9.331
2 (Sun) December 2018
Hummus! (WHAT)
4.0
at Em Sherif Café (WHERE)
-Beirut, Lebanon-
with Hon RPS
Mission to Lebanon, Day 2 (see previously 9.330 Parrot Fish with Sweet & Sour Sauce).
In Beirut. Here to attend a Meeting of the Regional Parliamentary Working Group on Universal Health Coverage in the Eastern Mediterranean Region – Monday to Tuesday. Follow-up to the meeting in Jordan a few months back (see most recently 9.268 Malabar Grouper). As focal point for the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health (APPFGH) (see most recently 9.231 Boodle Fight), I’m here to help the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office – which covers North Africa and the Middle East – set up their own forum, aimed for launch sometime in mid-2019.
On this mission, I have the privilege of supporting the participation of the Honorable RPS, Representative of the Congress of the Republic of the Philippines. Congressman RPS is a one of the country’s most dedicated health champions and a key partner of APPFGH. He will be delivering a keynote at the meeting this week to highlight the role of parliamentarians in advancing health and to share his experiences in engaging with WHO, including through APPFGH.
I was honored to spend Sunday with him, just to hang out and see the sights. I’m rolling with dignitaries these days.
The food was amazing. Every single dish was pristinely fresh, perfectly executed. The hummus especially, exquisitely delicate in texture yet explosive in flavor – and check out that plating! The best Mediterranean/Arabic/Middle Eastern meal that I’ve ever enjoyed.
The converse of Japanese food – which is light yet hearty, subtle yet substantial – this is is substantial yet subtle, hearty yet light.
