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Back in August, I posted about a place called Tea Party Sweets that had Sunkist and Vimto flavored soft serve. Now the same place have created a new flavor based on the popular Yan Yan snack and the ice cream is served in the actual Yan Yan package similar to how the Sunkist ice cream was served in actual Sunkist cups.

I haven’t tried it yet but it looks pretty good from the photos although I didn’t think much of their Sunkist and Vimto ice creams. I do wonder though what other old-school based soft serve they’ll come up with next. Check out more photos on their instagram @tea_party_sweets

Kuwait Motor Town are starting their 2019/2020 season this coming weekend with an open track experience at the race track! An open track experience is when drivers sign up to race their cars around the circuit for fun and I’m super excited for the new season to start.

The KMT race track opened last year and it was incredibly fun not only racing around our great track but also just meeting other people and hanging out with friends. There are 4 car open track events and a bunch of bike open track and drift events up on their website right now. Since the weather is still pretty hot me and my friends signed up for the later dates (October 25, November 1) which are now showing as sold out. But, there are still spots available for earlier days if you’re interested.

The entry fee for a driver with a car is KD75 (which is really good) and the number of cars is usually limited to around 70 cars per open track day. If you want to find out more or if you’re interested in signing up then visit the KMT website [Here]

Here is also a link to their instagram account which is @kmwkw

Photo on top by @81gram

Over the weekend I passed by Digits and picked up an iPhone 11 Pro to replace my iPhone XS with. I’m going to be posting my opinion on it later this week but if there is anything specific you want to know or want me to try out, let me know in the comments so I can include it in my post.

I spotted this Alfa for sale online back in late March and I then flew to the Netherlands a week later to check it out in person. Once I got back to Kuwait I bought the car and since then it’s been a painstaking process to bring it to Kuwait. Most of the delay took place in the Netherlands were they needed around two months to register the car and get the paperwork in order before the car finally left Netherlands at the end of July and reached Kuwait earlier this month. My shipping company had a bunch of paperwork to do before it was finally released from Shuwaikh port and was delivered to me late last night. I still need to get the car registered since it doesn’t have any license plates yet but at least it’s now with me and parked in my basement.

When they dropped the car off around 12:30AM I decided to take it for a spin around the block. It felt so good driving the car and now I can’t wait for the remaining paperwork to get finished so I can drive it properly. The Public Authority for Industry gave me a temporary release for the car and I had to call a number and have someone come to inspect the car today. They actually just came took photos of the car and my car’s vin number. I had to pay them a fee of KD18 they will be uploading the photos to the Public Authority database for the next step of the registration process. Other than that I also had to pay a 5% customs fee on the car before it was allowed to leave the port.

Not sure what the next step is since my shipping company (Transcrate) are taking care of the whole process for me. I originally was hoping to create a sort of a “How to import a classic car to Kuwait” guide with all the steps you need to take, but I’ve now realized since I’m not doing the paperwork myself, these posts aren’t turning out that way. Hopefully, they’re still a bit helpful.

You would think this would be an easy post to do for me but with so many burger options to choose from, it was actually pretty difficult to find my very top three. Here are the results:

#1 BBT (KD1.750)
Bun: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Looks: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Taste: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#2 White Robata (KD5.000)
Bun: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Looks: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Accessibility: ⭐⭐
Taste: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price: ⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

#3 Little Ruby’s (KD4.750)
Bun: ⭐⭐⭐
Looks: ⭐⭐⭐
Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐
Taste: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

My biggest difficulty with putting this list together was the fact that there are so many great burgers in Kuwait, but in the end, it really came down to which places I personally keep going back to. Up until a few days ago I had even decided McDonald’s should be on this list since the Big Mac is probably the burger I have the most.

The BBT is a delicious burger thats well priced and easily accessible. There are no longer any queues and it’s a pickup place so you’ll have to eat in your car but I love that. White Robata on the otherhand isn’t a place you’d associate with burgers, but the owner of the place also has Burger Boutqiue and OFK which at point also had my favorite burger. The wagyu burger at White Robata is extremely delicious and melted in my mouth like hot butter, but, if you don’t like your burgers cooked medium rare and bloody then you’re not gonna like this. White Robata currently have a sort of a social experiment going on, all their best cuts of meat can only be ordered medium-rare. I love that they’re doing that. Finally, the Bronte burger at Little Ruby’s has been my go-to burger since 2010, but even their double cheeseburger could have easily made this list.

What’s your favorite burger place in Kuwait?

Last week the Ministry of Electricity and Water rebranded and you can see their new logo above. I kinda liked the old logo, probably because I grew up with it and as a kid. The new logo feels a lot more generic and I kinda wish they had just facelifted the original logo slightly.

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A post shared by وزارة الكهرباء والماء والطاقة المتجددة 🇰🇼 (@mew_kuwait)

On a side note, I just visited the website of the Ministry of Electricity and Water to see if I could find info on the new logo and realized they don’t have an English section. Has that always been the case? I don’t pay for electricity but I’m assuming there are non-Arabic speaking expats that do?

via Reddit

A couple of years ago I ordered a NOCO battery booster off Amazon after reading a lot of great things about it. Since then I’ve kept it in the trunk of my FJ in case my battery after dies and I need to boost it. I haven’t had to do that yet but I have used my battery booster a number of times to help other people start up their cars and you can read my review on it here. I’ve been wanting to order another one to keep in the trunk of my Lotus but I didn’t want to go through the hassle of ordering one online again.

But, now there is a place in Kuwait called Garage Shuwaikh that started selling NOCO products and I got mine yesterday (another GB40) for basically the same price as Amazon. It’s actually cheaper than what I paid since the booster I got costs KD30 on Amazon without tax and shipping, while here in Kuwait it’s selling for KD32 including delivery. If you’re interested in getting a battery booster (every car should have one) they have special launch prices right now which is why they’re so well priced. Here is a list of products they have with the ordering number below:

Battery Charger
G750 .75A Smart Battery Charger KD10
G3500 3.5A Smart Battery Charger KD17
G15000 15A Pro Series Smart Battery Charger KD55

Battery Booster
GB20 Sport 400A Lithium Jump Starter KD25
GB40 Plus 1000A Lithium Jump Starter KD32
GB50 XL 1500A Lithium Jump Starter KD45
GB70 HD 2000A Lithium Jump Starter KD60

Cases
GBC013 Boost Sport/Plus EVA Protection Case KD6
GBC014 Boost HD EVA Protection Case KD9

To order just call or whatsapp 99605057

There are two hotels opening up in The Avenues, the mid-priced Hilton Garden Inn and the luxury Waldorf Astoria. The Hilton Garden Inn is located on the inside road near Avenues Phase 4 while the Waldorf Astoria is located on the opposite end overlooking the 5th Ring Road.

According to the user who shared these renderings, it doesn’t look like either of these hotels will have a good view which I knew would be the case since it’s an industrial area. But, what I didn’t consider was the fact that half the rooms would overlook the Avenues roof which is even a worse view:

I got a sneak peek into one of the second-floor rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn a few months ago and while the decor is nice given the smaller footprint, the room faced directly onto air-conditioning ducts right on the roof of the mall itself. I’m sure if technicians or other people are roaming around on the roof, they’d be able to peer directly into the rooms on the lower levels. The HGI’s pool will also face north onto the garages of Shuwaikh, so not much to see there at all. source

Check out all the renderings below.

Thanks Khaled!

Barbecue that spreads over the entire terrace of Al Bustan Restaurant of Radisson Blu Hotel promises an amazing dining experience and offers variety of freshly grilled specialties inspired by local, European and South Asian urban cuisines. Innovative setup of the ‘all you can eat buffet’ features live grill, cooking and carving stations. The terrace hums with live music throughout the evening to complement that soothing ambiance.

The outdoor terrace is transferred into a live cooking / grill show and our Chefs make sure the food is prepared exactly the way you like it! From live BBQ grill section that offers everything from kebabs and grilled meat to selection of fresh fish and seafood including prawns, sea bass, salmon, hamour to live carving section offering whole stuffed lamb, short ribs, prime ribs and more. The special ethnic stations showcase the best of Chinese and Indian cuisines. The buffet will be seasonally updated by the specials of the season bringing even more variety to the menu.

Wrap up the perfect evening with a scoop of ice cream or glass of delicious mocktail while you just sit back and listen to the live music produced by our band. Al Bustan Restaurant is a place to be, make sure you won’t miss it. BBQ is held every Wednesday night at Radisson Blu.

Al Bustan Restaurant & Terrace, Radisson Blu Hotel, Kuwait
Wednesdays from 18:30 to 23:00
E-mail: [email protected]
T: +965 2567 3410

Onam is the biggest and most important festival of the state of Kerala in India and it’s also celebrated here in Kuwait. Today and over the weekend some Southern Indian restaurants in Kuwait will be offering the traditional vegetarian dish Onasadya and I’ve listed some of those restaurants below:

Sangeetha Veg Restaurant – Salmiya
Price: KD2.250
Telephone: 56503003
Facebook: SangeethaKuwait

Saravanaa Bhavan – Fahaheel/Salmiya
Price: KD2.500
Telephone: 23929099 / 25716686
Facebook: SaravanaaBhavanKuwait

Thakkara – Fahaheel/Salmiya/Farwaniya/Dajeej/Abbasiya
Price: KD2.000
Telephone: 23920699
Facebook: ThakkaraKwt

Udupi Restaurant – Fahaheel/Kuwait City/Salmiya
Price: KD2.000
Telephone: 22423021 / 25456565

If you know of any more places serving Onam, let us know in the comments.

Earlier this year, Korea Grill, the small Korean restaurant in New Park Hotel closed down along with the hotel and so they were forced to relocate. Last week they finally reopened but this time at the Radisson Blu and they’ve rebranded to The Kimchi.

The Kimchi took over the location of the Polynesian restaurant Kon-Tiki which had opened back in 2004 when Radisson Blu used to be the Radisson SAS. I believe Kon-Tiki closed down over a decade ago (not sure) and I think its been empty ever since. I remember I saw the place when I got a tour of the hotel after they refurbished it, but I don’t recall what this space was being used for back then. The interior was always nice looking with lots of wood and bamboo and private rooms built to look like small Asian structures. The restaurant is located underneath the Al Boom ship and the hull of the ship is integrated into the interior. The Kimchi updated the space a bit and it still looks good although I do wish the lights were dimmed a bit to give the space a moodier feel.

The menu is pretty huge now so I’m assuming everything that was on the menu at Korea Grill is still there along with a lot more new items. I went for some Korean BBQ and ended up ordering their set menu of assorted cuts for 2-3 people. It was good but I felt it was overpriced at KD28 considering neither of us left full. I actually contemplated passing by Peacock to continue dinner there because I was still hungry. I didn’t want to order any more food at The Kimchi since the service was incredibly slow and disorganized. I know that’s normal for a place that just opened but it was still frustrating having to ask for things multiple of times or watching people get their drinks or food before us even though they had come in later. I couldn’t wait to leave honestly.

I’ll give the place at least month or two before I head back again, hopefully by then they would have worked out all the kinks. Right now The Kimchi is open daily for lunch from 12PM to 3PM and then again for dinner from 6PM to 10PM. The place is big with lots of seating so I don’t think you need reservations. For more information and photos check out their instagram account @q8koreagrill

Yesterday night I dropped by Calma, the first float center in Kuwait. Float centers (sometimes called spas) use large pods called isolation tanks that you float inside of in complete darkness to deprive your mind of external senses. The pods are soundproof and filled with extremely salty shallow water that is heated to your body temperature. The saltwater allows you to float effortlessly on the surface while zoning out in complete darkness and silence.

People use flotation tanks for muscle relaxation, to lower anxiety and to help with depression.

When you first walk into Calma it feels like you’ve just walked into a spa. After a small introduction on isolation tanks you’re led into one of their four flotation rooms where you’ll have access to your own pod and private shower. There you’re given some more instructions before you’re left alone to start your float session.

Although I had heard of flotation tanks before, I only got to try it for the first time yesterday. I was curious to know how it would feel floating in the tanks but I was also curious to see if it would feel claustrophobic or not. I did an MRI scan once and it felt extremely uncomfortable and so was worried this would feel the same. It surprisingly didn’t! The pod actually feels spacious once you’re inside, even after you close the lid. Then, once you turn off the lights it no longer feels like you’re inside a pod, it feels like you’re floating in the ocean in complete darkness or even in space.

The flotation sessions last one hour and cost KD30. Compared to prices abroad that’s fairly reasonable considering we’re in Kuwait and that Calma is located in the basement of Symphony Mall and not some shady first-floor building in Salmiya. Right now they’re in their soft launch phase and only accepting bookings through direct message on instagram. So if you’re interested in trying this out you can find them on instagram @calma_kw

UFC 242 is taking place this coming Saturday in Abu Dhabi. Because the fights are taking place right next door, the event timings work really well for us with the first fight starting at 9PM on Saturday.

If you want to watch the fights live then the easiest way to do so is by downloading the UFC Arabia app from the Kuwait Apple Store (I’m guessing its the same for Android devices). For $4.99 a month the UFC Arabia app allows you to stream live Pay Per View (PPV) events at no additional cost, in addition to the weigh-ins, post-fight press conferences, and various other videos.

I just signed up to it to try it out based on a recommendation from a friend who already tried it out. The commentary is in English as well not in Arabic. If you can’t find the app in the Apple Store it’s most likely because you’re not in the Kuwait store so make sure you have an Apple account registered with a Kuwait address. Alternatively, you could just go to the UFC Arabia website and sign up there. Link

I have Zain 5G at the office in the city and I average around 650Mbps there which is pretty incredible. This got me curious to see how 5G would perform at my apartment in Salmiya so Zain hooked me up with a unit to try out. Right now I have a Zain Beam connection at home and I get a stable 30Mbps.

My experience so far with 5G in Salmiya has been really weird. I’ve gotten speeds as low as 3Mbps and as high as 350Mbps. I don’t understand why the speed fluctuates so much here. I’m gonna continue to experiment with it and move the router around to see if that helps. If I can get a stable connection over 100Mbps that would be pretty crazy considering just up until a few months ago, I couldn’t get anything higher than 10Mbps at my place.

Update: Problem got solved, click here for an updated post.

The Kuwait Harps are starting a new season of Gaelic Football and are looking for new faces to join the club. Gaelic Football is a form of football derived from the Irish ball games. There are some major differences between regular football and Gaelic football like the fact Gaelic football is played with 15 players per team and you can also hold the ball with your hands.

The Kuwait Harps compete primarily in tournaments based in the Gulf region and new players are always welcome and immediately feel at home within the club. The majority of the current squad were actually new to Gaelic Games when they first arrived in Kuwait. While many clubs in the Gulf region can depend on a strong pool of Irish players, this is not the case in Kuwait. While a core of the club may be Irish, it relies heavily on the support of players from the international expat community. Kuwait Harps Players have come from Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Canada, USA, Australia and even Sudan to name but a few countries.

If you’re interested in joining the club, they’re holding a taster day. Taster days are just for people to come along and see if they like the sport and want to join. It’s aimed at all abilities (both fitness and Gaelic wise) so anyone can come along and there is no need to sign up. All you need to do is come out in your normal workout gear and bring some sunscreen, water and maybe a hat or sunglasses.

When: Tuesday, September 3rd from 6PM to 8PM
Where: AIS (Google Maps)

For more information email [email protected] or visit their Facebook Page, instagram account @kuwait_harps_gaa or website kuwaitharpsgaa.com.