I'm sure we've all seen vans and minibuses with the City Van logo emblazoned on the side driving around Kuwait.  I just assumed they were transporting staff and never really thought that they were for the public.  But a call from the lovely Marketing Manager over at City Van set me straight.  Did you know that City Van offers some pretty amazing services to the public?  Neither did I, hence this post.

They have 3 very convenient and competitively priced services to choose from.  The laws here in Kuwait are constantly changing regarding just which expats are privileged enough to drive (let me not get started on the latest ruling regarding engineers, sigh).  Unfortunately in Kuwait, being allowed to drive doesn't depend solely on capability, but rather what you decided to major in University, your job position, your salary and of course, how much vasta you have in many cases.  I'm not exaggerating when I say that services like what City Van has to offer are a Godsend.  So, what exactly are these services?   

Scheduled Rides: these are your point A to B rides.  Just enter from, to, date, time and the number of passengers and you're good to go.  Convenient, no standing stranded on the road in the 50 plus degree weather and no haggling with rude drivers.  I've lost count of the number of times I've stood on the road praying a taxi would drive past.  And just how many girls' day or night outs have gone awry because of transportation issues?  These rides are affordable too.  A scheduled ride with City Van from Salmiya to the Airport is under 6KD for example.  

Pool Rides: use these rides to get to work on time.  They're booked on a monthly basis, both one and two ways.  Could it get any more convenient?  Definitely the most easiest and stress free way to get to work.  No more negotiating traffic, just sit back and relax or catch up on some Zzzzzzs.  

Rentals: special day planned ahead for the entire family?  Or maybe you're entertaining visiting business associates?  You can rent a van for as little as an hour or even up to a few days (though these are processed as special requests).  You will also be provided with a driver who will take you anywhere your heart desires.  Not bad right?  

And if you weren't already impressed, City Van can accommodate any group size!  You also have the option of booking their premium rides which I got the chance to experience for myself over the Eid holidays.  We had the use of one of their Hyundai H1 vans, complete with our very own driver for the day.  Now, don't get me wrong, I love driving!  But it was just so relaxing to tell someone else where to go and to just chill and enjoy the ride for once.

My friends and I planned a small girls' day out and set our starting location as Fahaheel.  Our driver, Mr. Gokula picked up my friend right on time and then from there, Mr Gokula and our City Van premium ride made its way from house to house picking the entire gang up.  The seats could be swiveled around so that we were all facing each other, which just added to our excitement.  The van was very comfortable, the air conditioning just perfect and we spent our ride belting out tunes. probably a little off key too.  To be honest, we could have spent our entire day in that van and come out feeling on top of the world!

Our first stop were the Kuwait beaches where we jet skied!  I'd never been before, but it was an exhilarating experience just being out on the water.  The wind in my hair, going neck-breaking speeds with nothing but the ocean in front of me!  We caught the sunset and then moved onto the next stop in our itinerary.  

Every step of the way, our driver was just a phone call away.  He was always ready and waiting to take us to each stop.  He was courteous, friendly and we were very comfortable with him.  A very safe driver too, not once did he exceed the speed limit! 

Our day finally ended with dinner and of course sheesha.  It was an amazing day, made even more special by our City Van premium ride.  

Having experienced the service for myself, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend City Van over and over again.  Download the app and have a browse through the features using the following link: City Van App.  I'll have a coupon code for you all shortly that you can use while trying out the City Van services for yourself.  So keep checking back in for that.  If you've used the service, let me know your experience below.  

Here's links to City Van's social media pages for more info: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cityvankw/

Don't you just love all the red accents?  The exposed ducts and bare light bulbs just add to the rawness factor.  

For drinks (KD 2.250 each) we had the Passion Fruit Ginger Mojito which was the perfect accompaniment to all the seafood we devoured.  The combination of mint, lime, ginger and passion fruit really hit the spot!  We also ordered the Very Berry which was unfortunately a little diluted for my taste.  It contained a mix of blackberries, strawberries and raspberries along with a cocktail of other juices which all sounds great on paper, however it just fell short and needed a little acidity to lift the drink.  

For starters, the Lobster and Prawn TNT (KD 3.5) came highly recommend and I can see why!  Tempura coated prawns and lobster meat tossed in Burger & Lobster's signature hot sauce, topped with sesame seeds and scallions.  Yum!  The tempura was beautifully crispy and the hot sauce added a nice kick without being too overpowering.  

Can't go to Burger & Lobster without ordering the whole lobster right?  It was a tossup between the Original and the Thermidor.  Since I'd already tried the original the last time around, we went for the Thermidor (KD 14).  This is described on the menu as succulent whole lobster cooked in a creamy herb mushroom sauce, gratinated with parmesan and cheddar cheese.  The lobster came served with a toasted garlic brioche and a side salad.  That's a lot of food and is probably best shared between two.  Between the Thermidor and the Original, I think I favour the original, absolutely nothing can beat that lemon and herb garlic butter sauce, but this was an amazing dish.  I really enjoyed the creaminess of the mushroom sauce and that lobster had just been cooked so perfectly.  Each mouthful was heavenly.   

Finally we went for a roll.  After that monstrosity of a lobster, we had very little room left, but we couldn't bring ourselves to leave this off our order.  There were four rolls to choose from (three lobster rolls and one braised beef roll).  I love spicy twists on food so it was an easy choice to go with the Spicy Roll (KD 6).  The spicy roll contained both lobster and prawns tossed through a herb chili mayo.  The chili mayo added a gorgeous creaminess to the cold meat, set off beautifully by the toasted brioche.  An amazing combination!  The roll also contained cucumbers which added a nice crunch and texture.  We also ordered a side of French Fries (KD 1) to go with it. 

We had lunch at Backyard over the weekend and just loved our meal there.  They have two branches, one at the Argan Square in Shuwaikh, which after looking at Mark's photos over on his blog (248am.com) looks absolutely beautiful!  The second is at the Argan Square in Salmiya, which is just a stone's throw from the Symphony Mall.  They're located in the same complex where the new Arabica branch is supposed to open up shortly.  I also spotted a WH Smith, Scoop-a-cone, Ubon and a Diet Center with plenty more to open soon so that's exciting.  Parking is a bit a of a pain mind you.  Leave home with plenty of time to circle the parking lot a few dozen times.  I seriously will never understand how and why complexes come up without having to submit plans for sufficient parking, but that's a rant for another day.


I loved the minimalist interiors, grey walls, colourful furniture and quirky wall hangings.  The place had a casual and fun vibe about it.

Though we'd dined (lunched?) at around 1 pm, we were told that we could choose from the breakfast menu as well as they served breakfast till 2 pm.  The menu had great options on it and from the descriptions, there were so many that caught my eye.

Though not on the menu, our server said that he could make a Margarita Pizza for the kids which they happily devoured.  It was a decent size, had a lovely thin crust with a generous amount of cheese.  The kids couldn't have been happier.

For appetizers we ordered the Portobello Croquette (KD 1.550).  The description sounded lovely, breaded and deep fried portobello mushrooms, yum!  Delicious dish and well seasoned, but I was a little put off by the fact that the mushrooms had been blitzed.  I was expecting whole mushrooms and by blitzing them, they had lost some of that fabulous mushroom flavour.  Beautifully presented though.

For our mains we chose from the Chef's Choice page.  When there's a page dedicated to their best dishes, how can you not right?  And so we had the Swiss Butter Tabla Beef (KD 7.750) which was just heavenly and easily the dish of the day for us.  The tenderloin was juicy and it was served with a gorgeous sauce containing roasted garlic and herbs.  Just delicious!  I may have mopped up all that left over sauce with the bread we'd been served.  The dish also came with a simple Caesar salad and a choice of either roasted potatoes or french fries.  A fantastic dish and a definite must order!  They also make salmon and chicken versions of this dish too.

We also had the Grilled Beef Lomo (KD 7.650) which reminded me of the Gaucho Grill steaks.  (Bring Gaucho back please!)  Both are Argentinian so I get the similarities.  The tenderloin was marinated with garlic (I love my garlic!), herbs and olive oil and then carefully seared to perfection.  Again, juicy and perfectly cooked.  It was served with a side of broccoli and potato gratin.  If you love your meats, this is another must order.  Mimi approved for sure.

For drinks, my eye fell on the Pure Passion and the Spicy Mango Mint (KD 1.950 each).  The pure passion wasn't at all as I'd expected.  It was too sweet and syrupy and I was happy to have the kids attack it on my behalf.  It would be great if the drink had passion fruit seeds in it at least in stead of just being a drink made straight up with syrup.  The spicy mango mint however was right up my alley.  Mango and mint with a dash of tobasco - three flavours which I would never have pitted together, but they worked really well, loved it!

They say a meal is never complete without dessert and so even though we were stuffed at this point, we had the Chocolate Fondant (KD 2.250).  The chocolate lava cake had been overcooked and so the lava was unfortunately MIA, but combined with the cool ice cream and crispy tuile, it was a very satisfying end to an amazing meal.  

The menu at Backyard has so many exciting dishes on it, there is definitely something for everyone!  They're also on Carriage (click here!).

Calicut Live opened about 3 months ago in Salmiya and since then, all I've heard have been recommendations after recommendations about how I need to try it out.  Calicut, or Kozhikode, is in Kerala (my home state) after all and so I rallied up the gang and went out for dinner over the weekend.  I let my friends who had been before do all the ordering and just braced myself for all the dishes that came flying out of the kitchen.  We were a small group and so ended up ordering multiples of a lot of the dishes, feed the masses they say!

I'd heard that the restaurant had been serving Chukku Kaapi (Kerala style dry ginger coffee) as their welcome drink, but to my disappointment, we were just served regular fruit juice.  I'm hoping they bring the ginger coffee back. 

First up, the kids had the Sweet Corn Chicken Soup (KD 1.250) hence the lack of a photo.  I did have a small spoonful and it was good, but it could've been creamier.  The kids loved it though.

I'd heard from several friends that the appetizers in Calicut were exceptional and on asking the waiter, he recommended either the Kanthari Fish (KD 3.000) or the Chicken.  We tried the fish and it was exactly as I'd thought it would be, delicious!  Large chunks of fish filet, carefully marinated and delicately cooked.  Kanthari, or rather bird's eye chili is a small red chili that is rather potent!  But despite being a dish named after a chili, it wasn't overly spicy.  The heat was well balanced and the dish was just enjoyable.  I'd love to try the Chicken next time as I've been told that it is just as good, maybe even a tad better!  

Next up were the Tawa Grilled Prawns (KD 3.000).  On paper this was supposed to be a good dish.  Prawns in shell with an aromatic masala paste?  Yum!  I loved the flavours, but the masala was just too raw and left a powdery grit like feeling on the tongue.  I think the masala just needed a few more minutes in a hot pan to cook it through.  Had a chance to speak to the manager about the dish afterwards so I'm hoping they'll work on it.  It truly had the makings of a great dish.

Oh the Beef Ularthiyathu (KD 2.000) is a must order.  Slow roasted with spices, coconut slices, curry leaves, it screams Kerala and will go excellently with porotta or even appam.  If you're a fan of the traditional Kerala style beef, this is for you.  Calicut Live makes great wheat porotta too if you're interested!

Next up, we ordered the Mutton Bamboo Biriyani (KD 2.500).  We ordered this mainly for the drama of it all, steamed biriyani in a bamboo log?  Why not!  Our waiter knocked twice on the bamboo log (Log, trunk?  I'm not quite sure what to call it) and then pushed the steaming contents out onto our plates.  The process of steaming the rice in the bamboo locks in moisture and flavour.  Loved the biriyani and the novel way in which it was cooked and served.  A definite must order.  

We also ordered the Mutton Kadai (KD 2.500) pictured above and the Achayan Chicken Curry (KD 1.800) shown below.  Both were forgettable dishes that I probably wouldn't recommend to anyone.  I would love to try other dishes on the menu over these two.    

For drinks, we had the Passion Fruit Monchathi (KD 1.250).  Ask for the drinks to be split into two and they'll be served in a vase like below.  Delicious, nothing to complain about.  We contemplated ordering another round!  

Other drinks to try are the Koolikatha Sharbath and if you can handle the heat, the Green Fire, which is a sweet and spicy chili infused drink.  The Golden Fried Prawns also sounded delicious and they're on my list for next time along with the Kanthari Chicken of course!  

I struggle with making healthy food choices and I'm sure we all do.  After all, isn't a store-bought box of deliciously gooey chocolate chip cookies more appealing than the daunting task of trying to whip up something yourself?  And what exactly is in the bought box?  Artificial colours, flavours, additives and preservatives!?  

But, when you're presented with homemade, scrumptiously delicious yet guilt free options, the decision to eat better is an easy one.  And that is exactly what 125-A Bazaar Road offers: a delectable array of brownies, cookies and nut butters among lots more, that contains no nasties, but also satisfies each one of your urges.  

A bit of a background story.  The name 125-A Bazaar Road pays homage to the owner's grandmother, who used to live at 125-A Bazaar Road.  I'm sure many a happy memory was shared there and though the home is no longer lived in, the place is still a meet up point amongst cousins.  Don't you just love that!?  I love brands with a good story! 

My goody bag also contained a jar of the Honey Roasted Peanut Butter.  Now, I love my peanut butter so I knew I'd get along with this.  This homemade concoction contains just three ingredients: peanuts, honey and coconut oil and though a little runnier than store-bought options, this is by far the purest and healthiest peanut butter I've had.  Now this is the real stuff!  

Went out for brunch today at Prime & Toast.  They are on the Entertainer app by the way, which if you don't have, what is wrong with you!?  I love their Salmiya location, it is right by the sea side, though I'm glad to see that they've covered up the outside seating area with glass.  I'd last visited Prime & Toast right after the NBK walkathon back in December and it was way too windy to sit outside.  Tables inside are also limited and so we had ended up waiting quite a bit for one.  Anyway, with the outdoor area nicely covered up, sitting outside was perfect.  Being able to look out and onto the water was just so pleasant and calming!

For starters we ordered the Shrimp Popcorn (KD 3.950).  I'd ordered this once before and had loved this, but this time around it had spent a little too much time in the fryer.  The larger morsels of shrimp were fine, but anything a little smaller was over done with the breading too crisp for my liking.  The chili mayo sauce served along with the shrimp was delicious though and really made the dish - smooth, creamy and a great accompaniment for the shrimp.  

We then ordered the Fried Eggs on Rosti (KD 2.450).  The rosti is a potato net/fritter/hash brown of sorts that forms the base of the dish.  Again, it was overdone and burnt in places.  Overdone shrimp, overdone potato fritter?  I'm sensing a bit of a pattern.  The combination, however, of the potato fritter, bacon bits, cheese, bell peppers and runny eggs really worked.  The makings of an excellent breakfast dish.  

I also had the RBM, i.e., the Roast Beef Melt Sandwich (KD 2.850) - a basic sliced bread sandwich with roast beef, cheddar cheese and mustard sauce.  Yes it was simple and I probably could've made it myself, but it was delicious.  I didn't care much for the slaw on the side but those fries were so satisfying and worth every calorie!


As if the above food wasn't enough, we also tried the Good Morning Kuwait (KD 5.250).  It contained sliced up ribeye (yum) served on a rosti (again yum), topped with leaks, red cabbage and hollandaise sauce.  A very fresh dish tasting dish, loved it, but the vinaigrette through the vegetables was a little too sharp for my liking.  The creaminess of the egg on top was beautiful though and tied the whole dish together.

And finally, two orders of French toast.  Obsessive much?  We ordered the French Toast with Salted Caramel (KD 2.650) pictured above and the Brioche French Toast with Maple Butter Syrup (KD 2.650) below.  Loved both, but if I had to choose between the two, the brioche is the clear winner.  Though the salted caramel was lovely, the thick syrup was sickly sweet towards the end, bordering on almost being cloying.  The bioche however was just beautiful and really hit the spot - fluffy bread with a light maple butter syrup.

Though there are a handful of mains on their menu, their brunch dishes are what everyone goes to Prime & Toast for.  A great place for a quick catch up with friends amidst delicious affordable food. 

Here's something fun if you're racking your brain for things to do in Kuwait - go ice skating!  It has been over 15 years since I'd last been and I've got to tell you, it is NOT like riding a bike, you forget!  I'm sure we spent most of our time "chilling" on the ice than actual skating, hilarious!  

8:30 am to 10 am

12:30 pm to 2 pm 

2:30 pm to 4 pm 

4:30 pm to 6 pm 

6:30 pm to 8 pm 

8:30 pm to 10 pm

We went on Liberation Day and save for a handful of people, the rink was pretty much empty which was perfect.  The less people who see my spastic skating, the better!  We had a really fun time and the kids are already asking when we're going next.  

Well, I give up.  I'm vying to post more beauty posts this year, but my stomach just takes more priority.  Here's another restaurant review for all my foodie followers, OVO Bar, a very trendy Asian fusion restaurant nestled within the depths of Salmiya.  I just found out that OVO is an acronym for "Our Very Own Bar", which I think is so cute and personalizes the name.

The OVO Bar is a great place to bring a date to.  In fact we only spotted couples during our lunch.  They're located at the Byblos Complex in Salmiya, just off of Baghdad Street (see map below).  A big thanks to OVO bar for the lovely meal, we would love to visit again to try more dishes!  Follow them on Instagram @ovobar for more mouth-watering photos!