Jackpot

Driving around near Meyerland today I spotted Droubi's Bakery, Deli, and Halal Market. Droubi's is much more than any old bakery, however. It is a Middle Eastern wonderland with aisles of olives, olive oils, grape leaves, halva, couscous, bulghur wheat, dates, phyllo dough and so much more. The bakery produces fresh, plump pitas, cheese bread, sweet bread, meat pies, spinach pies, and pastries. The spinach pies I bought were still warm.

It is a really interesting place to people-watch. Arabic is widely spoken with many a lively conversation taking place between employees and customers in their native tongue. Several of the women in the store, shoppers and employees alike, wear the hijab, aka traditional head covering.

I cannot begin to express my satisfaction at finding this market. Stumbling upon this "diamond in the rough" made me feel as if I hit the jackpot:

#1) Many of my "staples" (ie: pita bread, pitted dates, mass quantities of olives and olive oil) are under one roof and at a cheaper cost than Central Market/Whole Foods.

#2) A rather wide selection of things that are difficult-impossible to find anywhere else, including, but not limited to: phyllo dough, couscous, rose water, grape leaves.

#3) The deli sells delightful treats like tabbouleh, falafel, shwarma, hummus.

#4) Convenient location to my teaching certification classes :)

In case I have alarmed those of you who know me best, you have nothing to fear. I did NOT go on a purchasing rampage today at Droubi's. I escaped with merely a bottle of (Lebanese!) olive oil, pitted dates, halva, gunpowder tea, and the aforementioned spinach pies...all for a conservative $15.