Let’s face it – we all love to live large but for as little outlay as possible. With the current “situation” we find ourselves in, we all know that costs are rising in some quarters. As I noted around the same time last year, this comes after a fairly rugged period for many in Qatar where people tightened their belts and bunkered down. Where a couple might go out for dinner one night and then attend a brunch in the same week, it’s now one or the other. Having a family – school fees etc – ups the financial stakes further. Mix in increased fuel charges and the mugging we…
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Four New Doha Dining Experiences to Try This Summer
This Summer. It is LOOOONG. No seriously. Even with the lush Turkish yoghurt , the fully laden shelves at Lulu Qatar and the ongoing sideshow that is the #QatarBlockade seems this summer has been more of a slog than most. But luckily for foodies there are some new and interesting dining concepts and experiences to keep us full and happy. It’s a competitive market for restaurants and hotels at the moment (THANKYOU our Saudi friends), and savvy diners are reaping the rewards. Here is a look at four early contenders you should be giving a try this summer: Noodles and Ribs at Four Seasons Doha Many hotels and restaurants change up their offerings for…
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Future State – A Round-Up of New Doha Restaurants to Look Forward to in 2017
So that escalated quickly. The year 2016 I mean. There I was, all fresh faced and excited on January 1 and now, here I am, bedraggled and bereft at the end of December. A lot happened in 2016 on the Qatar foodie scene. Some great,some not so great, and some a little bit of both. While it was a stellar year on the opening front, we have a lot to look forward to in 2017. Even Frommers has listed Doha as a top destination in 2017, citing its diverse dining scene as a reason. Here is my round-up of what I am excited about in 2017 (besides Netflix new schedule): The New Belgian Cafe I have…
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Four Simple Steps for Stylish (and Pocket Friendly) Festive Entertaining
It’s been a long year and frankly I have been caught a little off guard by the speed and ferocity of the approach of the festive season. We’re staying in Doha this year, and on the weekend I had a mild panic about who, what, when, where and how. I managed to find the tree in the back of the wardrobe, dust off the ornaments and tinsel and put the whole thing together with a minimum of curse words. Presents have been ordered online and are being delivered at breakneck speed. After that I needed a lie down and a Netflix Gilmore Girls marathon (but basically that threw up more questions than…
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Six Places You Should Be Eating at in Doha Right Now (Summer Edition)
It was a long, hot Ramadan and while it’s a time I really enjoy, I’m happy to be getting back into the swing of Qatar’s dining scene. I wrote this blog post in April and because of its success, I thought an updated version was due. Call it the “Summer Edition” as all the venues around the city start to unveil new menus, concepts and ideas. Luxury and budget, date night and family style, here is where I think you should be eating at right now: Mainland China I will admit, I was dubious – a Chinese restaurant chain hailing from India in an office block in Doha. But one look inside…
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Very Fondue You – Swiss Week at Grand Hyatt Doha
Some people know the way to my heart is cheese (and flowers but that’s another post), so one event I do look forward to each year is the Swiss Week at the Grand Hyatt Doha. I had a chance to check out the selection at the launch last night. But to be frank, we didn’t make it past the luxurious cheese selection. It runs from 2-7 May from 6:30pm until midnight and includes Swiss music and dishes including fondue, raclette and rösti prepared by Chef Sebastian Wirsching from Park Hyatt Zurich. I promise I will go this week to try the other dishes (including a fantastic array of seafood and a hot…
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Get Your Gourmet on at the Qatar International Food Festival 2015
It started very small a few years ago, but the Qatar international Food Festival has grown in stature each year.It’s now one of the best organized and most anticipated events in Doha. It’s back again for 2015 from 24 to 28 March at the Museum of Islamic Art Park again and looks set to be equally as good as last year. you can find out information about the various activities on offer here. But I’m pretty excited about the Dinner in the Sky concept this year which is offering a “Taste of Business Class” from Qatar Airways premium menu. I will be posting updates as they come, but you can keep…
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Peru-sing the Menu
I had a brief flirtation with South America back in the 1990s (you can do the math) but haven’t visited again since. It’s always been on my list but time, location and cost have always intervened. I can now confirm it’s well and truly back on my list for 2015. Recently in Doha, our dining scene has seen South American food have a bit of a moment with no less than five restaurants opening across the city. The newest, Camanito at the newly opened Zubarah Hotel serves up some tasty fare in sleek and glam surroundings. Last week I was invited by the Peruvian Ambassador and the hotel to sample the menu…
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Looking for Truffle
I’ve put on the record previously my love of simple food, but there is one luxurious ingredient that always gets me going – the truffle. The earthiness really appeals to my savory palate. I love to do the food version of “high/low” in fashion (mixing high end with high street) and especially love them on fries and pasta. The white truffle comes from the Piedmont region in and can fetch more than $USD4500 a kilo at market. that’s no small change If you are in The Four Season Doha is hosting a white truffle dinner this week (23 October), with a selection of truffle -friendly dishes paired with wine (or without). They…
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Got Greek?
I realized a couple of things this week. One is how much I LOVE Greek food and miss it done well here in Doha. And the other is that at age 42 I seem to have forgotten to get married. One of those outstanding issues was resolved this week. No, there wasn’t a quickie wedding. Rather, the Sharq Village and Spa is hosting Greek Week. Being Australian kind of makes me half Greek anyway. Melbourne is said to have the largest Greek-speaking population outside of Europe, after Athens and Thessaloniki, Melbourne’s Greek sister city. Even in Sydney’s west where I was brought up, you grow up fluent in Greek swear…
