World of Magic, International Drive

I've had two restaurants on my list and in my mind for months, but, Wu Flu and the fact that they are both on I Drive and only open at night has made intercourse impossible until now. Both serve cuisines from countries I haven't had the pleasure of often or at all. This one serves up Saudi Arabian fare. Never had that to my knowledge. I popped in on Sunday night near closing (8pm for a 9pm close). I grabbed braised or stewed lamb on rice to go (you can dine in). It cost $16. The menu only has around eight choices. Not sure if that is a Wu Flu menu. Chicken, lamb, fish or vegetables (ie okra) over rice. My lamb was very good. Six or more pieces. I'm not Dexter (remember him), but, I think I saw some rib bones and some vertebrae. I thought it was chopped up shank, but, the bones were very slender for an appendage. The meat around the bones peeled off easily. Not dry. Good, natural flavor. Not gamey. Fresh. You probably could have sucked marrow out of the bones. It came with a salsa like tomato sauce (unnecessary) that I used to make a freaky Italian style sausage sandwich in proceeding days. Pretty sure that was a sacrilege. I also used said sausage in another leftovers' dinner with the basmati rice it came with. They piled on so much (an entire square styrofoam container) I used it for three separate meals. I presume it was saffron rice. It was yellow. I know some people chintz with tumeric, but, I think that has a distinct taste I didn't get. The rice was fresh and tender. A very well crafted meal. Prepared fast. But not too fast if you know what I mean. I'm not sure I'm remotely qualified to explain Saudi cuisine based on this one experience and some cursory questions I proposed, but, it seemed a bit more Indian influenced than Mediterranean. Blander though. Even blander than Persian. Less bitter herbs too. But, I could be way off. I think the lamb was the most expensive dish. The room is square. Not a ton of decor. A Royal Flush painting. Some iron chandeliers with glass ornaments that always remind me when me and my friends used to piss my step dad off by unhooking them and pretending they were diamonds. Thin stone walls in the back. Black plethor chairs. Wood tables. A tinny gray color scheme. There was one table (Saudis I think) seated and four guys bs'ing outside. Seems like a family run place. The young man I ordered from said the get alot of tourists (usually). Some from India. I'm not sure if the Kingdom of Saud imports as many workers from abroad as its neighbors. Maybe Saudi cuisine is more well known than it would seem if they do? They have been open for four years. So sad no one clued me in until this year. Open every night. You have to try it just to be a say you are a citizen of the World (get it?). Worth a flyer on quantity alone. It is next to the Nile Ethiopian restaurant off I Drive in a crappy strip mall. Around where that Titanic Experience (is it CSI now?). Aside a hotel. Halfwayish between Sand Lake and Kirkman.

*There is/was a place called Jerusalem (not one of the two places I was eager to try) nearby on I Drive. I think it is closed. It would help if they were ever open or put up some notification or "for rent" sign in the window. A new Taco Bell opened on I Drive.