours by ferry. Before climbing up to Aya Yorgi Church, we had lunch at Lunapark Restaurant that's situated at the centre of the island.

TRY: Güverte Café

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Turkish meatballs topped with Mexican sauce and cheese, anyone? In Istanbul, Turkey, my sister brought my BFF and me to Kadikoy, a laid-back residential neighbourhood with lots of eateries commonly patronised by youngsters according to her. She introduced us to Güverte Café, a pocket-friendly café that serves mulled wine in winter.

UAE: Etihad Airways EY97 (Economy)

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Surprisingly good cheesy vegetarian fusilli! It was time to leave the UAE and fly to a familiar place once again to visit my sister. My BFF and I flew out of Abu Dhabi to Istanbul, Turkey with Etihad Airways EY97. My sister took the same flight two years ago, when she received a complimentary upgrade to Business Class at the gate.

UAE: Noodle Bowl

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Legit Southeast Asian food in Abu Dhabi! I love puns, do you? Noodle Bowl, a restaurant serving a plethora of dishes close to the heart of Southeast Asians, is located inside Abu Dhabi's Bowling Centre at Zayed Sports City. In addition to substantial main courses, the restaurant also offers all-day dim sum items.

UAE: Zaatar w Zeit

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'Z Knefeh' - "a tasteful explosion to say the least!" Zaatar w Zeit is a successful urban eatery franchise that was founded in Lebanon in 1999. The stylised name refers to  za'atar  (Middle Eastern mixed herbs and spices) and  zeit  that means 'olive oil' in this context. There are more than 70 outlets throughout the Middle East.

UAE: Shish Shawerma

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"The most unique 'shawerma' taste that's unmatched anywhere"? Founded in 2011, Shish Shawerma aims to "offer a high-end quality of shawerma " (Middle Eastern grill of thinly sliced meat) with style. At the point of writing, there are three branches in the UAE and another three in Oman. My BFF and I visited the pioneer outlet, which is a stone's throw away from Oryx Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

UAE: Al Sayyad Marine

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Yummy grilled squid with Sayadia rice! After walking all the way to the northeastern end of Abu Dhabi Corniche in the capital city of the UAE, my BFF and I marvelled at the fresh seafood being displayed at Mina Fish Market. Feeling famished as it was already late afternoon, we had lunch at one of the seafood restaurants near the market called Al Sayyad Marine.

UAE: Oryx Hotel [Breakfast]

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Free-flow of energising lemon mint juice! In Abu Dhabi, the UAE, my BFF and I stayed at Oryx Hotel (4*) situated not far from Al Khalidiya Park and Corniche Beach in the downtown area. Buffet breakfast is served every morning at the topmost floor of the hotel, which offers a panoramic view of the city.

UAE: Etihad Airways EY642 (Economy)

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Decadent chocolate cake for dessert! As mentioned in the previous post on Turkish Airlines Lounge @ Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, my BFF and I weren't going to fly with the flag carrier of Turkey. Instead, we flew with Etihad Airways to its hub, Abu Dhabi International Airport, in the UAE.

KEN: Turkish Airlines Lounge @ Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

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You can get stewed Turkish meatballs there, but... Turkish Airlines operates a small lounge at Terminal 1E of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya. My BFF and I weren't flying out of the airport with Turkish Airlines, but we used our Priority Pass membership cards to gain access to its lounge.

UGA: Endiro Coffee

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"Brewing a Better World!" Endiro is a Lugandan word that refers to a place where family and friends gather for meal and conversation. Since its founding in 2011, Endiro Coffee in Uganda has not only served food and beverages to its customers, but also supported a wide array of compassionate causes and transformation projects aimed at creating a better world.

UGA: St. Anthony's Restaurant

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Where locals go for 'luwombo' and 'matooke'! There doesn't seem to be many big restaurants, if at all, serving authentic local cuisine in Kampala, Uganda. I recall having a hard time finding one when doing my research before the trip. Thankfully, I came across St. Anthony's Restaurant from Google Maps, one such eatery that doesn't actually have written menu.

UGA: Hotel Ruch Kampala [Breakfast]

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Cheesy and spicy omelette for breakfast! Hotel Ruch Kampala (3*) was where my BFF and I stayed for three nights in the capital city of Uganda. Cooked-to-order breakfast is served at the nondescript dining hall every morning, along with a very simple buffet table that has bread, yogurt, fruits and beverages.

UGA: The Lawns Wild Game and Barbecue Restaurant

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Trying kudu and crocodile meat for the first time ever! Located close to Uganda Golf Club in Kampala, The Lawns Wild Game and Barbecue Restaurant considers itself to be a fine dining restaurant that serves international cuisine. Unusual ingredients that you can find there include crocodile, kudu, blesbok, springbok and wildebeest meat.

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