DD, not to be confused with DDD

This past weekend was filled with Dining and Driving (DD), not to be confused with Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives (DDD.)  On a side note, we get the British version of the Food Network over here.  They seem to love Guy Fieri, who can be seen like three times a day!  But back to DD.  This blog posting was just going to be about the scenery around Muscat.  But we ended up going to three restaurants this weekend, and we took pictures along the way. 

                                                   

                              This is the road down to the Shangri-La Resort, where we had lunch.  

                         

The scenery off to the side.

The road to this resort and was literally carved out of the mountains.  There are amazing rock formations all around.  We had to wait till the restaurant opened at noon.  Meal times are later in Oman.  We were happy they opened at noon.  We had the lunch buffet at Al Tanoor restaurant in Al Bandar Hotel, one of the three hotels at Shangri-la.  I have no pictures of the buffet, because this posting was just supposed to be scenery.  But take my word, it was a scrumptious buffet.  I loved the selection of Omani, Bristish, Indian, and Iranian dishes.  I had the chance to try things I may not have ordered in a restaurant. I also indulged in strawberries, something I am too cheap to pay for in the grocery store.  If you come visit us in Oman, I will bring you here!

These are some on the Oman Ministry and government buildings on our drive back to Muscat.

 

There are lots of roundabouts in Muscat and Oman.  A lot of the roundabouts have beautiful artifacts, monuments, or artwork in the middle.

                                                            Another roundabout.

                       There were several of these pavilions in this park near the corniche in Mutrah.

                                                       This is the Mutrah Corniche. 

We tried to go to the Souk, or marketplace, this afternoon.  Unfortunately, many businesses close in the afternoon, open around 4 or 5, and stay open late.  We keep forgetting that.  It should have gotten the hint when we easily found a parking spot!

In the evening, we ate at a Tahi restaurant with some new friends.  The restaurant was Meji's Aroy Thai, in Shatti Qorum.  The food was very good, especially the soup.  I can recommend the beef with red curry paste.

But this was the highlight of the weekend-- the Samman restaurant in the town of Sifah, a 45 minute drive from Muscat, most of it in the mountains.

This is the restaurant.  It looks like a beachside shack, and that is pretty much what it is.  A nice shack, though.

                The views to the side of the restaurant.  Again, I am thinking Hollywood backdrop.

                                                         
                                                                The view from our table!

We started with some Arabic bread, hummus, salad, and some other yummy thing.  I am trying to get the names of all these foods, as best I can.  Notice our water.  It came with a slice of cucumber, a slice of lemon, and a mint sprig.  Very refreshing!  We all also had the seafood soup, and we could have stopped there.  It was delicious and filling.

This was Joe's plate.  Grilled lobster and fish.  I had grilled prawns.  The lobster comes off the coast of Oman, as did all the fish.

                                                       Other side of restaurant's view.

                                                                          Donkeys!

As we drove back to Muscat, we passed a couple of small villages.  And yes, the goats roamed freely in all the villages.

These fishermen were returning at the end of the day.

And that is the end of this weekend's Driving and Dining.  Stay tuned for the next episode.