Tonight's dinner. I an now in Kazakhstan, in a swanky hotel, and thought I'd risk a proper meal (these are not particularly linked ideas, just I don't know where the nearest supermarket is). I chose the "local dish of the day" which turned out to be boned and rolled roast mutton with mint sauce. Sauce (gravy) is in the pot top right, and the mutton bottom left.
The mutton was more likely year-old lamb. Almost a British meal!
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Oh my gosh - looks very good.
Mouth is watering now. I have a steak waiting to reach room temperature, I'm not a red meat person, but my stomach has started growling now.

Medium rare is the Only way to eat a steak , unless its a crap piece of meat , then make fajetas , or stew, just this carnivores opion

I have the restaurant to myself tonight again. Attachment 44098
I'm trying to work out which is less glum, eating alone in my room or eating alone in the restaurant.
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Is it off season, or just a low tourist traffic area?

I have no idea. This is the hotel restaurant, and yesterday the waitress said it was empty because it was Sunday. Maybe it's empty today because it's Monday ?
At least I have teh Cellar for company :p

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Your waitress sounds like Annie...

The people come out
Tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on
'Til tomorrow
Come what may
Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love ya Tomorrow!
You're always
A day
A way!

We have a second diner! Maybe by Friday there'll be six of us :D

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The sad thing is, you rarely get better service in an empty restaurant. Especially as a lone diner...

Zip, I went for rare, but with the understanding that I can't cook steak properly for love nor money.
Ended up with medium rare, or maybe just slightly over.
It was still good and succulent and if it had been ordered as well done it would definitely have been sent back.
I then fried up some garlic and onions in the juices while it was resting.

I now have heartburn.
Still, it may be the last one I eat for a long time, so I'm glad I enjoyed it. AND cleaned the hob so well that Mum assumed I'd grilled it. High five to me.

BTW Limes that restaurant looks gorge.
You look like you're in a good hotel for sure.

I like the hotel, and it really wasn't all that pricey: I reckon you could easily pay twice to four times as much as it costs here for something similar. I was vaguely wondering if I should eat in the bar tomorrow, but that's deserted too. And there is always the slight possibility that my ... uh .... morals may be under scrutiny if I do that ;)
Anyway, here is tonight's dinner. I think I will choose the "national dish of the day" every day, so today we have "manty". If you've been paying attention you'll have seen something similar posted by me from my travels previously.
Attachment 44101
The manty are pasta-wrapped parcels of finely chopped (not ground/minced) meat and carrot which look endearingly like trilobites. The white sauce is sour cream, the red sauce is made of red pepper, garlic and oil. I was expecting it to be hot (spicy), but it wasn't.
Attachment 44102

Wow.
Right up my alley.

This post refers to off-Cellar conversations :)

Now you do have to remember, chick, that I am generally a good travel companion. By which I mean I am a bloody good travel companion. Just without your language skills. Think Denholm Elliott; foreign but sanguine.

I am used to spending long periods of time alone. I am happy with just a book, and ideally a camera, in any location.
I can even deal with extreme weather without complaint.
And the prospect of long and/ or uncomfortable journeys does not phase me. As long as I am allowed to reference them later. I don't think I've ever been really moany but I admit I've not experienced really bad travel.

So.
A little bit of food-pickiness is allowed. Right?
Pick, pick, picking on food....?
I promise when you work out a way to take me along as a retinue (ie on expenses) I will not cause any trouble. If I can't see my way clear to eating what you do I just won't eat. Sorted.

C'mon! Pigs trotters, jellied eels, anything bought from Iceland, kidneys, heart, tripe (although I admit I didn't like that) spotted dick and pork scratchings and everyone who knows me...? Caraway seeds are nothing.

Love you :)

You're a great house-guest, too ;) x

Thanks hon.
I'll report back on all hospital food. Doubt there'll be anything contentious.

There is a substantial variety of dishes available at this hotel on its breakfast buffet, including many "classic" items like cheese, ham and baked goods, grilled bacon, eggs any way you like, yoghurt, fruit and cereals. But who wants to eat that sort of stuff, eh?
Here we have my choice for today, starting at the top and going clockwise: plum tomatoes, french toast, fish in batter, meat in a pancake, pasty containing spinach and cheese, chicken in batter.
Attachment 44110
Curd cheese topped off with dried fruit.
Attachment 44111
A lovely, light, fluffy, airy doughnut about 1" in diameter in front of a couple of bread rolls.
Attachment 44112