You would have to be living under a rock to not know that all is not well in the GCC region right now. This isn’t a blog to discuss politics and the bullying antics of neighboring countries against a sovereign nation (oops…see what I did there?). But I can truly say it’s business as usual – supermarket shelves are full, ATMs are dispensing cash…expats and citizens are just getting on with life as best we can. Which brings me to this blog post – for me, this means continuing to eat my way around the city. Last night it was Nobu Doha to try their new Omakase (Chef’s choice) menu. This has become…
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No Bulbul at this Street Food Restaurant
I’ve become a more cynical than usual of Doha’s dining scene of late. Too many new and mediocre burger joints, too much high praise for above average cuisine and frankly not enough fun. But when Erstwhile Wingwoman and my business guru Brooke suggested we check out BulBul Streetfood after an event one evening last week, I was more than a little interested. On first glance, the BulBul Streetfood in Tornado Tower is very out of place among the grey steel and traffic laden streets of West Bay. I’m a sucker for a colorful cushion. Add tacos and a flatbread pizza into that mix and I may never leave. With brash murals featuring lots of…
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Five Day Dining Options in Doha During Ramadan
Ramadan Kareem! While I do love seeing the city come alive during the long Ramadan nights, it’s nice to have some quality options to eat out during the day. My friends at Doha News have compiled an exhaustive listing of opening hours for restaurants, malls and other facilities across the city and Qatar Eating have done the same. But I thought I would give you just a handful of good, solid places for breakfast and lunch over the coming weeks. Breakfast Santa Monica Breakfast Club. Reports about this venue (at the Grand Hyatt Doha have been mixed, but my visit early in proceedings turned up some well executed burgers including a pulled chicken bao bun,…
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Dine Around Doha – A Perfect Day as Told Though Food
Not every day is wine, roses and free snacks in the food blogging world. Some days it’s a long day at work, then collapsing on the sofa with Netflix and a steaming bowl of… Maggi noodles and cheese (seriously – don’t tell anyone). But some days, every so often, when the Gods shine, are just golden. Those days are few and far between, but when they are…I grab them. These rare days had me thinking, given the current state of Doha’s dining scene, what would be my “perfect’ day as told in food (and the occasional stiff drink)… Breakfast: In a perfect world, it would be breakfast in bed or…
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Seven Underrated Restaurants in Doha You Should be Trying
It should be no surprise to anyone that Qatar’s dining scene is driven by fads. If it’s new, shiny (and has a big brand or well known name attached), we flock to it like moths to a flame. Then…it’s onto the next big thing. Don’t get me wrong, there are a host of new restaurants to look forward to in coming months, including Iron Chef Morimoto at the new Mondrian and (he was in town last week so this may actually be happening soon….finally) and a CUT by Wolfgang Puck at the same hotel. But there are a handful of good restaurants that may have slipped off your dining radar or maybe you just…
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Four Casual Dining Options in and Around Doha to Add to Your List
Scrolling though my blog in recent months you would perhaps be thinking I really only eat out and hang out in high end places. This is only partially true. Those are the places I’ve been inspired to write about lately and have been on my radar because of new menus and promotions or just because they are good. But time to look at something a little less formal. Sometimes you just want a casual joint, no pretensions and no drama (and no need to wear heels) whether it be for a lazy breakfast, a long lunch or drinks and nachos with friends. There is no end of casual dining places…
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#RachelxMeesh – a Match Made in Cheese Heaven
Let’s be honest – a good sandwich is hard to find in Doha. So many places get it wrong – bad bread, average fillings, no love. We’ve all had those dodgy white bread sandwiches with unidentified meat fillings. and of course – the cheese and mayonnaise abomination. When the team Meesh Cafe at Crown Plaza Doha (one of my favorite cafes and a regular haunt of mine), offered me the chance to create an awesome sandwich involving cheese – I couldn’t say no. The brief was simple – I had free reign to design this sandwich (provided the ingredients were available) and they would help me make it a reality. The design…
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Nine Places to Eat and Drink on a Stopover in Doha
This week Qatar Airways announced something that was music to to ears of any traveler – free transit stopovers in Doha. The range of things to do on a short stay in this city has been covered in other places and I have done an exhaustive list of places to eat at the stunning Hamad International Airport. But what about Doha itself? I’ve lived here more than a decade and managed to pretty much eat my way around the city. You can find something to suit all palates and budgets – you just need to know where to look. But as a regular traveler, I also know what makes a great trip – food…
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On a Roll – a Look at Nobu Doha’s Second Anniversary Menu
Thursday nights. My Waterloo. Me. The couch. There are very few things that will get me out of my stretchy pants. Even fewer things that will prize the TV remote and Netflix privileges out of my cold, dead hands. Except…an invite from Four Seasons Doha to try the second anniversary Omakase menu at Nobu Doha. That…that will do it. I mean, I even put on makeup! It was a bit of a bittersweet event though – one of the last times I would get to dine with my blogging and culinary partners in crime Sara and Gerald who are leaving me to fend for myself and each leaving Doha for exotic Asian climes. I’m bereft. But also…
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Competition – Be the First to Try Nozomi’s New Friday Brunch
The Friday brunch market in Doha is VERY crowded. Any new entrant really needs to set itself apart and offer something innovative to get and keep people interested. Which is why I am excited by the looming launch of Nozomi Doha’s new Friday brunch on 28 April. The restaurant has already set the pace with a an excellent value Saturday dumpling brunch so this new concept promises to be something special. I’m pleased to give you an exclusive sneak peek at some of the dishes the innovative culinary team at Nozomi have developed including this miso black cod which looks like it needs to get into my belly asap. The new brunch will be…
