Arab Fried Chicken

A couple of nights ago, my friends took me to get some fried chicken for dinner. When I heard the words "fried chicken", I assumed we were going to an American style restaurant that caters to Westerners. Needless to say, I was surprised to be lead into a Arab mom-and-pop type store situated right on the road in a heavily Arab neighborhood twenty minutes from campus. The store was made up of a counter with the chicken situated behind a sneeze screen, allowing customers to choose between the extra crispy and chicken wing variety. The rest of restaurant was made up of a sizable kitchen area in the back and a seating area in the front. I had three pieces of fried chicken perched on a mountain of french fries and served with a role that puts our puny American dinner roles to shame. The chicken tasted just like it does back home, and would have given KFC a run for its money. It was incredibly cheap too, and I left the store well-fed and well satisfied. I honestly did not expect to find a fried chicken joint being run by Arabs and catering to Arabs. Every day my American point of view on how things are in this country is shattered and rebuilt with new thoughts, expectations, and beliefs. I'm thankful for this opportunity, and I look forward to the next event that shatters my assumptions and pre-arrival expectations.