So it seems, Dude Food is a thing globally. And this phenomenon has arrived in Doha at an unlikely venue. Opal by Gordon Ramsay at St Regis Doha has embraced this food fad and introduced Chilli Dog Tuesdays. Apparently Dude Food is comfort food for those with a bigger appetite. It is not for the faint-hearted. Think burgers, burritos, big meaty things and hot dogs. The trend originated in the United States, with the street food movement of food trucks. It evolved from there, think junk food classics with a gourmet twist. This is what we have at Opal. Opal is the more casual brother, sorry “bro”, to the sedate…
- Accompaniments, American Cheese, beer, Cheese in Cooking, events, Fast Food, Food Trends, Hotels, Promotions, Qatar, Restaurant Review, Restaurants, wine
- Cheese, Cheese in Cooking, Cooking, Doha, events, Food, Food Trends, Hotels, Italian, Italy, Middle East, Promotions, Qatar, Recipes
A Touch of (Cooking) Class
I consider myself a decent home cook. By this I mean I can joint a chicken, cook pasta to al dente and I also do a line in a good jus. But I can’t temper chocolate and frankly I wouldn’t even make the audition phase on Masterchef without threatening to cut someone. But like most home cooks, I like to expand my repertoire even if it is just in theory. What seems like a lifetime ago when I was a pre-teen, I was sent on some holiday cooking classes run by the local natural gas company (it makes sense if you are Australian). We learned how to make tuna casserole…
- Accompaniments, Cheese, Cheese in Cooking, Doha, European Cheese, events, Fondue, Food, Food Trends, Hotels, Promotions, Qatar, Swiss, wine
Damned if Fondue – Swiss Food Festival Returns to Doha
Nothing melts my heart (OK that was a cheap pun – even cheaper than the headline for this post) more than a proper Swiss fondue. The Grand Hyatt Doha is bringing back its’ popular Swiss Gastronomic Festival for another year. Running from 8 -16 May from 6:30pm until midnight. Enjoy live folk Swiss music and most importantly fondue, raclette and rösti prepared by Chef Heinz Ruifbach. Call 77982400 for bookings and more information. Melted cheese, potatoes, alcohol and sticks to stab things with. What’s not to love?
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Let’s Taco About It – Cinco De Mayo
I have to admit, until very recently I thought Cinco De Mayo had something to do with mayo – as in the type you put on potato salad. Now I know it has a lot to do with tacos. And enchiladas. And pinatas (hitting things – I’m all for that!) Mexico is a long way from Doha. But this weekend the Marriott Doha is hosting a Cinco De Mayo party and frankly, if it involves tequila, hitting things and cheese, I’m there.
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Daylight Robiola – An Italian Christmas Affair
Technically, I should have done a Christmas post. But that would be cliched. However this post come to you courtesy of my not-so-traditional Christmas dinner at Grand Hyatt Muscat. Christmas in the Middle east can be a complicated business. It’s a work day for most people and many of us are away from our loved ones (expat orphans). So we all usually opt for a hotel catered event. This year, at the urging of GF, we took the road less traveled, leaving the extensive buffet to the families and taking an Italian adventure at Tuscany Restaurant. The feast included ravioli stuffed with fois gras, braised beef cheeks, plates of cured…
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Grapes and Cheese Night
Thanks to the St Regis Doha for plugging my blog post on their excellent Grapes and Cheese Night which is tonight. If you are in Doha, you can get more info here: Grapes and Cheese at St Regis Doha
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Sydney Cheese Theft – Will They Gouda to Prison?
Seems like a waste of good cheese to me. But I didn’t know that people in Sydney’s West – my natural habitat – were so predisposed to cheese. Sydney police destroy 150kg of cheese seized from back of car
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Beefed Up – Review of The Anvil Rooms
I had a phase (and by phase I mean 18 months) at university when I became a vegetarian. I’m not sure what prompted it, seemed like the thing to do at the time. Like wearing Doc Martins and raging against “The Man”. One day, about 18 months in, I decided to start eating chicken again. Then the floodgates opened and I have been making up for that 18 month lapse for the last 25 years. I love a good steak and especially love a good steakhouse, there is something about their warm, clubby environment, their comfy chairs and the proliferation of onion rings that make me very, very happy. This…
- British, British cheese, Cheddar, Cheese, Comte, European Cheese, events, Food, France, French, Media, Middle East, Restaurant Reviews, Travel, wine
Fromage to Eternity
As we slide (or stagger) into the business end of the year, I find myself looking for distractions. So when I got a message via the Twitter that went something along the lines of “We have a new menu Market at W Doha, there are 20 new items. There is lots of cheese”, I declare a “Distraction Action” and head westwards. And the Twitter doesn’t lie. The new menu has cheese. Lots of it. And other amazing things as well. Starting with these balls of deliciousness. Cheddar chilli fritters. Give me cheddar and add some green chilis then deep fry it? Yes please. This is what I like about cheddar,…
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Creating a Munster
So it seems that cheeses can also have an identity crisis. I have previously written about that great American icon Muenster cheese. Little did I know it has a European cousin. Munster-géromé, is a strong tasting, soft cheese made mainly from milk from the Vosges, between Alsace, Lorraine and Franche-Comté in France. A big thanks to my friends at St Regis Doha whose monthly Grapes and Cheese night not only gives me an excuse to catch up with friends, but also fuels my blog. Munster géromé is at its best in the summer and the autumn, when it is made from milk from the haute chaumes (“high stubble”) of pastures…