Gastronomy

Omani beakfast is rather salty (bean, broad beans, eggs, with omani bread). The national breakfast drink is milk tea. In the restaurants we fnd also indian breakfasts : Dal (lentils), Kima (mince, tomato, and peas)

Lunch is the most important meal. It is always made of rice, cooked in many different ways but always delicious : Mandi, Kebsa, Maqboos, Kabuli, Biryani, etc… And it comes wit meat, chicken or fish.

Dinner is usualy lighter than lunch : meat or vegetables with bread.

Fish is abundant, diverse, and very cheap ; delightfull!

We find in Oman many types of bread : Omani bread, lebnani, tannoor, Chapathis, Barotas, etc…

Some special dishes :

• Laham Shuwa : Goat, mutton, or beef meet braised and cooked inside a big hole for many hours
• Laham Maqli : Fried meat cooked with garlic and spices
• Brochettes

Some typical dishes :

• Harris : chicken and wheat
• Arsia : rice paste and chicken or meat
• Thiridh : meat or fish cooked with water and vegetables mixed with omani bread
• Halwa : a very typical confectionary to be eaten together with omani coffee (qahwa)
• Midlouk : date paste with butter to be eaten together with omani coffee (qahwa)
• Awal : dried shark

DRINKS

“Qahwa” is the national drink. it’s a quite light cardomom-flavored coffee . Omanis drink at any time of the day. We usualy eat fruits, then dates or halwa before drinking coffee. It is served always in 3 cups, whatever the number of guests : each one drinks after the other one. It is never sweetened.

Tea is usualy served with sugar and milk. It is called “Chai”.

We find in Oman delicious and quite cheap fresh fruit juices. Don’t be afraid to try them : there is no problem with water in Oman!

Because Oman is an Islamic state, alcohol is not freely sold in the country. Non-muslim expatriates can ask for licence to buy alcohol in one shop in Muscat. Otherwise, alcohol can be consumed in hotels and bars having a licence to serve it. It is obviously forbidden to drink in public places. However, you can bring alcohol to Oman and buy from Duty Free at the airport.