It doesn’t take a food writer to tell you that Doha is spoiled for choice with some good Indian food at all price points. At the upper end, we’re also well – Rivaaj, Jamavar, Chingari among the standouts. Gymkhana opened in 2022 at the Katara Hills LXR. If you are unsure where that is, you’re not alone. It’s in the verdant…hills inside Katara, past the Padel courts. The hotel and restaurant benefit from the elevation, but the view from the admittedly lovely terrace is across the… Lusail Expressway which, is well, very Doha. But I imagine in winter it’s perfect. Fun fact – this is Gymkhana’s second iteration in Doha.…
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Brunch Review: ZUMA Doha has Hype and Celebrities but Does it Deliver A Great Brunch?
Let’s be honest. First impressions were not great – a questionable table and a server with an attitude as chilly as Doha in late February. Our Zuma Baikingu Friday brunch experience was off to a rocky start. We’d already had internal monologue/whatsapp group chat about the QR500 price tag and the “sceney” vibe. But my lack of a Zuma visit was, I confess, a gap in my food writing resume. A generous table move, the injection of Pocket Rocket server called Camilla and a decent Bellini soon had us purring. Let’s be clear – Zuma Doha is a SCENE. So much so that we had a mix of wannabe main character…
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Review: Is there more to OPA Doha than its Instagrammable interiors?
OPA Doha takes the “more is more” approach to its decoration. It’s almost an assault on the senses – a wall of busts of imperious Greek philosophers (or the younger, hotter cousins of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle perhaps) that dreamy flower trimmed hallway. Let’s not forget the white washed walls, taking you to Mykonos via the Lusail Expressway. But, is there more to OPA Doha than its Instagrammable interiors and plate smashing fun? OPA Doha entered the Qatar market along with a flurry of similar Greek inspired restaurants in 2022. At last count there no less than seven Greek/adjacent restaurants in Doha. The appeal of Greek cuisine is obvious –…
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Review: 10 Years After it Opened, is IDAM Still Doha’s Fine Dining Leader?
With a landmark location and an impeccable fine dining pedigree, IDAM has always stood apart from anything else in the Doha dining scene. But 10 years after it opened, can we still call IDAM Doha’s fine dining leader? The answer is…yes and a qualified maybe. But more of that later. IDAM’s History A decade ago, when IDAM opened in all its white gloved Alain Ducasse elegance, its menu was a blend of near east/Orient and Eurocentric west. Billing itself as Qatari/French fusion, the famed harees with gold foil was a regular item on the menu. Then the empire expanded – Jiwan and its millions of pearls glittered at the National…
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New Review: Innovative and Irresistible Indian Food at Masala Library
I’m usually one to tease my opinion in reviews. I’m not going to play around here. In fact I am deadly serious. We’re talking about butter chicken. Butter chicken is serious business. But if you are in any way a fan of Indian food, even a distant one in the way I am a fan of heavy metal bands, you need to go to Masala Library. Go for the butter chicken – a deconstructed thing of beauty which I will get to later. Stay for the rest of the experience. There’s no shortage of good high end Indian food in this town – Ishka360, Jamavar and Rivaaj among the most…
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HUQQA, Line and Sinker – A Review of Doha’s Newest Turkish Restaurant
Ever has that feeling KNOW you are getting taken for an expensive ride…that feeling when the experience is so swift and so practiced that you have to sit back and just admire the AUDACITY. That folks, is what it is like to eat at HUQQA The overall experience is so pleasant and the food is so tasty that you kind of just throw up your hands (or in this case your wallet) and say…I give up. Just take it. Take my money. I had that exact feeling when I realized we were paying QR168 for a dish called Sac Kavarna. You heard me. QR168. For a dish of admittedly beautifully…
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Revisiting an Old Friend – Has Yum Yum at K108 Hotel Weathered the Test of Time?
Back in the day (ok around five years ago), Yum Yum at K108 Hotel was the hottest dining ticket in town. With a sun-drenches dining room, views for days and a French chef turning out unique and sometimes challenging dishes. But Doha’s dining scene is one that is driven by fashion and fads – the chef left, other places opened and well, people moved on. But this place continued to deliver. I confess I was one of those diners who moved on to other more shiny objects. So I sheepishly returned recently to see how it was holding up. Sadly, the dining room was empty on our weekday lunch run.…
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Future State: New Qatar Restaurant Openings to Look Forward to in 2018
It was the best of times…it was the…not so best of times. It’s fair to say that in dining terms, 2017 didn’t have the extreme wow factor of previous Doha dining years but we still had a lot to like. But 2018 beckons and it’s time to peruse what it has in store for foodies in Qatar – and the line-up looks solid. Walima: Mondrian Doha was one of the shining lights of 2017 – thanks to some inventive restaurants and attitude to match. Walima is their greatly anticipated Qatari restaurant and if the interiors are anything to go by, this will be a high watermark. Add in the stunning…
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Five Places in Doha to For an After Work Drink That Also Serve Great Food
Most days at work (yes, I DO have a day job), around 1pm-ish, my office colleague Penny and I have an important and in depth conversation about what we will be eating for dinner that night…or where we will be eating. Often we trade advice and experiences about where to eat after work, when we just can’t bring ourselves to create another kitchen masterpiece. Whether it’s catching up with co-workers, friends or your significant other, an afterwork drink is great to take the edge off. But nothing beats a great meal to go with it. So, I searched the city for some of the best options for after work sustenance.…
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Heading North – An Authentic Foodie Experience Where You Least Expect it
During Ramadan I received a message via my blog and I have to say, it more than piqued my interest. It was from the family who operated a small restaurant serving Indonesian, Malaysian and Filipino food inviting me to come and try their menu. The only catch – it was in Al Khor. Al Khor? I don’t go that far for my holidays!* So, after a little coaxing, much arguing over the music play list and a stop for petrol, AZ and I found ourselves one recent Friday standing outside a hypermarket in Al Khor. Upstairs in the large food court was a final destination – The Sizzlers Qatar. It’s a…
