Azerbaijani cuisine is an essential and inseparable part of the country's culture and lifestyle, and that's why some variations of the traditional local dishes are offered in almost every restaurant in Baku. The character of the authentic national cuisine is mostly Eastern. The food is prepared with a lot of dark spices, green herbs, and flavor additives. Azerbaijan's fertile land grows an impressive number of greens, vegetables, crops, and fruits, all of which are being successfully incorporated in the local dishes. Different meats, seafood, river and sea fish are also popular ingredients since Azerbaijan has both a coastline and some strong traditions in farming.