I finished my first full day of work on about 4 hours of sleep over the last two days and I'm still not tired. I don't know what's keeping me moving but, I'm going to use that energy while it lasts. One of the first things I noticed while we were driving around town was that even though this is a predominantly Muslim country the people here seem very liberal. They dress and interact in a manner very similar to the way we do. I was a little apprehensive about what I would encounter during my stay here due to my preconceived notions of Muslim society. However, those notions have been washed away and I already feel very comfortable here. Well, as comfortable as a giant western can feel in any foreign country.
After Dr. Blackburn and I returned to the hotel we decided to explore a little and see if we could find a local place to eat. We asked for directions to a restaurant in walking distance and ended up getting a little turned around. I think that part of the fun in exploring new places is getting lost, just a little, because often you will find hidden gems that you may have otherwise passed by. Regardless we found the restaurant which was a small wooden building built along a quite neighborhood street away from the busy thoroughfare.
While their culture and ours may have some similarities the found is rather different. We opened the menu to find a vast assortment of selections, so many that we asked our waiter to assist in the selection. In the end we decided on the cow tail, ostrich, and assorted meat platter. The assorted meat platter consisted of what I think was cube steak, kidneys, and liver mixed in with some potatoes. The platter was served on an enormous sizzling wok with hot coals underneath it to keep it warm. It was quite impressive. We also order an assorted cheese plate with bread and some fresh vegetables. Everything was excellent, even the cow tail, with my least favorite being the liver. I'm not sure what animal the liver or kidneys came from, since they were fairly small, nor do I want to know. The ambiance was supplemented by some live music and I could have easily spent a day sitting, relaxing, drinking some of the local brew.
While their culture and ours may have some similarities the found is rather different. We opened the menu to find a vast assortment of selections, so many that we asked our waiter to assist in the selection. In the end we decided on the cow tail, ostrich, and assorted meat platter. The assorted meat platter consisted of what I think was cube steak, kidneys, and liver mixed in with some potatoes. The platter was served on an enormous sizzling wok with hot coals underneath it to keep it warm. It was quite impressive. We also order an assorted cheese plate with bread and some fresh vegetables. Everything was excellent, even the cow tail, with my least favorite being the liver. I'm not sure what animal the liver or kidneys came from, since they were fairly small, nor do I want to know. The ambiance was supplemented by some live music and I could have easily spent a day sitting, relaxing, drinking some of the local brew.
1 comment:
Ostrich and Cow's Tail????
That sounds very strange for Azerbaijan cuisine.
Azeris don't eat Ostrich. That's a new one for us.
Maybe they said the Russian word for STURGEON - a delicacy - white meat - osetrin and perhaps cow's tail was some sort of "cocktail".
They are not known to eat cow's tail either.
Glad you liked it. Nush Olsun! (Happy appetite!) Smile.
Enjoy your visit!
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