Everybody needs a table full of comfort

February 28, 2012 6 Comments

Clockwise from bottom left: Gulaman, Tapsilog without the -si (sinangag) and chicken mami

When people ask me how I am here, I do say “I’m okay.” or “I’m fine.” or sometimes “I’m really happy here.” I really am okay. I really am fine. I really am happy here. But there are times that I do feel lonely, every once in a while. Good thing that food is there to ease me out of the loneliness I feel.

When I feel lonely, I usually go out for some falafels, crispy garlicky balls of ground chick peas, with tahina dipping sauce, creamy sesame seed paste, or a manakeesh, which I personally think is the Arabic pizza stuffed with labneh (soft cheese made from yoghurt) and honey, from the little shops across the street. But this time around, I was surprised to find some comfort in Filipino food from Delmon, a Filipino restaurant in Karama.

The tapsilog (tapa / cured beef + sinangag / garlic fried rice + itlog / egg) reminded me of the smells from the busy morning kitchen wafting into my bedroom, which was right above the kitchen. The gulaman (sugar pandan drink with jelly cubes) reminded me of the hot tropical summer afternoons when we: my mama, my sister and I, would stop for these roadside thirst quenchers. The chicken mami (chicken noodle soup) reminded me of the many times we’ve been caught stranded in the floods on waterlogged monsoon nights.

The meal wasn’t spectacular, but they were delicious reminders of the wonderful life I had with my family back home. Every spoonful of tapsilog with an equal portion of salty vinegary tapa, creamy runny sunny-side up egg and garlic rice sent me spiraling into the comforting arms of memories that I’ve managed to bring to Dubai, along with an overstuffed, fuchsia suitcase of my belongings.

I miss everyone terribly, but I realized that despite the loneliness, I still am blessed to have someone, actually a lot of someones, to share my meals with and create new memories with. Maybe sometimes all you need is someone to share a table (filled with food, no less) with to help alleviate the loneliness.

So I am sending out a big thank you to The Husband and my new found friends here in the desert! Thank you!

Delirious about delicious,

Didi

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  • http://www.iliveinafryingpan.com/ I Live in a Frying Pan

    awww…such a heartfelt post. I loved breakfast, strolling into karachi darbar, and just chatting with you. That chicken mami spoke to my soul. I want it again this morning!

    Here’s to many more memories over heart warming food!

    • http://dfordelicious.com/ Didi

      I was lucky to have someone with me, else I would have burst into tears with every spoonful of that tapsilog :s Yes, cheers to making more Dubai food memories!

  • http://twitter.com/DevinaDivecha Devina Divecha

    Touching post, also because I identify with it in a way. Loneliness is quite painful and hits you at the most random times. I never really understood it when people said it’s possible to feel lonely in a crowded room until this last year. I’ve experienced that so many times, it’s hard to count.
    I’m glad you’ve found friends to keep the loneliness at bay… and glad you found Delmon ;)

    • http://dfordelicious.com/ Didi

      Heya lady! Those friends include you! Hehehe! Yeah it does come in the most random times…irritating sometimes. I’m thinking that it could be a hormone thing, but not time. So it is really just a random lonely moment

  • http://nadiamasood.com nadia

    Very well-written, Didi! I can completely relate to this post. Food and the smell that accompanies it manages to always transport us back in memory. 

    • http://dfordelicious.com/ Didi

      I do appreciate the compliment :) Thanks very much! I guess anyone away from home feels the same way.

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