A Happy Family

Abu Dhabi being a tourist hot spot remains crowded with visitors all year round, sometimes for sightseeing and the other times for beach activities. Besides the city charm that attracts visitors, Abu Dhabi is worth visiting for the scrumptious traditional foods served here. A connoisseur of tasty and unique food will find a plenty of options in Abu Dhabi, but the traditional foods listed below can surely bring new experience to taste buds.

Stuffed Camel

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Stuffed camel is the specialty dish of UAE and served in the best restaurants of Abu Dhabi all over the year for visitors. Stuffed camel, originally a traditional wedding dish of Bedouin communities, is the largest dish one can have in a menu. The main ingredients of the dish include lamb, fish, rice, eggs and chickens. Stuffed with all the main ingredients, it is the most amazing dish across the world. Hardcore non-vegetarians will find this dish like a treat for sure.

Shawarma

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Though served differently in different restaurants, Shawarma is the most liked and eaten food of the city. Popular chains of restaurants in Asian countries have also begun including this food in the menu. Prepared either with lamb or with chicken, Shawarma is similar in appearance to that of kebab. It is made by wrapping a mixture of fries, tomatoes, garlic sauce and pickles in an Arabic roti. Over years, the popularity of Shawarma has intensified and is likely to increase in the future as well. Local people enjoy this food with a fruit drink prepared specially by mixing strawberry with banana.

Al Machboos

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This one is another most sought-after dish of Abu Dhabi comprising rice and meat as the main ingredients. All the main ingredients are sautéed well with onion and Loomy or dried lemon and seasoned with salt and spices to bring the magical taste. The mixture is cooked well for around two hours, making it one of the finest recipes served across Arabia.

Al Harees

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“Exotic” is the word to describe this popular recipe of Abu Dhabi. Al Harees is a must try for visitors during the Abu Dhabi tour, as it is not only tasty but also healthy. Wheat and meat are the main ingredients of the recipe, which is boiled for hours until the mixture becomes a smooth paste. This paste is further cooked overnight in a clay pot to enhance the taste and the richness. The demand of Al Harees goes sky high in weddings and festivals like Ramada and Eid. Nowadays, every restaurant does something creative with this food of the good old days and presents it in a way that everyone just enjoys eating it.

Hummus

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Hummus is actually a dip prepared from chickpeas, tahini paste, garlic, lemon juice and obviously salt. Hummus itself stands for chickpea in Arabic and is the oldest food of the gulf area. It is served in restaurants as a great appetizer and is liked by all for its unique taste. At times, hummus is offered along with dishes like pita bread. Savoury and lemon flavour of hummus may vary with restaurants and sometimes it may have an overwhelming garlic taste and even spicy tone.

Many homeowners have spent the spring and the summer months repairing and restoring any areas that may have been damaged by the harsh seasonal weather conditions. It is common for people to begin planning on the home improvement projects when the spring is around the corner.Find a good contractor that you can trust to replace your windows, to build your swimming pool or to freshen the interior of your home. Here are some of the tips when you are deciding on whom to hire for your home improvement needs.

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DO SOME RESEARCH

Be sure to ask your friends and family members for any recommendations that they may have but it is important to note that you should not rely solely on the recommendations. Make sure you get references that have had similar work done that you may be looking to accomplish. Check the businesses out before you rely on the references. Check any references from the Internet and call them up to see if they are satisfied and if they would want to hire the businesses again. If they say yes then view the projects.

CHECK FOR CREDENTIALS

The contractor in the home improvement companies should be able to provide any credentials. They should be members of a professional association, have a business license and insurance. Be sure to verify the information that they may bring to you so that you are able to know if they are valid. Some of the trades need to have a competency license so as to be able to operate for example the electricians or the plumbers and others.

COMPARE THE COSTS FROM THE DIFFERENT HOME IMPROVEMENT COMPANIES

Make sure you are specific on what you want the home improvement company to do for you. Seek two or three bids from the prospective contractors and they should be based on the same specifications. Do not just jump for the lowest bid. The prices may differ due to various things. It may be due to the differences in the quality of materials or the amount of workmanship of the job and may more. Discuss all this bids with the contractor.

GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING

Make sure that everything that has been promised i.e. the completion date, the type of materials, the work hours or the payment schedule is included in the written contract. A contract should have the contractor’s full name, the address, the telephone number and any appropriate licenses that are involved in the process. There should be nothing left blank and dif there is no applicable answer then write N/A. Get yourself the contract copy when you have signed.

GET THE REQUIRED PERMIT

If you need a building permit then this is the first step you should take. The permits are generally for any plumbing, structural and electrical work. Any contractors from the home improvement companies that say they will save you money by helping you avoid the required permits should be avoided. Permits are to assist protect you from any shoddy work.

IF THEY PRESSURE YOU FOR AN IMMEDIATE DECISION

Well any reputable professionals will know that you will require time to make your own decision. This time you can use to check for the references, get any estimates from other home improvement companies, check their licenses and verify the company’s reputation and experiences. If they pressure you to make an instant decision then they might be hiding something that they do not want you to dig out before you pay them for your contract.

A fishy home improvement company may also ask to be paid up front for the job or demand to be paid in cash and not cheque. Never pay for any contract job before it has even been started. All payments should be made of either cheque or credit so that there is proof of payment in the future. It is however common for a company to request for a deposit and even larger projects may include an interim payment as the work proceeds.

Visit the home improvement company website so that you can know more about them. Be sure to visit them in their offices and inspect how they work. Check their previous projects before so that you are able to gauge how well they will be able to cater for your home improvement needs.

Written by Mike Wolfe of Mike Wolfe Construction. Mike and his crew offer the best service for home improvement in Columbia,MO.