Vegan – Teaching Abroad- American Teacher Overseas

A Review of Sultani Indian Cuisine

Qatar is filled with many undiscovered gems.

On 11/11, my husband and I celebrated our Wedding Anniversary. I can’t believe it has been 9 years. We didn’t do anything big this year, due to Corona and money is tight but he did take me to a nice brunch. He is also in Culinary Arts school and one of his assignments was to take a field trip to a restaurant that allowed him to experience a different culture’s cuisine. We saw a deal on Qgrabs (sort of like a Middle Eastern Groupon) to this Indian restaurant and that is how we found Sultani Indian Cuisine.

Sultani is located within the Swiss Belinn Hotel in Al Sadd. Funny Fact: We were the only ones there. Although this is nothing new for Qatar, the manager said the night time is busier. The deal was for a Diwali tabletop buffet. Diwali, or Dipawali, is India‘s biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians. (https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/diwali/)

My husband called ahead to notify them that we are vegan and would not be able to partake in all of the dishes. He also spoke to the manager, Madir (don’t quote me on that name), who was present the entire time, about our dietary restrictions. The manager was very accommodating and kind. The dishes were brought to our table as they were made, which meant that everything was hot, #winning.

Here is a list of all the foods we enjoyed, which was basically everything: Aloo Tikka, Channa Chaat, Kachumber Salad, Namak Para, Pani Puri, Onion Pakota, Vegetable Biryani, Pindi Chole, Garlic Naan and Fruit Platter. The Aloo Tikki was my favorite (that’s the featured image). My least favorite may have been the Biryani due to the vegetable cuts, too big. I have concluded that Indian food may be the most seasoned food I’ve ever eaten. We have been on a diet for 2 weeks and our stomachs could not hold all of the food. We were full half way through but made sure to taste everything. We had seconds of a few dishes too. Mr. Madir, was even nice enough to allow us to take our food home, #winning. This never happens at brunch. I give the food 4 stars.

The restaurant decor was colorful and clean. I really like that you can see the kitchen. The one to one service was amazing. I give the service 5 stars.

For the amount of food we received the price is a steal, 118 QAR for 2 people, approx $32. And there was way more available but because we don’t eat animal products, we didn’t get to experience everything. (Tandoori Chicken, Shish Kabob, etc… was also available) I give the price 5 stars.

In conclusion. We really enjoyed our little private lunch. It wasn’t until we were halfway through the food that I notified the manager that I was a blogger, so I cannot even say it was because of this that everything was so nice.

Qatar is filled with many undiscovered gems and Sultani is one. There is an array of International cuisine restaurants here. You just have to be willing to try something different.

Why Germany Should be on Your List

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” -George Santayana

This summer I visited three cities in Germany. I went there for two purposes, see a concert and visit a friend. I’ll admit Germany was never on my list and I don’t know anyone whose list it is on however, after visiting I wish I had gone sooner. If Germany is not on your list, here is eight reasons why it should be…

History

It is no secret that Germany is rich in history. For many of us World War II and the Holocaust is the most memorable. But, I also remember watching when the Berlin wall came down on television in 1989. I was 12 years old and we discussed it the next day in school.

Here are just a few of the historical sights in the three cities that I visited- Koln also better known as Cologne, Hannover and Berlin.

Koln- El De Haus- Former headquarters of the Gestapo. Prisoners used to be held in the basement and people on the streets could hear their screams

Berlin- Checkpoint Charlie- Former border crossing

Berlin’s only surviving historical city gate, this site came to symbolise Berlin’s Cold War division into East and West – and, since the fall of the Wall, a reunified Germany. Brandenburg Gate

Berlin- Memorial of the Murdered Jews of Europe

Berlin- Reichstag building- seat of Parliament

A piece of the wall with a strong message

If the historical symbols around Germany don’t move you, nothing will.

Another piece of the wall that touched me

Architecture

Many European styles are reflected in German buildings, medieval, roman, gothic, etc… There doesn’t seem to be one distinctive style. A lot of the East/West history is reflected in the architecture and there is something different around every corner which makes it’s buildings very interesting to look upon.

The view from Hotel Pestana Berlin- Accommodations covered in moss green, very eco friendly

Cleanliness

Germany is a very clean country. I witnessed this in each of the three cities: Koln, Hannover and Berlin. I don’t know about the rest of Germany but I was pretty impressed by the cleanliness of the streets, public transportation and I need to mention this, self-cleaning public toilets.

Parks, Gardens and Romance

Germany is also very pretty. I found the parks to be very romantic and well-maintained. Speaking of Romance, love is locked-in all over Germany. And to top it all, Koln is where Eau de Cologne originated.

Koln- Farina 1709 Fragrance Museum, where cologne was invented

This Bridge is in Maschsee Park in Hannover, people used to put love locks on the railings but they have been removed.

But don’t worry you can still hang locks in Koln- Hohenzollern Bridge- Lots of Love locks

Us after locking in our love in Koln. This is the third place we have locked in around the world.

Posing like the statues but I got photobombed

Public Transportation

I must mention the transportation system in Germany. We took both buses and trains and both were efficient, timely, easy to navigate and clean. They have sections for strollers and fold down seats for the elderly. They have family transportation passes as well. I don’t know how that works fully but as long as my husband and I were with my friend, whom is a resident, we were able to ride the buses and local trains under her pass. Their transportation system uses an honor system but you should buy your tickets and have them available in case they ask for it. We were not asked to show our tickets but once, and that was on the regional trains.

Beers, Bars, Festivals and Concerts

Germans love their beer and it is a major part of the culture. Germany is the top producer of beer in Europe and follows an old 500+ year old Beer Purity Law -only 4 ingredients can be used to make German beer. You can drink it in public too. I mean it is home to Oktoberfest. Beer gardens are big in Germany and your beer glass depends on the beer type you order. *Word of advice- when visiting a beer garden and there are live bands, don’t talk loudly over the music, you will get shooshed.

Festivals pop up all over Germany and you must try the food at the festivals. (We will get into the food in a minute) Germany is also a great place to attend a concert. I was hesitant about attending a concert in Germany because of things I had heard like -they don’t like to speak English, they don’t like black people. Let me tell you, don’t listen to what people say. You must experience things on your own. I would attend another concert in Germany in a heartbeat. I went to see Pink here. Seeing Pink in concert was one of my dreams, so I took a chance in attending a concert in a foreign country despite neigh-sayers. My husband and I had a blast and we were in good company. We felt very safe and comfortable and even walked back to our hotel afterwards (late at night) which was about a 30 min walk but we weren’t alone because many people walked. The crowd was lively and friendly. Pink puts on the best show!!

One of the reasons I went to Germany in the first place

Oldest Biergarten in Berlin. The day we went it was rented out by a party.

Birkenstocks

Did you know that Birkenstocks are made in Germany. I did not, so when my friend took me to a store and birkenstocks were half the going price, I couldn’t help but purchase. And of course the variety is better and you don’t have to worry about if they are genuine because you are getting them from the source.

Food

I saved the best for last. I was in Vegan Heaven. If you are Vegan, you will fall in love with Germany. The food was my favorite part of my stay in Germany. I found great vegan food in each of the three cities: Koln, Hannover and Berlin! I’m not just talking about vegan junk food either. This country had the most variety of vegan food than any other country I have traveled to so far. If for no other reason, this is reason enough to add Germany to your list of countries to visit.

My husband who is not vegan also enjoyed the vegan food. Outside of the vegan food, he was not impressed with the Currywurst, Weisswurst or apple struedel, which are three things Germany is supposed to be known for. But this is because he expected too much. We both enjoyed the Bavarian pretzels, mustard and beer though.

Favorite Vegan Restaurant in Koln, Germany

Look at all that delicious Vegan food- no animals allowed

Died and gone to vegan Heaven! I usually do not like my food to touch but I’ll make an exception here.

I really enjoyed Germany. I can’t say enough about the vegan scene. Visiting my friend, Reem, her husband and baby girl Rhea, who opened their home to us for two nights in Hannover was a bonus. Meeting up with another friend, Alyssa, in Berlin was fun too. Seeing Pink in concert in Cologne was a dream come true. Even though Germany was never on my list of places to visit, there was one specific moment when I knew Germany would forever hold a special place in my heart. That moment was when Darryl and I got off the airplane in Germany and while walking through the airport we stopped at the supermarket and saw the most Alpro products we had ever seen in our lives. The fact that an airport supermarket had vegan products sealed the deal for me. I’m excited to experience some other places in this world that may not be on my list because you never know ’til you go!

U.S. Embassy is located close to the Memorial of the Murdered Jews in Berlin

The other reason I went to Germany- to visit my friend Reem

Questions you may have

Where did we stay and how was the stay? In Koln, we stayed at Hotel Lyskirchen. The room was small but the location was great. We also stayed in the Ameron Koln Hotel Regent on the day of the Pink concert. This hotel was nice and within a 30 minute walk to the RheinEnergie Stadion. It’s restaurant is pricey but the drinks are stiff. In Hannover- We stayed with my friend. In Berlin, we stayed at the Pestana Berlin Tiegarten. This hotel is very nice too but a little far from the sites.

How did we get between the cities? We flew into Koln via Rome. We took a train from Kol’n to Hannover- about a 3 hour ride. We took a train from Hannover to Berlin- about 1.5 hours. We took a plane from Berlin back to Qatar- about 6 hours. As mentioned the public transportation is great in Germany. You can take Ubers and regular taxis within the city as well.

What was my favorite vegan restaurant? In Koln- Sattgrun. Hands down the best vegan restaurant I ate at in Germany. I ate there both days I was in Koln. Others- Hommage (for breakfast). In Hannover- We didn’t really eat out here but I enjoyed shopping for vegan foods in the market. In Berlin- There were many but if I have to narrow it down to one, I would say: Vedang Plant Burger in Berlin Mall. They even had a Mary Jane CBD burger. Others- Dolores California Gourmet Burritos.

How did you find the people? My friend who resides in Germany says she has experienced some racism being from middle-eastern descent and the German people are very prideful, especially the older folk. She told me about an incident where she tried to help this older German woman who had fallen and the women hit her in response. Outside of people providing a service, we didn’t have much interaction with other people. We found the people of Germany to be pleasant, not the most friendliest but not unkind either. They were helpful when asked questions and as African Americans we didn’t experience any mistreatment from anyone. Most people spoke English too and if they didn’t they asked someone who did.

I would love to hear from my readers. What place have you visited that surprised you? What place should I add to my list that may surprise me- has to have good vegan food-?

My Sugar-Free Journey

Listen to your body, it’s the only one you get!

On Monday, I drank a cup of coffee with no sugar and guess what I survived. I’ve also just completed my 2nd 4 day streak of no sugar and it’s getting easier. At first, I didn’t think I felt any different, but last night I went out to dinner and enjoyed a full plate of pasta (which I never do) and topped it off with a Krispy Kreme donut and as soon as I got home I felt extremely lethargic. Carbs turned into sugar and took over my body and my body was not used to that.

This has been my year (school year) of self-care, regular spa and nail appointments, exercising, relaxing, detoxing, healthy eating. Since I’ve been hearing so much buzz around sugar intake and how it affects our bodies, I decided to give it a rest. My vegan diet is already very limited but I’m always trying to find ways to be better and healthier. This seemed like a natural progression.

I started on a Sunday, since my husband does the food shopping on Saturday. But then on Monday, I received a care package from my sister from home. It included all kinds of goodies and sugar, butterscotch krimpets, peanut chews, sour patch candies, starburst, etc… and Cinnabon opened up here in Qatar. I mean could this be any harder?

I went cold turkey Sunday morning-Thursday afternoon. I didn’t even eat fruit. The menu consisted mainly of vegetables and soups, snacks were raw vegetables, air popped corn with nutritional yeast and activated nuts. I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t easy.

Over the weekend I did eat a few sweets, a couple of mini peanut chews. But during the week, I was completely sugar free. By the end of the second week, the desire for sweets decreased tremendously. I didn’t feel like a drug addict denying myself as I did in week 1.

During this short time, I have learned several things. 1. I had a slight addiction to sugar. 2. There is a lot of sugar in products that you wouldn’t believe and I will check content labels for carbs and sugar more closely. 3. You can enjoy things without sugar. I actually got used to drinking tea without sugar. I think I’ll stick with it. 4. You can have energy without sugar. I never felt tired while staying away from sugar. In fact, I think I had more energy. 5. Sugar-less items cost more -surprise! Why does eating healthy cost more than the alternate when there is less ingredients?

I don’t plan to give up sugar altogether but I do plan to be more conscientious of my sugar intake. I’ve read that natural sugar is actually healthy, like the sugar found in berries and melons. I’ll try staying away from sugar during the work week and enjoy a treat or two over the weekend.

There is a lot of information out there about how enjoying a diet with reduced sugar leads to many health benefits and I believe them. Craving sugar the way I did the first week, was not a good sign. Going two weeks without it gave me a lot of insight. I don’t need as much sugar as I was consuming. Someone once told me, “my body is a temple, if I take care of it, it will take care of me.” Listen to your body, it’s the only one you get!

Vegan Eating in Cape Town

My group of 6 that I traveled to Cape Town with included 2 vegetarians, 3 carnivores and me, a veganere (yeah I just made that up) who sometimes cheats with seafood. Finding places to eat where we all could enjoy our meals may seem tiresome but we made it work. In this post, I will highlight a few places where we ate, some vegan, some mixed, and my review of them.

Before I get into to these reviews, I need to first recommend an app my girlfriend put me on on to: Happy Cow. Make sure to download this app when you are traveling to find local vegan spots and restaurants that offer vegan and vegetarian options. It will come in handy. Although, I had done some research on some places to eat vegan in Cape Town, the app proved extremely helpful to finding spots that were close to wherever I was located. Okay, on to the good stuff.

Restaurant: Hungry Herbivore– it is a bit unfair to start with this one because in my opinion it is the best but it was also the first restaurant we visited in Cape Town. We went for an early dinner.

Location: They have two locations. We visited the one located at 11 Orphan Street.

Ambiance: It’s a intimate restaurant with table and bar seating.

Service: The service is good. Servers bring you menus and explain them while also offering their preferences.

Food (click food to see the menu): Amazing. Go more than once and try everything. Personally I recommend the fries, loaded or regular, Oh Sweet Kim Burger, french toast and The Cleanse- fresh juice (best green drink I ever had). My only regret is that I was too full for dessert.

Hearts: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Restaurant: Royale Eatery– a burger joint that offers carnivore, vegetarian and vegan options. We went for lunch while shopping on Long Street.

Location: 273 Long Street

Ambiance: Inside has a diner feel with booths and regular seating.

Service: The service was good but my husband ordered a salad and it took the longest. Our waitress was nice and when we told her we ate at the Hungry Herbivore, her face cringed. I guess they are in competition for the best vegan burgers. Sorry Royale Eatery, the Hungry Herbivore has you beat.

Food: The food was good. I must compliment them on their extensive menu and variety of burgers.

Hearts: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Restaurant: The Old Biscuit Mill. While this is not really a restaurant it is more of a collection of restaurants. It gets honorable mention because all of us were able to get good food here and it is not to be missed on your trip to Cape Town.

Location: 375 Albert Road, Woodstock Cape Town

Ambiance: It is outside but with tent coverings and stores to go into, you can escape the heat. There is live music and wonderful people everywhere. There are clothing and art shops. There is food for everyone as well as drinks.

Service: Well it’s pretty crowded but we never waited in line for more than 10 minutes to get anything.

Food: There is all kinds of food, from bison to sushi. I enjoyed a vegan edo wrap which was very delicious and some Sangria which was also so delicious I went back for seconds. I purchased some vegan desserts to take back to our Airbnb but they were not good. I wish I remembered the name of the restaurant, so I could tell you not to go there.

Hearts: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (The distasteful vegan dessert made me take away a heart but the Old Biscuit Mill really deserves 5)

Restaurant: Tasha’s– contemporary, urban, boutique café. Everyone that I spoke to prior to going to Cape Town talked about this Butternut Squash Salad that I just had to get at Tashas.

Location: Several locations around the world, from Johannesburg to Abu Dhabi. We visited the one at the Shop 7117, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town.

Ambiance: Warm and welcoming with flower pots hanging from the ceiling and plants around. You can sit inside or out.

Service: The service was slow at first but then it picked up.

Food: Of course I had the Butternut Squash salad. That’s the featured image above. The salad did not disappoint. I’ve never tasted butternut squash semi charred, sweet and delicate. It was a nice addend to a salad. I also had some beer-battered cauliflower which was yummy. I would definitely return to Tasha’s for more.

Hearts: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Restaurant: We went to Jarryds, Espresso Bar and Eatery. A restaurant that boast a commitment to sourcing locally produced and seasonal produce.

Location: 90 Regent Rd, Sea Point, Cape Town

Ambiance: The restaurant reminded me of a train station stop, glass encased and airy, tall vaulted ceilings and seating for large groups.

Service: The service was great with several people attending to us.

Food: I was disappointed that the only true vegan item on the menu for breakfast that I wanted to order was no longer available- The Vegan ‘Nice’ Cream Slice. Instead I ordered The Summer Quinoa Breakfast bowl without the poached egg. The breakfast bowl was great and my husband’s potatoes were too. Everyone enjoyed their meal and wished we had come sooner because we were leaving Cape Town that day.

Afterwards, we met Jarryd and he was sorry about the breakfast item. He assured me that next time, I could request to speak with the chef or himself and they would make accommodations to suit my preference.

Hearts: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ (normally I would take a heart due to not having what I wanted but because everything else was so good and they were so nice, 5 hearts)

We visited other restaurants but I didn’t feel like they deserved to be discussed in detail. I really wish we had an authentic African dining experience. We visited an Ethiopian restaurant, Addis in Cape, but I was disappointed as outside of salads there wasn’t any options for me. Cape Town is a real gamey eating city, so carnivores will love it and can experience something new and different. We vegans have a little bit of a tougher time as usual.

Zaffran Cafe- an Indian Gem at the Center

With only a few days left of winter break, I decided to call one of my new coworkers and invite her to lunch. Omaimah is from northern India so when she asked me where I wanted to go, I told her I wanted to experience some real Indian food, what else, duhh. lol

She volunteered to pick me up and treat (she said because this is what Indians do), even though I invited her. ♥ She took me to an area in Doha that I was very familiar, The Center, where the Megamart store is. The restaurant, Zaffran Cafe was right on the other side of the market and after all the times I’ve shopped at Megamart, I’ve never seen it. I have to start paying attention more. We walked in a door and there were several small stores in this area of The center that was unfamiliar to me. As soon as you walk in, the restaurant is on your left.

I looked at the menu but asked her to order me something good. She knows I’m vegan so she tried to be very strategic with what she ordered. She ordered several items for herself and for me. She said, she wanted me to taste everything so she ordered one of almost everything and I could take the rest home.

The first thing to arrive was Pani Puri also referred to as golgappa- small fried puff-pastry bowls filled with spiced mashed potato. They are serviced with spiced water and tamarind juice which you pour into the bowls and then eat them whole. They are said to cleanse the palette.

Then the other items were brought over. There was so much food on our table, we must have looked like two greedy ladies and we didn’t care.

Aloo Paratha and Vegetable Paratha with Indian Pickles (achaar)- Traditional Indian bread made with minced fresh vegetables or potatoes. The Indian Pickles are there for dipping and for some added spice. (Also served with yogurt but I didn’t eat that)

Pav Bhaji- spiced mixture of mashed vegetables or potatoes in a thick gravy served with toasted white bread rolls for dipping and topped with raw chopped onions and a squeeze of lemon.

Chola bhatura- a combo of chana masala (spicy white chickpeas), and a fried bread made from soft wheat. The bread was so puffy when it first came out, then it started to deflate like a balloon. You use the bread to sop up the masala, then eat a sliver of onion behind it.

Samosa- wheat flour or maida flour shell stuffed with some filling, generally a mixture of mashed boiled potato, onions, green peas, spices and green chili. The entire pastry is then deep-fried to a golden brown color, in vegetable oil, (speak to the cooks to find out if this is cooked in oil or ghee) served with tamarind and mint dipping sauces. I was familiar with samosas from childhood. A friend of my mother’s used to make these; she was from Africa. So these were sort of nostalgic for me. Don’t eat that green chili pepper, she warned me.

Last was dessert, that I didn’t catch the name of. Omaimah got me this little pastry with pistachios and silver on it. She told me not to try to peel the silver off just eat it; this dessert is made with an edible silver leaf, not foil. Okay!

My take on the food: Everything was tasteful. I had heard that Indian food can be very spicy but I think they looked at me like –she’s American, better go light on the spices. The Pav Bhaji was my favorite, so flavorful and delicious. I had a difficult time sopping up the vegetables and gravy on my bread, so Omaimah taught me how to kind of fold the bread around the mixture. I thoroughly enjoyed eating with my hands and she even encouraged it.

My take on the service: Service was excellent. They brought everything out to us rather quickly and they all smiled. The food was hot and I had no problems with anything.

My take on the ambience: Honestly it’s a hidden gem. It’s small but clean, not glamorous but it’s not a big time restaurant either. You can eat in or take out so it’s set up for that. I kind of like the gully places; they tend to have the best food. Next time, maybe I’ll read this wall while I stuff my face.

My take on the price: I overheard the manager quote a price to my friend of a little over 100 Riyals. That’s about $30 USD and that was amazing for all the food we had plus tea and water for two people. (Note: Omaimah is a regular there and probably gets a good price though)

Would I recommend this place: HELL YEAH! I bought back all my leftovers and couldn’t wait for Darryl to taste everything. And since it is so close to home, this may be my new little spot when I’m craving Indian food.

A High-Tea for Vegans in Qatar

I’ve been hearing a lot about something called High-Tea and I didn’t know much about it but I knew I wanted to try it out. Through a group on Facebook, I’d heard that the Shangri-La Hotel here in Doha offers a vegan afternoon tea and without knowing any more than that I booked it.

For 98 Riyals you and a friend can enjoy an assortment of coffee, teas and small bites such as: Falafel in pita bread, mushroom and pine nuts calzone, asparagus baked in filo pastry, berry crumble, banana and date almond bread, banana ice-cream and more. It was a small amount of food but it was nice for a light, late lunch. The eating area is comfortable and quiet and several waitresses are there to assist. I was just happy, this vegan had an uncompromising and tasty lunch.