2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003

The Kuwait Pavilion “Visionary Lighthouse” at last year’s Expo 2025 Osaka just won two major design awards.

The iF Design Awards (@ifdesign), one of the world’s most recognized design competitions, awarded the pavilion in two categories:

Interior Architecture – Trade Fairs / Exhibitions
Branding – Branding & Communication Design

The Kuwait Pavilion was one of the most popular pavilions at Expo 2025, with long queues of visitors around the clock. It featured four main exhibition rooms that took visitors on a multi-sensory journey through Kuwait’s past, present, and future.

There was also a restaurant at the pavilion called Sidra that was open to all visitors and served classic Kuwaiti dishes like machboos and mourabian. Kuwaiti chef Khaled AlBaker (@chefkb) helped set up the menu and was in Japan as the pavilion’s head chef.

This isn’t the first award it has won, but it’s definitely the most prestigious and recognizable. The project involved a number of international firms including the architects @lava.futures, designers @insglueck, contractors @nussligroup, and immersive storytellers @bewunder_experiences, amongst others.

I found a lot of cool photos of the pavilion (and some trippy ones) I hadn’t seen before, check them all out on my instagram here.

The Ministry of Health sets and publishes a list of prices for some pharmaceutical and herbal medication but as a difficult to read PDF. So a reader decided to turn the PDF into an easy to navigate website.

The most interesting part for me was the ability to list the drugs from most expensive to cheapest. When I did that at first I thought his website must have made a mistake because the most expensive drug listed was a 5ml injection solution costing nearly KD 34,000. But a quick search online shows that it actually costs more in some places. So here is a list of the top 5 most expensive drugs on the MOH’s list:

Spinraza (12mg) – KD 33,912.550
Strensiq (80mg) – KD 21,858.750
Fabhalta (200mg) – KD 12,441.820
Wainua (45mg) – KD 12,377.400
Strensiq (40mg) – KD 10,929.380

If you want to check the website out it’s at kuwaitdrugprices.pages.dev

Ok, there is no way to verify if this is 100% accurate or not but I found a newspaper ad for when KFC introduced the No1 sandwich of Mexico to Kuwait… the taco. It’s from November 1976 and the wording of the ad makes it sound like this was the first time taco was introduced to Kuwait. Random.

Beast Games is a reality competition series created by YouTuber MrBeast. The show is inspired by Squid Game, and contestants compete against each other to win $5,000,000. Two seasons have already been released, and they’re now looking for contestants for the third season. Anyone can apply to compete.

According to the Beast Games website, they’re looking for competitors from around the world to represent their country. This could be anyone including champions, influencers, record holders, Olympians, national heroes, viral sensations, or people with unique talents who can represent their country on a global stage.

Three Kuwaitis are competing for a chance to be on the show, and you can help decide who gets picked by voting. The three are @m36.q, @thebonb0n, and someone called Joseph who I couldn’t find on Instagram.

I’m not sure if @thebonb0n is actually competing or if someone is trolling, since there’s no mention of it on her account. The two guys have videos online, while @thebonb0n doesn’t, which is another reason I’m a bit suspicious. I’ve reached out to her to confirm and will update this post once I hear back.

If you’re in Kuwait and want to vote, head to beastgames.com/vote

If you’re outside Kuwait, you’ll only see contestants from the country you’re in. Voting closes May 1st.

Update: @thebonb0n confirmed she is competing

Update2: Finally have info on Joseph. His real name is Yousef Alayoubi and he’s a Kuwaiti content creator currently based in Dubai. His main Instagram account is @mrnows

Hoka is opening a store at The Avenues, taking over the space where New Balance used to be. Although Hoka sneakers are already available in Kuwait, official brand stores sometimes carry models you won’t find elsewhere.

I found that out last year in Japan when I found a pair of monotone beige sneakers I hadn’t seen before. When I asked an employee about them, they told me it was a model exclusive to Hoka brand stores. It’s now one of my favorite pairs.

The hoarding just recently went up so I’d assume it would need another 2-3 months to open up.

Since we are on the subject of sneakers, I recently picked up a pair of the latest New Balance 1080 and they’re so soft and bouncy. I used to think my Hoka Clifton 10’s were soft but the 1080 is on a different level.

With F1 starting again this weekend I figured it would be a perfect time to talk about Halo F1. It’s an always on display that you can build yourself and displays a bunch of F1 info on it.

There are three parts to Halo F1, the stand which you can 3D print at home, the touch screen which you can order from AliExpress and costs around 5.5KD including delivery, and the software which is super easy to install.

The screen I ordered from AliExpress was the following:
Guition ESP32-S3 8M PSRAM 4M FLASH 4.3-inch IPS 480*272 LCD display module with WIFI and Bluetooth
AliExpress Link

It’s a JC4827W543 board and I ordered the capacitive touch version for $15.31 and with shipping to Kuwait the total came out to $18.98. The stand I printed out myself on my 3D printer and the files for it are available on Maker World.

Once you get the screen you just plug it in to USB-C and visit the website halof1.com so you can flash the screen through the browser with the Halo F1 software. Then it’s a matter of connecting to the screen’s Wifi and filling in your home network details and thats it. The screen updates the info automatically through your home wifi network, displays the upcoming race dates and timings in your local time as well as other info like current driver standings.

If you want to find out more about Halo F1 their website has all the details. Link

Yesterday I ordered some dog treats from a brand called Fido. They’re a local business in which they produce 100% natural and single ingredient treats for dogs. I found out about them from an email they sent me back in March but then forgot about them until I was going through my starred emails and found them again. So I decided to try it out since who doesn’t want healthy treats for their dogs especially when they’re priced really reasonably.

They have two lines of products, treats and food toppers. I don’t have an issue with his food but I’m always looking for healthy treats since we spoil him a lot and so don’t want him eating crap.

I ended up ordering the following:

Air Dried Chicken Feet 0.950 KD
Air Dried Sheep Chew for Dogs 1.450 KD
Air Dried Sheep Ears for Dogs 1.250 KD
Air Dried Chicken Treats 1.300 KD

The total was 4.950 plus another 1KD for delivery.

My dog loves them. I let him try the chicken feet, chicken treats and the sheep chew for now, still have to try the ears, but going by his reaction to everything so far, I don’t think he’ll have an issue with them.

The odd thing is the pricing, it’s surprisingly really good for what you get. I will definitely be ordering more once my dog gets through his current stash. If you want to check them out their website is fidodiet.com

I just came across photos of the Kuwait Embassy in Brunei and it looks pretty cool. The embassy was designed by the Thai based studio Architectkidd, who were selected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to design the interior spaces of the embassy and the ambassador’s residence in the Jalan Kebangsaan area.

There doesn’t seem to be a connection to Kuwait in the interior, that’s because according to Architectkidd, they didn’t want to rely on obvious symbolism or direct cultural references. Instead, they focused on how the space could reflect public values in a more subtle and practical way like by creating openness, accessibility, and spaces people can actually use and gather in. The interior’s expansiveness is also unique for a building with heightened security, and helps create a welcoming, non-institutional atmosphere.

The first photo on top of this post is the embassy’s reception hall, which will allow them to host public and cultural events in Brunei. The second photo is the main foyer, which is the first space visitors experience when they enter. It features an atrium with a tall skylight and connects to the reception hall, library, staff offices, and other areas. This is the most public part of the embassy and works as a flexible space that can also be used as a pre-function area for the reception hall.

If you want to check out more photos to the embassy, click here.

Recently I’ve noticed a shift towards cleaner, more mindful eating, especially when it comes to high protein meals. Whether it’s people focusing on their nutrition or those on GLP-1 treatments, more people are paying attention to what they’re eating and their protein intake.

Elevation Burger picked up on this early with their “Better Living” campaign. They kicked things off at the start of the year with the Protein Bun, which contains 13g of protein and was developed in collaboration with Kuwait Flour Mills. They then followed it up with the Elevation Pro Burger, packing 60g of protein while still keeping the familiar Elevation taste.

Now they’ve added another new item to the lineup, protein bowls. The Organic Beef bowl delivers 50g of protein, while the Chicken version comes in at 60g. Both are low carb, high protein options with customizable ingredients.

Elevation Burger also added a “secret menu” item in collaboration with @thedietninja called the Ninja Bowl. The bowl delivers 62g of protein and is only available through the Elevation app and in store.

The protein line is a permanent addition to Elevation Burger’s core menu, tying back to Elevation’s focus on better ingredients, from organic beef to hormone and antibiotic free, cage free chicken.

The full Better Living lineup is available across all branches, as well as Talabat, and through the Elevation Burger app if you want to pick up or collect rewards. @elevationkw

Yesterday it was announced that Kuwait’s airspace was reopening and flights would be resuming again. It also looks like the airport got a bit of a facelift during the closure.

There are photos circulating online showing a revamped interior of Terminal 1. This is the main terminal where most airlines operate, and previously the departure area was covered in grey aluminum panels. Based on the photos, it looks like the space is now finished with stone or ceramic tiles, although it’s hard to tell from the low resolution images.

I don’t want to judge it just yet, not until I see it in person, but the bar was set so low that any change is a good change.

The photos aren’t great quality, but they’re the best I could find.

Snoonu, the Qatari delivery app, is launching in Kuwait as part of its GCC expansion. From what I understand, it’s more than just a food delivery app. On the Snoonu website they describe themselves as a “super app” for food delivery, grocery shopping, laundry, car services, and tickets.

By services, they mean things like booking a gym session or ordering a cleaning service. You’ll also be able to buy movie and event tickets through the app, so it’s basically a one stop app for everything you need.

According to the press release, they’ll initially launch with food delivery, followed by a phased expansion into additional services. This expansion is also backed by Jahez International, which acquired a majority stake in Snoonu last year.

A couple of days ago @in_alkuwait posted a video of a Snoonu driver already out delivering, so it looks like they might have started. The Snoonu Kuwait Instagram account is also live if you want to check it out @snoonu.kw

Third Steep is a new tea house that opened this past week. And yes, tea, this isn’t just another matcha spot.

The owner of Third Steep has always been a tea lover, and even took courses and workshops to deepen her knowledge. Last year she decided to quit her job and open her own tea spot after noticing a gap in the market. While there are plenty of places for coffee and matcha, she found it difficult to find a good tea-focused spot. Since she already worked in the food and beverage field, she decided to use that experience to create her own space.

I passed by a couple of days ago and found the spot really cute. It’s small but feels trendy without looking too Pinteresty. The colors and materials are mostly earth tones, with pops of green and mustard yellow that bring the space to life and give it a bit of a twist. There are also some nice material details that help give it a unique look.

The menu has a large selection of tea drinks without feeling overwhelming. There are currently 8 artisanal teas, two cold brews, and the option to build your own latte. There’s no coffee on the menu, and just one matcha drink. I was actually surprised that cold brew tea was a thing since I was only familiar with cold brew coffee before. In addition to the drinks, there are a few cakes and sandos to choose from.

From what I tried, I really liked the Milk Oolong Cold Brew, the Egg Mayo Sando and the Olive Oil Lemon Zest cake. Next time I’d try the build my own latte option and order the Banana Choco Mousse cake since I want to try that as well.

If you’re into tea or just want to try a new spot, Third Steep is located in Ahmadi Tower in Kuwait City on Sour Street (Google Maps). There’s plenty of parking across the street, and they’re currently open from 10AM to 10PM, daily except Sundays. @third.steep

Service Hero recently revealed the results of their 2025 Customer Satisfaction Index, and the top brands in Kuwait have been named, based entirely on you.

Service Hero is the region’s only consumer powered index, measuring how happy people are with the service they receive across different industries. It’s been running in Kuwait since 2010 and follows strict international research standards, so the results are credible and transparent.

Over 28,800 assessments were collected from customers across Kuwait, rating brands in categories like satisfaction, complaint resolution, loyalty, and more. This isn’t a popularity contest, it’s a data driven reflection of how brands are actually performing. Here are the winners:

Islamic Banks: Boubyan Bank
Retail Banks: National Bank of Kuwait
Car Sales: Lexus
Car Service: MG Motor
Private Hospitals: Royale Hayat Hospital
Apps: Keeta
Dining: Mais Alghanim
Fast Food: Pick Yo!
Clothes: Al Nasser Sports
Electronics: X-Cite
Home Furniture: IKEA
Internet Providers: Zain
Mobile Operators: Zain
Cafes: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Airlines: Emirates
Supermarkets: City Hypermarket

Compared to last year, there are a few changes. Two categories are missing this year, Entertainment and Health Clubs. I asked them why and I was told it was due to not having a large enough sample size across at least three brands to determine a winner.

Update: Service Hero reached out to let me know there was an error on their website. The Cafes category winner is actually The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, not Caribou Coffee.

Around 10 years ago I was invited to visit the Gulf Cooperation Council Joint Program Production Institution, or GCC JPPI for short. It’s a super long name, but if you grew up in Kuwait during the 80s, all it takes is one look at their logo to recognize who they are. They were behind some of the most memorable and iconic shows on television back then from popular Arabized cartoons to their own shows like Salamatak (سلامتك), Quff (قف) and of course, the Middle East version of Sesame Street, Iftah Ya Simsim (افتح ياسمسم).

The GCC JJPPI was created to strengthen the cultural, historical, and traditional connections between the GCC member states. They also wanted to create shows that reflected the Gulf spirit starting in 1977 with the iconic educational children’s program Open Sesame (Iftah Ya Simsim).

Before visiting their facilities located in Salmiya, I had assumed all their archive had been lost during the 1990 invasion, but turned out they still had copies of everything. When I visited back then they had just started digitizing their whole archive, and I recently found out that their archive was now mostly all online and available to stream for free.

If you go to YouTube and search for the user “Barameji”, you’ll find that they’ve uploaded over 3,000 videos. Thankfully, they’ve also organized them into different playlists and include the following shows:

Bombo (بومبو)
Flona (فلونة)
Jazora (جازورا)
Iftah Ya Simsim (افتح ياسمسم)
Quff (قف)
Tom Sawyer (توم سوير)
Salamatak (سلامتك)

For me, Salamatak and Quff were probably the most impactful shows growing up. They were public information programs for both children and adults, teaching things like not littering, not smoking while filling up fuel, or not talking while eating. Random educational lessons that have mostly stuck with me, and I’m sure with others as well. I mean even the opening theme songs are still stuck in my head to this day.

If you want to check all the playlists, here is the link.

After being open since the early 80s, last year Al Muthana Complex closed down and all the tenants and residents were asked to vacate so the building could be renovated. Multiple design firms submitted proposals, and a couple of months ago PACE won the project and will be leading the redevelopment of the complex.

Although the project is still in the early stages and the design hasn’t been finalized yet, I managed to find renders from the initial proposals by PACE, as well as two other firms, DKEC and Bernard Khoury (DW5). Bernard Khoury caught me by surprise since he’s based in Lebanon and I’m a fan of his work. I’m not sure how many firms pitched for the project, but these are the three I was able to find.

The ones above are the directions PACE proposed while the ones below are from Bernard Khoury.