Ramallah

A big part of Arab hospitality is in food. As I have now learned, guests are coaxed, prodded, forced even, into eating... non stop. Such was my experience last week when a few of us visited in Ramallah, the capital city of the West Bank.

We entered Darna, the "best restaurant in Ramallah", so said our host. The scenery was incredible: green trees, glass windows, and large family style tables covered the restaurant in a welcoming feeling. Immediately, plates and plates of food were set in front of us. It was a typical Arab meal: salads of all varieties, eggplant dishes, hummus, bread baskets brimming with pita. Then, after we were already stuffed from appetizers, out came kube, fried meat dumplings. Next, the main course: meat and vegetables cooked in a clay pot and spooned over a bed of rice.

It was all delicious. But it was too much! And there was no way we could refuse any of it for fear of offending our host. After we finished, stuffed to the seams, we thought we had escaped, but no. Next we went to Eiffel Bakery, where we were served plates of knafe. Knafe happens to be my favorite dessert, so I wasn't about to say no. There were two types, rough or soft. The soft kind tasted like a sweet corn bread with melted mozzerella and cinnamon underneath. The rough kind (most everyone's favorite, not mine.) was more of a sweet cheese baklava.