Merhaba

     As we travel we’ve been asked about "American Food."  My answer is that the U. S. has food from everywhere because there are people from everywhere and this story from my sister tells that story.  My sister sent me this about her travels just down the road from Roanoke to Hagerstown, Maryland.  She calls it a "Ruthie Story" because what happened is the kind of thing we’ve experienced in our travels.  But it shows that "home" really isn’t always so different from "far away."

Ru

By Harriet – A Ruthie Story

All summer we had been cat-sitting for Andrew’s two cats, Q-tip and Addidas. Andrew was spending eight weeks in Germany and Kathryn was traveling and working and studying, so the cats came to stay with us.  (Andrew is my nephew and Kathryn is his best friend.)

Last week Andrew got back to Philadelphia and now Q & A needed to go home… Rather than us drive all the way to Philly, or Andrew and Kathryn drive to Salem, we decided to meet in Hagerstown, MD. That is sort-of half-way for both of us. I Bing-ed “Restaurants in Hagerstown” and decided on Laila’s Kitchen. They had a very interesting menu with both meat and veggie options that worked for all of us. To see all the menu choices check their web site: www.lailaskitchen.com

Anyway, for some reason, on Saturday I decided to call and make sure the restaurant was still where the web information said it was… you just never know… When I looked for their phone number I found that they were closed on Sunday… not good… I decided to call and ask the folks there if they knew of another restaurant near their location that was open on Sunday.

After speaking with the owner, he told me that there were no places to eat anywhere close, but since we were coming from a long distance, and he lived only three miles away, he and his wife would come and open the restaurant for us and asked what items we would like to try. I said everything they had sounded wonderful and we would especially like the veggies. He said he would prepare several items but apologized that he could not promise any of the lamb dishes. I tried to talk him out of doing all this, but he insisted and said he had done it occasionally for other people. So I said thank-you  and agreed to be there at noon.

Finding Laila’s Kitchen from the exit off I-81 was easy. Because it was Sunday there was plenty of space for Andrew, Kathryn and us to park right in front of the restaurant.

 

It felt a bit strange to be the only customers

but Sharif and Laila Basharyar made us feel right at home. 

Although the menu had many choices

 

we were served “family style” starting with a wonderful salad that included peaches (I never think to put fruit in a salad, but it was very good.) The dressing was a little tangy and very tasty.

Next was mixed white and yellow basmati rice, pita bread and a platter of chicken, beef and veggies (tomatoes, onions, broccoli and zucchini.) Also there was cauliflower with a spicy sauce.

 

Andrew Laila, Har’s husband Jim, and Kathryn

The menu items reflect their Afghanistan culture and it was all wonderful.

We ate everything; there was not a drop left!

(Check the web site for more information and a much better description of the items than what I wrote here.)

I really hope we will be able to go back and have another lunch at Laila’s kitchen – but we will plan that for one of their regular working days.

 

Laila and Sharif