THE Middle East – Where to stay? What to Eat?
The Middle East is known for its extravaganza and luxury hotels. Diverse is one word that describes what to expect from Middle Eastern cuisine. The region spans three continents with people of wildly varying cultures. Here are a few must-stays and must-haves on your menu from different Middle Eastern countries and maybe a reason to explore some countries you’ve never been to before!
Where to stay in Saudi Arabia?
At the luxurious Qasr Al Sharq, there are 46-suites where you will find ceilings with 132 pounds of gold leaf. You will also find chandeliers studded with 600,000 Swarovski crystals hanging over the hotel’s staircase.
What to eat in Saudi Arabia?
Falafel is one of the most famous Middle Eastern delicacies that has gained popularity as a vegan option on menus. It is made of deep fried balls of ground chickpeas, garlic, onions and spices. Sometimes, fava beans can be used instead of ground chickpeas. The balls are brown and crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. You can have it inside a pita bread to make a sandwich then garnish it with tomatoes and cucumbers. Experiment with different sauces such as coconut sauce to enjoy falafel in different ways. Usually, it is served as an appetiser.
Where to stay in Sri Lanka?
The world’s very first tea bungalow resort, Ceylon Tea Trails is an icon for intimate luxury resorts. With five restored colonial era tea planter residences, the period furnishings, a butler service and gourmet cuisine create an ambience that has made Tea Trails the gold standard for luxury bungalows in Sri Lanka. The resort surrounds the well known World Heritage Central Highlands with completely breathtaking panoramas of mountains and stunning tea fields.
What to eat in Sri Lanka?
The rich flavour and mouth watering deliciousness of fish Ambul curry have made it a favourite in Sri Lanka and beyond. Also called Ambul Thiyal, the curry contains a lot of spices and tamarind, which provides that signature sourness. The curry is made with a large and firm fish like tuna with a blend of spices, including black pepper, garlic, cinnamon chillies cardamom and coriander.
Where to stay in Dubai?
The Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Dubai’s most iconic hotel, where white Rolls-Royce Phantoms pass for hotel taxis, the staff to guest ratio is 8:1 and $2,700 buys a scenic aerial arrival on the rooftop helipad.
Visitors can take a yellow submarine ride to the underwater depths of Al Mahara restaurant and splurge $675 on 50 grams of Beluga caviar before a sky-high nightcap, and bill to match, with a $1,300 Bon Fire cocktail.
What to eat in Dubai?
If you are looking for the full Emirati experience, then a meal that has camel meat is a must-have. Camel masala is one of the ways to enjoy this delicacy. The camel platter is a favourite of the locals where the camel is served on a plate of rice and vegetables to eat together. Camel steak marinated in camel milk is another alternative. You can try the different menus of camel steak in Dubai, depending on how adventurous you want to get.
Where to stay in Turkey?
The Mardan Palace is not in the Middle East we had to include it due to the sheer flamboyance of the Turkish Riviera’s.
With one of the world’s largest swimming pools being 172,000 square feet (16,000 square meters) – guests can take a dip or instead take the gilt-crowned ride. With a zoo and spa snow room, it is perfect for a family trip or a romantic getaway. They also have a private beach created from 9,000 tons of Egyptian sand.
What to eat in Turkey?
Turkey has one of the most delicious local foods in the Middle East, and lamb is the national cuisine. The meat is cooked in a hundred different ways to offer a wide range of delicacies. Kebabs are the most famous traditional dishes in Turkey. Try the Sis kebab, which is skewered lamb meat grilled over charcoal or the Doner kebab, which is rolled lamb meat cooked on a hot grill. Different towns in Turkey have their versions of the kebab, so expect a huge variety.
Where to stay in Azerbaijan?
Experiencing extraordinary economic growth from pouring into the Caspian countries oil revenues, Azerbaijan is going to completely rebuild the capital and turn it into an architectural meku in defiance of neighboring Kazakhstan. We wanted to talk about a future hotel being built in the Caspian coast. The hotel will be in the form of a full moon, and the second, on the opposite side of the bay in a crescent. The plan is to build two of the most unusual skyscrapers in the world. This Asian resort reinvents the notion of skyscrapers, with patterns inspired by outer space.
What to eat in Azerbaijan?
This rice delicacy can be made in various ways. Also called pilaf, plov consists of two parts; boiled saffron-flavoured Basmati rice and a sauce known as gara. The gara contains meat, eggs, dry fruits and spices. Lamb and fish are typical meat choices. The rice is cooked with a crispy crust. Parcha-dosheme plov is one of the dishes that you can try. It has mutton and prunes. Plov is one delicacy that you won’t miss at any authentic Azeri celebration.
For those luxury seekers who also want to indulge in finger-licking local cuisine that you can indulge in, these countries offer a lot to see and do, including historical attractions. From the Pyramids in Egypt to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the options are limitless.
