Ask Ali: Get your namleet on by drinking Emirati soda and where are the local markets in Sharjah

In this week's Ask Ali we learn about the joys of namleet and where to go to visit some local markets away from the shopping malls in Sharjah.

Dear Ali: We are launching a new restaurant in the UAE and want to include some Emirati beverages on our menu, such as an Emirati soda. What would you recommend as a traditional beverage? CO, Dubai

Dear CO: Get your namleet on! Yes, namleet is your one and only local soda. Just thinking of it brings a yummy smile to my face.

Besides lemon with mint or hot beverages such as coffee and tea, the main very fancy drink we had back in the day, like 60 years ago and beyond, is what we refer to as namleet.

It originally means lemonade, so taken from that it became namleet – it’s the first soda drink that Arabian Gulf people tried.

The most famous type of namleet is called namleet bu teelah, which comes as a glass bottle with a bottleneck that has a small ball on top to keep the liquid flowing when you drink. It tastes more like tonic lemon water but with a Pepsi taste twist. Explaining how it tastes is way more difficult than tasting it yourself, so check it out in one of many local restaurants. The drink’s origins go back to the arrival of the British to the region.

Dear Ali: I'm hoping to visit some local markets away from the shopping malls here in Sharjah. Could you please recommend some? AW, Sharjah

Dear AW: The first that comes to mind is the historic Souq Al Arsah, also known as the Old Souq.

Al Arsah is made of wood, and the shops are near each other, sharing an almost identical look and feel. Back in the day, the shops would almost never carry the same goods. Vendors would sell anything, and used to work hard to get these goods, or would harvest the items themselves if selling food.

Some vendors would travel far to get the goods to sell. Some UAE families got their last names and tribal names from their working activities.

In Al Arsah you’ll find everything from clay products to perfume makers and clothes that are cheaper than any other place. There are also children’s speciality stores – if you’re looking for items for the family, you will find it in Al Arsah.

The market has been modified and given some new touches by the Sharjah government, and today it’s one of the most beautiful souqs in the country.

Another famous market is Al Markazi, which means “the central”. Al Souq Al Markazi is the well-known, huge blue building in Sharjah near the creek. In the 1980s and 90s, many people here considered it the best shopping place ever, since it was one of a kind at that time. Even though there are many new buildings similar to it, it’s still considered the “great Al Markazi Market”.

It used to carry everything, but today, because of competition in the emirate and around the country, the market is divided into two sections – gold and silver, and another section that sells almost everything. If you’re looking for gold and silver in Sharjah, this is the place to go. There’s also a small gold centre in Sharjah, but the Blue Souq has the original shops.

If you want to buy gadgets from Sharjah’s souqs, the market to visit is Al Roula Street, which has loads of shops, selling all kind of gadgets, from radios and stereos to DVDs, TVs and mobile phones. The best part is that negotiations are possible.

Ali Al Saloom is a cultural adviser and public speaker from the UAE. Follow @AskAli on Twitter, and visit www.ask-ali.com to ask him a question.