Culinary Wasteland

It has been fun reuniting with friends this week. They are all eager to know what life in Saudi is like. One friend asked if there are places to eat. My answer is yes, we have the same nasty fast food places in Saudi that we do in America, and I prefer not to eat at any of them. The food doesn't always taste the same and they rarely have everything listed on the menu. You may need to have one or two alternate choices ready. Pork products are replaced with a beef or turkey version if possible. So why a BBQ place like Tony Romas' just opened up I'm not sure. When out I try and avoid most meat that is not chicken, because if the beef isn't American, it tastes very different, and sauces don't generally mask the flavor enough.

We have had some decent meals out. The ones I've enjoyed the most were more ethnic. Generally, we consider ourselves to live in a culinary wasteland. I am sure there is good local food, but we don't know where to find it.