6.156 Jordanian Grill Platter

6.156

10 (Wed) June 2015

Jordanian Grill Platter

2.0

at Kempinski Hotel [room service]

-Amman-

solo

Mission to Jordan, Day 3 (see previously 6.155 Dough!).

In Amman.  Arrived yesterday.  Today thru Saturday, I’m participating in a workshop to support countries in strengthening their legal frameworks to restrict the marketing of junk food to kids.  Going back Sunday evening.

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Despite the fancy facade and famous lineage, the Kempinski Hotel in Amman wasn’t too impressive.

After the first day of the workshop, too tired to go out — still jet-lagged, woke up this morning at 0400 — I opted to stay in and get room service.

The “Jordanian Grill Platter” will have to suffice as my first Jordanian dinner for GMTD.

Two days in country, and I have yet to enjoy a proper dinner here.

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Even worse, both dinners thus far — one of which was actually lunch — have been in this very room.
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Tabouli (2.5) — at least I got to try my favorite Arabic dish at the source; essentially the same as those that I’ve had in Manila (see for example 6.137 Mixed Grill + Tabouleh), but with way more (too much) olive oil. 

The food was meh.  All the meats —  lamb chop, lamb kafta, chicken kebab, beef kebab — were dry.  The rice was dry.  The tabouleh made up for it — maybe that explains all that oil.  Whatever.

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The photo doesn’t adequately capture the enormity of this platter, the biggest plating of rice that I’ve ever seen; those are whole chickens (each about 1 kg).

On the other hand, I was blown away by the buffet in the hotel, both at breakfast and at lunch.   Mostly vegetables, fresh or pickled, delicately dressed in various combinations of lemon juice and/or olive oil and/or herbs and/or spices.  Meats, simply grilled.  No heavy/greasy sauces in sight, just a whole lot of lusciously light yet creamy dips/spreads, such as labneh (yogurt), moutabal (eggplant), hummus (chickpea).  AWESOME.

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I could eat like this every day — in fact, we should all eat like this every day.

2 thoughts on “6.156 Jordanian Grill Platter”

  1. i think i could eat like that most days but only if someone else cooked it for me! actually it’s great tomato/cucumber season here. you inspired me to buy some for dinner tonight.

    Reply

  2. funny you should mention cooking for you — see post on hummus.

    since when does LA operate on a seasonal basis?

    anyway, quite gratifying when something i write on the blog nudges someone in the right direction. makes me feel powerful.

    Reply

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