Food for Thought

     There is a takeout restaurant in Pittsburgh's Schenley Plaza that is creating quite a stir.  The Conflict Kitchen only serves food from nations that the United States is at odds with.  They broadly define conflict as war, boycotts, embargoes, military clashes and diplomatic quarrels.

     You can order a bolani, a savory turnover stuffed with spinach from Afghanistan, or a kubideh, a seasoned ground beef wrapped in flatbread from Iran.  They also have theme meals, currently specializing in food from Cuba, serving up a tasty lechon asado, marinated slow-roasted pork with fried yucca chips washed down with a mango agua fresco.  The next scheduled theme will focus on Korea.

     "Operating seven days a week in the middle of the city, Conflict Kitchen uses the social relations of food and economic exchange to engage the general public in discussions about countries, cultures, and people that they might know little about outside of the polarizing rhetoric of governmental politics and the narrow lens of media headlines," so says their website.

     Staffers are trained to both prepare food and discuss political issues with customers.  Still, the restaurant says it doesn't want to force-feed diners ideology; about half just go for the food.