McArabia

In the UAE, you can get any kind of fast food that you desire from McDonald's to Domino's Pizza to Baskin-Robbins. The McDonald's here has all the same menu items (only without the bacon) and they actually have a sandwich named the McArabia. I decided to order one as part of my investigative blog reporting. I pull up to the drive-through window and a young Filipino man sticks his head out. He speaks three languages at least, probably has a BA in Engineering back home, and here he is to serve you with a smile. I know his kind very well by now, this country is ripe with them, the Middle East's own caste of Untouchables but with a much nicer label slapped unto them: "guest workers." But more on that later.
The sandwich is chicken in Arabic flat bread... very messy but doesn't taste any more arabic than anything else here.

I've never been one to blame Mcdonald's for the obesity epidemic, but I will say there is no lack of size XXL burqas and DishDashas (native dress) here.

Our favorite fast food is the Lebanese Flower where you pull up and Lebanese guys hand you a wonderful chicken dinner wrapped up and ready to go. It is where the locals go and after 7:00 prayer time it is like Grand Central Station. We have grown to love all Lebanese food. I have humus and tabbouleh almost everyday for lunch. It is one of the few foods (like Pepperidge Farm goldfish) that I can eat everyday and never get sick of.
Next blog I'll talk about the more upscale places to eat.