Often in the more up-market restaurant you're given a complimentary bowl of fruit, maybe even the odd Middle Eastern pastry (think variations on bakalava) thrown in as well, after your meal.

Some friends and I were celebrating nearing the end of our various stays in Syria and the Middle East in a restaurant just of Straight Street/Sharia Bab Sharqi whose name I forget but it was near that Italian one. It was quite new when we went. Anyway. The table behind us had just finished a big meal. We'd just had the usual coffee, juice, houmous and nargileh.

The waiters came up the stairs with a HUGE plate of oranges, grapes, plums, watermelon and strawberries nestled in ice as well as a few bits of baklava and even TURKISH DELIGHT! for the table behind us. They faffed around behind me in particular clearing a space for the sweet so I carefully, carefully extended my arm, took a plum from the top of the pile, and popped it in my mouth. The waiters didn't see it. A man on the table caught my friend's eye and sniggered, my friends were incredulous and highly amused.

Five minutes later the waiters swarmed up the stairs again and gave us a plate of fruit and goodies as well. And by heck did we eat them all.