Another burger joint has recently been added to the mix. “Brothers Hamburger” is located about 300 metres west of Hotel Timor across the road from the “Reinado gang retirement hotel”. It looks like it is run by Chinese/Malaysian/Indonesian proprietors who all sit there watching C-grade Asian movies while serving across the counter. Decor is “large echoey clean white public toilet tiles” style. Ambience is “large echoey clean white public toilet tiles” style. Burger is edible without raising one to heights of ecstacy or lowering one to requiring a bucket.
I couldn’t help notice the large new signs out the back saying “Brothers Hotel”. Could be a new hotel about to emerge.
Another Indian restaurant has appeared in the form of the Welcome Indian take-away next to the Dili Club. (Or was that Welcome to the Indian take-away ?)
It reminds me that things have changed in the gastronomic department. I recall that when I first arrived, the topic of stomach flu * often came up in conversation. It always appeared that someone in your circles was suffering in this area and I considered it par for the course to get a dose every couple of months.
Setting aside the bad prawn incident of 3 or 4 months ago, these days it is pretty rare to hear of these unfortunate gastric incidents. There is no doubt that the group of restaurants frequented by expats have lifted their game and it has been mostly helped by a significant increase in patronage and hence throughput. There is also more throughput through the supermarkets and less likelihood of old produce nearing or past its expiry date.
It could also be that I ceased drinking from barrel water early last year and only use it for cooking these days. It could also be that others have followed my lead or that quality control at the barrel filling plants has improved.
In any case, the restaurant scene has lifted (eg Tuk Tuk) and we wait with bated breath to see what Ross & Bruce will have to offer once the new Nautilus seafood restaurant opens in the old Fat Boys premises.
* I use this term to mean any condition of the internal organs likely to generate sudden uncontrollable emanations from the laughing or sitting equipment. I actually detest the PC-ness of this word and recommend the term “crook guts” .
The little lady and I went to eat at that Indian restaurant. It turns out that it’s run by the old chef of Sun Restaurant, the Indian restaurant next to Tiger Fuel.
We ordered and waited. And waited… And waited… After almost an hour and a half we were getting ready to walk out but then the food finally arrived. And you know what? It was pretty good. In fact, I’d say it was arguably the best Indian meal I’ve had in Dili.
The chairs aren’t that comfortable and the decor is… sparse (not much more you can say about it)… The 90 minute wait was a real killer, but they only opened 11 days ago so you have to cut them some slack… If the waits aren’t any better in a month then it’s a write-off, but the food is good enough to make me want to give it another shot.
“Reinado gang retirement hotel” would actually be a great official name for a hotel. Wouldn’t that be cool to see on the sign above the establishment.
Don’t tell me Ross and Bruce have teamed together? Go** what next?
“It always appeared that someone in your circles” – Circles? Plural? Is there more than one? 🙂