They say that dimming the lights can heighten your other senses like taste and smell. As a woman of a certain age (cough), I find it also hides a multitude of sins. When the team from W Doha invited me to try their own version of dining in the dark, I was very quick to confirm. Excellent food, mood lighting…what’s not to love. While it wasn’t conducted in complete darkness (rather the stunning Extreme Wow Suite), the experience was still unique. The seven course menu, presented by their executive chef Kim and developed for the evening, took us on a journey of the hotel’s culinary strengths. Each course a different couple was blind…
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Gnocci on Heaven’s Door- New Menu at Il Teatro
Yes, I know, I should be sent to Blogger jail. I’ve been a little remiss in the posting department. As you know, I get distracted easily. My distractions have been both difficult (work, life) and sometimes delightful (no comment). Recently, in the depth of my dual happy/sad funk, The Four Seasons invited me to try the new menu at an old Doha standard. Il Teatro was one of the first restaurants I visited when I moved to Doha and I have had a fondness for it ever since. The issue is, it’s a little stuffy. The interior screams “High End Hotel Restaurant”. The food is always excellent, but the atmosphere a little…
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Keeping up With the Jones (es)
When we sat down at our table at Jones the Grocer, Brooke turned to me and said “It’s 4.30pm, that can only be a Morris time to eat”. She speaks the truth. I get to the office around 615am, so I tend to be an early eater. Lunchtime for me is 11am. A “Blue Plate Special” as they say. She 430pm it is! This cafe will always have a special place in my heart – it’s an Australian brand, serves the elusive Flat White and it has a brilliant cheese cave. What more could a girl from Parramatta ask for? Today’s early dinner/late lunch was to check out how they were…
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Rolled Gold – New Ways With An Old Favorite
I consider myself a semi expert on Indian paneer and cheeses. Self appointed of course. I had thought I know the whole gamut of ways to eat it until I visited The Indus in Muscat. Falling into the realm of “high end” Indian food, this restaurant really did live up to its hype. For me, the highlight of an excellent meal was their version of cottage cheese style paneer. I had never come across this treatment of the cheese before. Doodhiya Kalmiya which is cottage cheese rolls stuffed with bell peppers, potatoes and Indian spices. The cottage cheese is rolled flat and wrapped around the stuffing. It’s then cooked on a char grill.…
- Accompaniments, Cheese, Cheese in Cooking, Cooking, Doha, events, Feta, Food, Food Trends, Greece, Hotels, Middle East, Promotions, Restaurant Reviews, Restaurants, Travel
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…
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Getting in the Mood For Dude Food
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…
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Paneer to My Heart
There was a seminal moment on my recent girl’s weekend to Amritsar, India. When, at a famous local restaurant, the Brothers Dhaba, we ordered two more parathas. This is a flaky Indian flatbread, buttery and oily in that perfect way, served hot from the oven and irresistible. The waiter, stared at the already heaving table before our party of four, and said “but you heave two more dishes coming”. Shoveling food into our mouths, we barely breathed, in unison we said “We don’t care!”. He backed away from the table like a man who had seen something very, very alarming. There is something about India. I do love visiting –…
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Changing the Guard – Battle of the Burrata
I have to admit, I am kind of change averse. Call me old fashioned but I kinda like a routine. But one area where I like a bit of variety is my restaurants. Two of my favorite places in Doha – Market by Jean Georges at W Doha and The Grill at Grand Hyatt Doha both saw new chefs take the helm in recent months. New chefs mean a new culinary viewpoint (far too much Food Network!) and new dishes to try. Both new chefs invited me to sample their dishes this month. And I have to say there is a lot to be excited about. and also, Burrata cheese,…
