Danderma's Blog, page 46

Dinner at Bice Ristorante

Last week we were invited by Bice Ristorante to try their newly launched summer menu. I’ve heard a lot of good things about them and was planning to save my visit for a special occasion so when the opportunity came to visit I went there on time and brought along my appetite.

Located in the luxurious Al-Hamra mall, the restaurant is very elegant. Dark wood, dimmed lights, live music, white table cloth, flickering candles on the tables, the works. The atmosphere and the setting is perfect for a quiet night out to celebrate an occasion.

After a warm Italian welcome from the restaurant manager we were seated promptly and a basket of fresh bread and bread sticks arrived on the table along with a bottle of balsamic and olive oil and three dips: pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, and olive tapenade.

There are a lot of items to choose from in the menu but we decided to choose the newest ones from the summer menu given that they are made with seasonal ingredients that are the freshest this time of year.

After we placed our orders the menus were whisked away and a tiny bite of something in a cup was placed on the table. I was told by the waiter that it is “shrimp and parmesan” and I don’t eat shrimp so I didn’t try it, just took its photo.

A complimentary summery drink was distributed for the occasion. It was fuzzy with sugar, berry juice, and orange fanta.

Then our drinks arrived. The basil martini which was basil, lemon juice, and a sprite with a floating raspberry.

Mine? A mojito of course! Not exactly an Italian drink, but I was very glad to find it in the menu and it was very good.

Soon our appetisers arrived. First of which was the Portobello Mushroom salad, with mozzarella “Campana” and mixed green leaves.

Warm mozzarella melting over the perfectly cooked giant mushroom with a side of lightly dressed crisp greens. You could tell with every bite that the ingredients are indeed very fresh.

From the regular menu we ordered the “Parmigiana di melanzane Toscana buffalo”, a layered oven baked eggplant and fresh bufallo mozzarella with tomato sauce, fresh basil, and parmesan cheese.

The dish is very nice and the eggplant is perfectly cooked in the tomato sauce, oozing buffalo mozzarella cheese. The portion was surprisingly tiny though and is enough for one only, not to be shared. Also, those crispy brown things on top are a mystery to me, they were too pointed and in the way. I hope they are not smoked lobster whiskers or something similar.

Not long after the appetiser did our main dishes arrive. I ordered the Penne Primavera, with mix vegetables and a touch of cream.

Frankly my main dish was my favourite dish in the menu. I’m not really a fan of cream based pasta sauces but this one was very light. Too light if I may say so myself. The amount of vegetables was too little in comparison to the amount of pasta. It wasn’t bad per say, it was just lacking that oomph factor that makes me crave dishes and want to have them again but that’s just my personal opinion.

My husband’s dish was some grilled fish fillets over tomato sauce and olives topped with sauteed vegetables. I’m not sure what the name of the dish is though.

When I asked my husband about his fish dish, he didn’t answer me, he just gave me the OK sign over the empty plate. Later on he told me that the fish was really good, extremely fresh, and the tomato sauce was a killer and that I should’ve ordered some tomato-sauce based pasta. I will take his word for it until the next time I try Bice again.

We also ordered one side dish, the potatoes for the table. The only thing that made that dish special is the quality olive oil drizzled on top of the boiled potatoes otherwise its simply boiled potatoes. I believe there are more exciting dishes you could order from the menu.

We couldn’t leave without ordering Tiramisu, we had to try the tiramisu. My husband objected, he said he was too full so I ordered the Tiramisu for myself with a cappuccino. Bice brew illy coffee, a very fine Italian choice for the cappuccino was very good and came with a side of bite-sized fluffy meringue.

How was the Tiramisu? Well, lets put it this way. The spoonful below is the only one I had and I didn’t even get to have a second one, because my “already full” husband took the opportunity of my photographing the spoon to polish off the Tiramisu. Nothing was left for me but the cappuccino. Oh well, we know it was good.

Each guest went home with a lovely bottle of aged balsamic vinegar. A 100-years-old balsamic vinegar to be precise! If I had a safe, I’d put that bottle of vinegar inside, a gift very befitting a fine Italian restaurant.

The most memorable thing from my dinner at Bice was the music. The music was really, really good and I could have stayed there all night with nothing but coffee to listen to the music. If music can be delicious, then Bice’s music is! Thank you Bice Ristorante for the invitation and the gift, we had an excellent time at dinner. Wishing you the best of luck especially with the opening of your second branch this month in Marina Waves, Salmiya.

Bice Ristorante is located in Al-Hamra Mall. For more information you can give them a call on +(965) – 22270247  check their website (link), follow them on Twitter (@Bice_Kuwait), or on instagram (@Bice_Kuwait).

The WH Smith – That Al-Salasil in the Airport

Last May I was in Kuwait International Airport for the first time in many months, perhaps since October 2012, when I noticed a familiar white W and H on a blue background near passport control. I had to blink, for I thought I saw WH Smith’s logo on a bookshop in the airport and then it registered: it is WH Smith! It used to be That Al-Salasil bookshop only, but now its WH Smith as well.

I have a soft spot in my heart for WH Smith, it was the place where I’ve first bought a book on my own in Brighton back in 1988 or 1990. It was Tin Tin and the Cigars of the Pharoah. It was also my number one stop for school supplies and complete sets of whatever stationary trend it was through my school years: Ghost Busters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Jurrasic Park, etc. Now its my stop for knickknacks in the UK especially before my flight in Heathrow: soft drinks, Hula Hoops, chocolates, magazines, iTune cards, and magazines. How does the one in Kuwait compare?

Well they have all the chocolates and soft drinks Kuwait has to offer, not the UK ones, plus ready packaged sandwiches, salads, and desserts. I was happy to see the ready packaged meals which I enjoy whenever I’m in the UK but the selection available in Kuwait is a bit outdated. Would I want some jelly before my flight? It is a very good start though, I’m happy we have anything at all and of course there is always room for improvement in the future.

The new WH Smith is also very spacious, I wonder if they’d increased the space or was it always this big but the re-organization made is seem bigger? It is arranged neatly, clear big white labels over each section just like in the UK. It does feel very much like WH Smith!

There are plenty of magazines, local and international, but sadly the selection of books is still limited. Best sellers include Ihsan Abdul Qudoos novels but that’s hardly That Al-Salasil’s fault, we are used to the limited and outdated selection of books available all around Kuwait by now. Maybe sometime in the future something will change and we would be buying books the moments they are released worldwide but until then patience and e-readers will have to do.

I love WH Smith and I think they’ve done a good job with the That Al-Salasli collabration, the place does look much better than it used to be and its almost like WH Smith in the UK.

Jamrat Ghadha’s Tea Cups Stand

I have a confession to make, I’m an estekana addict! Estekana in Kuwaiti means little cups used to drink tea, and I would take any excuse for getting myself a new set of estekanat that take my breath away. One very good excuse for buying a new set of estekanat -and tableware as well- is the arrival of the Holy month of Ramadan which starting today is only a month away and this brown papered package that arrived from Jamrat Ghadha, a local Kuwaiti business and a distinguished one as well, is just the perfect gift to prepare for the Holy month!

What’s inside? Lets unwrap it and see now, shall we?

A wooden tea stand with modern tea estekanas nestled securely inside! Tea is a valuable asset in post-iftar activities, for you cannot really focus after breaking your fast until you get some good amount of tea into your system and is the drink to serve to any visitor that comes through your doors to visit.

The stand is white -so it goes with everything in my living room- and sturdy. It won’t wobble or crack if tea is poured into the estekanas. It somehow reminds me of a candelabra but with tea instead of candles. You can place the stand in the middle of the coffee table, have tea poured in, and then guests could help themselves to a tea estekana. It certainly would look good sitting there in the middle of the table surrounded by plates of succulent desserts, and there are many many desserts to be consumed during Ramadan.

What I really like is the estekanas themselves, modern glass with a curvy interior bodum style. The estekanas are smallish, perfect Kuwaiti estekana portion sized, and very sleek. You can of course use them with your own little decorated plates and not only with the stand. You can also use them for presenting little portions of, say, soup or desserts like Muhalabiya or puddings.

And it looks gorgeous with the tea poured in…

Gorgeous! I love how the golden liquid seems suspended in mid-air, very modern! I have a similar set of estekanas but they are much bigger and are like tea cups on their own,  those are more petite and sleek. How do they placed inside the stand? Gorgeous!

Jamrat Ghadha who make and sell these estekana holders also sell modern and compact dowwa -coal burner- that can be snugly placed on the coffee table, looking good and not taking much place at all (post). The dowwas come with the option of being operated with electricity or real coal and can also be used with candles. It comes in many different vibrant  colours and can be even customised with your family name or whatever you want to write on it. I’m getting me one for Ramadan as well soon

Thank you Jamrat Ghadha for my beautiful estekanas and estekana holder! I can’t wait to put them into good use during Ramadan insha2 Allah! I’m a big fan of your designs from your logo till the littlest estekana and can’t wait to see more of your products, keep up the good work

All of Jamrat Ghadha’s items are made to order and they are usually busy so if you want to get your items by Ramadan you might want to place your order now. They have delivery to GCC countries too. To order from Jamrat Ghadha you can whatsapp them on +(965) 55498727 or follow them on instagram (@JamratGhadha).

Movie Review: Now You See Me

I remember seeing the trailer of Now You See Me before watching one of the movies earlier this past May. When I saw what they were up to -in the trailer- I knew I wanted to watch it ASAP! What more could you ask for? A start studded cast -Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo, Isla Fisher-, a fresh new story, a mystery to solve, and a thrilling promise -a Vegan magic show robbing a bank in France!-.

The movie started as promised: intriguing and fast paced. Up until they go to New York it was really good and the suspense keeps you at the edge of your seat with a few laughs thrown in for good measure. From New York onwards however it kinda slowed down and the plot began to waver, and I definitely didn’t like the ending. For one thing, it doesn’t make sense to me and there are many questions left unanswered.

Perhaps the movie was censored, it talks about magic after all and it would explain the gaping holes in the logic of the ending. Nonetheless, it is a really good and quiet entertaining movie, worth watching again and again, with lots of salted popcorn and diet coke and is a must have addition to my DVD shelf, at least I’d get to know what I’ve missed because of censorship. Highly recommended.

The Shakshooka Farmers Market Breakfast

The best thing after visiting a farmers market like Shakshooka’s (post) chockfull of delicious items is the meal that follows. In my case, it was a scrumptious Friday breakfast prepared using some of the best produce Kuwait has to offer!

With the lemongrass I got from Al-Wasem farm I prepared a lemongrass tea. The loaf of rye and olive bread was sliced and grilled slightly on the sub griller.

The bread was amazing! So soft I could have happily nibbled on the entire loaf all day long. I spread it with low fat labna and vegetables I got from the farmers market in Sultan Center.

Then there was the coffee infused olive oil I got from 33 Bread Lane, what better EVOO to use early in the morning?

I drizzled the EVOO on my labna open faced sandwiches. Ah, heaven!

Then for something sweet with my morning coffee, I had the golden Qors Oqaily cake I got from Dolce Delights!

Fragrant and crumbly, look at all that sesame! That’s one really good Qers Oqaily!

It was one memorable breakfast, with many more equally scrumptious breakfasts to come our way in the future insha2 Allah! I should’ve gotten some eggs and made scrambled eggs, now I want some but there is always tomorrow by god’s will

The coffee infused EVOO is from 33 Bread Lane you can find them on instagram (@33BreadLane) and the Qors Oqaili is from Dolce Delights and you can find them on instagram (@DolceDelights). The lemon grass from the Al-Wasem farm and the bread is from a bakery that is still setting up but I will update this post with their social media profiles once they are up and running.

Shakshooka Pop-up Farmers Market

Last Thursday I had an opportunity to pass by Shakshooka Pop-up Farmers Market which I came to know about by chance from instagram a couple of weeks back. The moment I realised what it was, a pop-up farmers market with delicious-looking good natural food sold by serious food providers and organised by chef Maryam (Mimi) Al-Nusif with a group of women, I knew I had to go. Therefore come Thursday I wore my walking shoes, grabbed my camera, made sure I had some cash and loose change on me, and headed to the Beit Cedra in Sharq where the market would take place from 6 P.M. to 7 P.M.

My first stop was at The Wasem Farm booth selling lemon grass, chamomile, grains I couldn’t identify, cheese, ghee, and free range eggs so tiny you I couldn’t get the heart to imagine breaking them in a pan.

They also had cakes for shoppers to sample made from their natural products, they were very light and not overly sweet at all. Al Wasem farm still aren’t on instagram but they soon will.

The next booth, oh the next booth. They had bread! Loaves of gorgeous looking bread in big and small sizes and bags moistened by steam from the freshly baked English muffins inside.

I had to choose one type of bread only -I’m trying to cut back on carbs- and though I wanted those English muffins so badly, I went for a big soft round loaf of rye and olives bread which I grabbed before it was gone, and they were going by the second. As I was about to pay the now empty tray which used to hold the loaves of bread was taken off the booth and in its place came another tray bearing jars of wrapped caramels.

The moment the tray was on the table a jar was grabbed so I did the same myself and took a small jar and, well, I am so glad I did and currently kicking myself for not grabbing the biggest jar. The caramels turned out to be “Salted Pecan Caramels” and they are so good, they deserve a post on their own. The booth’s owner name is Altaf and she commented on instagram that her business, an artisan bakery is coming soon and I have to say I really, really can’t wait for that business to be set up and running.

Next stop, Canteen.  a local food business making a line of Mexican style dips (salsa, black bean and corn, mango, original, guacamole) with nachos. I didn’t get the chance to try their products, the booth was extremely busy masha2 Allah, but I’ve heard their guacamole is really good.

Next booth was the Sharq Organic farm. They had paper bags and all you had to do is grab one, each bag containing the collection of organic produce shown in the basket below.

I loved the idea of prepackaged produce, no mess no fuss. The booth also sold butter, free range eggs, and cheese.

Next booth, the cool bros lemonade manned by Abdulaziz and Ahmad, gorgeous boys of my dear Um 3zooz. They were selling bottles of naturally sweetened lemonade in two flavors: original and strawberry.

The bottles of lemonade were chilling on ice and irresistible in the heat, everyone was grabbing themselves a bottle. Needless to say the booth went out of bottles very quickly, good job boys!

Next booth was the @DolceDelights booth selling fresh loaves of bread, jars of lemon curd,  cakes, bite sized biscuits and desserts, and marshmallows!

Mariam Al-Jassar, the girl behind @DolceDelights is also the girl who makes the mocha eclairs I had last week from Madame Sucre Boutique (post)! It was a pleasure to meet you in person dear Mariam, I can’t wait for your first shop to open.

If I regret anything from my Shakshooka Market visit, it would be that I decided the 33 Bread Lane booth was the last to visit. They had amazing looking bread loaves but by the time I was there not one loaf was left. However, I got to try this concoction of theirs: Chocolate Truffle, soaked in coffee infused EVOO, and sprinkled with coarse sea salt!

Very different, contrasting flavours and not for everybody but I liked it. 33 Bread Lane sells jars of the coffee infused EVOO. Other types of extra virgin olive oil on sale include chilli & garlic EVOO and rosemary, lemon, and peppercorn EVOO.

I couldn’t let go of the coffee infused EVOO, it had to go home with me.

The space in which the market was held, a small courtyard in Beit Cedra, was gorgeous! The old and new details found all around the little space.

18 minutes into the market, two stalls had already sold out! 40 minutes into the market and 20 minutes before closing time I had bought, sampled, and met many people and almost everyone was sold out and ready to call it a day. I went home with my bags, happily anticipating the good times I’m going to be having with my farmers market loot!

I loved walking around the booths of Shakshooka’s marke. Spontaneous, serious, fun, and had that air about it, when seriously passionate people come together to do something they care about, in this case provide good food. I feel lucky to be living in the age of the artisanal and natural food renaissance in Kuwait, we’ve come a long way from the days of buying factory made toast, so dry it almost tastes like wood.

Shakshooka Pop up Market was held each Thursday at a different location for the past four or five weeks. The next market however might make it back next September when the weather is more kind to vegetables and the people of Kuwait are back home after their summer travels. You can see pictures of the previous Shakshooka markets by using the hashtag #ShakshookaMarket on instagram. Good job Shakshooka market and chef Mimmi, keep up the good work.

Event: Ghaliah Technology’s 2nd Anniversary

It all started earlier last week when a brown paper wrapped small package was dropped at home, wrapped in white ribbon, with my blog’s name on it from Ghaliah Technology, a distinguished social media company in Kuwait that we’ve been dealing with for a while now.

What’s inside? 

A beautiful square canvas with the name of my blog, Danderma, written in beautiful Arabic calligraphy and in the lightest shade of lime green, my favourite colour -in the pictures its yellow for some reason!-. The canvas is lovely! It’s going on my wall for sure.

The canvas was part of a customised invitation by Ghaliah Technology to attend their 2nd year anniversary celebration on Tuesday June 2013 as mark on the blue save the date calendar sent with the canvas. You couldn’t miss the date fore sure.

Therefore on 7 P.M. on Tuesday we were in Ghaliah Technology‘s office to join in the celebration. The place was buzzing with activity with many prominent names in the social media scene of Kuwait present. Everything was bathed in a fierce blue light and as a result the song I’m Blue won’t get out of my head since Tuesday.

Catering was by Figs by Todd English, a first time occurrence which was very successful, the food was excellent!

Give aways included cake pops made by Little Treats shaped like Social Media Application   Icons. Of course the Instagram icon was the first to go, very cute!

The man behind Ghaliah Technology, Mr. Abdulrazzaq Al-Mutawa, gave a quick speech thanking every one who could attend and Ghaliah’s Team.

Then there was the second anniversary’s cake by The Chocolate Bar and guests actually sang Happy Birthday :p

Then we all got the chance to write on Ghaliah’s wall and draw on our own canvases. My canvas turned out horrible, there was no need to photograph it.

The most fun thing about the event was the Printgram. A service that is said to be the first in Kuwait, which is a printer that will print any picture from instagram automatically the instant the hashtag #Ghaliah2 was added to the picture. Groovy! I want one of those.

It was an amazing event were we finally got to meet the names behind the Ghaliah emails and meet other social media people we know only in the cyber world. Thank you Ghaliah Technology for the invitation and lovely event, happy second anniversary and wishing you many successful years to come.

The Chocolate Hazelnut Cake from The Blue Bakery

A few weeks back I saw a picture of a very delicious looking chocolate cake on instagram, it was the The Chocolate aux Noisettes, or the Chocolate Hazelnut cake by The Blue Bakery whose dessert pictures are heart-wrenching to say the least. Ever since I saw the cake’s picture, I couldn’t get it out of my head and whenever I saw another picture of that succulent looking cake I would start tasting and smelling chocolate hazelnut instantly. I knew it only a matter of time before I ordered it to take to the very next gathering.

The cake arrived precisely on the time in The Blue Bakery’s signature packing, all blue with little whimsical details, very cute indeed and looked good carried in my hands as I made my entrance into our gathering.

The Chocolate Hazelnut cake comes with a small jar of thick melted milk chocolate. The idea is as you present the cake you pour the chocolate on top to add further moisture and taste if it wasn’t already moist or chocolatey enough for your taste.

Look at that cake, can you blame me for obsessing over it? Those chocolate ripples dancing on top of that messy un-uniform chocolate cake? The cake is a beauty in the looks department for sure and smelled heavenly in the way only a freshly baked chocolate and hazelnut cake would.

Going closer… and closer…

Sadly I don’t have a picture of it being devoured but it was very moist, very chocolatey, and the hazelnut taste was very subtle and didn’t overpower the chocolate. I would recommend that you heat up your slice a bit, then pour some of the chocolate sauce on top and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on the size. Perhaps sprinkle some caramelised hazelnuts on the top for extra crunch? Its a feast on its own and will be very much appreciated when taken into your next gathering.

The cake cost me about 18 KD with 2 KD delivery charge and I ordered via whatsapp two days in advance but it can be ordered a day in advance subject to availability. For more information regarding The Blue Bakery or to order you can call or whatsapp +(965) – 55015500 or follow them instagram (@TheBlueBakery).

Things to do in London: The Espresso Room

Ever since their opening and winning of Time Out’s best new coffee shop in 2010, I’ve wanted to try the coffee served in The Espresso Room. I never had the chance to do so until recently when I had an hour to kill before an exhibition I was going to in The British Museum so I walked over to the nearby Espresso Room to try, and I’m glad I did.

The Espresso Room is tiny, with a few benches outside for people to enjoy their coffee and a lone bench inside which we occupied gladly. A tiny coffee shop means the aroma of brewed coffee wafts gently off the La Marzocco to every knock and corner of the busy cafe. If you are a coffee-holic, you’ll know how maddening a whiff of good coffee is, therefore you can understand that standing in a long line sneaking outside the cafe’s door while inhaling the scent of coffee is a happy experience on its own.

The Espresso Room not only serves coffee but a few munchies, sandwiches, and even a daily soup. We ordered the tiny square of Pecan Pie to go with our coffees.

The baristas working behind the counter were really friendly and had that air of people doing something they are passionate about them.  As we placed our orders and took our seat -or rather bench,  they were happily chatting with the customers. The atmosphere is certainly jolly and relaxed, an ideal setting for a coffee place. That’s our bench by the way.

I loved the pecan pie, the perfect complement to my double espresso.

The double espresso: bold, strong, and not for the faint hearted. The crema was thick and gorgeous, I enjoyed every sip of my perfect espresso shots.

What really captured my heart though was the cappuccino. Though cappuccino is not really my favourite coffee drink I felt like tasting it and when I did, I almost drained the cup in one gulp. In my humble opinion it was one of the best, if not the best, cup of cappuccinos I’ve tried in a very long time. When the cup was gone, I went to the counter and ordered me another one for takeaway.

In The Espresso Room you don’t only drink coffee, you talk about coffee, you smell the coffee beans, and you can buy them and have them ground on the spot -or buy a grinder and other coffee-related items-. I left with a takeaway cup of cappuccino and gorgeous-smelling ground beans to brew at home.

By the way those shelves thing shelves on the wall? They double up as the thinnest cupboards I’ve ever seen and hide a wealth of items inside for the cafe’s use! Talk about a space saver! I was so happy at The Espresso Room, I didn’t want to leave.

As I sipped my delicious cappuccino while walking to The British Museum in that crisp sunny spring day, I realised that The Espresso Room is exactly the kind of place I’ve always fantasized about having one day, a tiny coffee place where I brew coffee and serve it, joyful cup after joyful cup, to eager coffee-loving customers. Maybe one day, who knows, but for the time being having those delicious cappuccinos will do.

The Espresso Room is located in 31-35 Great Ormond Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1N 3HZ. For more information and directions you can check their website (link) or follow them on Twitter (@TheEspressoRoom) or on Instagram (@TheEspressoRoom).

 

Review: Cacao Sweets

A friend of mine wanted to send me samples of her new home business to try and give my feedback so on Friday two big white bags arrived at my door from Cacao Sweets waiting to be tried and tested. The first bag had a big plastic container of home made waraq enab (stuffed vine leaves).

The little waraq enabs had a distinct deep burgundy hue and a whiff of something I can’t place but I could tell it was sweet and sour at the same time. The lot were topped with heart-shaped potato slices, the best part of any waraq enab dish and they looked very cute indeed.

How was it? It was good, well cooked with a deep sour taste and slight hints of sweetness. Personally it was a tad too sour for my stomach but I took it to a friends gathering on Friday and the girls loved it.  If you like your waraq enab really, really sour and a touch of sweetness then you should try their waraq enab.

In the second bag there were two white boxes filled with coffee sweets.

The first box had balls of rice krisipes topped with a dollop of chocolate. They were as good as rice krispy based treats go.

The second box had peanut butter chocolates and they were my favourites. They were really really good.

Why are they my favourites? Well, imagine a layer of crumbly biscuits topped with a bit of peanut butter cream like filling and then that concoction is sealed off with a layer of chocolate. When you take a bite you get all three: chocolate, biscuit, and peanut butter. Sweet and savoury, crunchy and smooth, yum!

Thank you dear Cacao Sweets for sending your treats my way. Wishing you the best of luck

For more information about Cacao Sweets you can contact them via +(965) – 94994098 or check their instagram account (@Cacao_Sweets).