It’s March that means not only “March Madness”, but also the Qatar International Food Festival. I headed down there on the opening day to scope out the tastiest stalls and have my hit list for where you should be spending your hard earned cash. A quick couple of thoughts before I head into the “meat and potatoes” of this post. Although this is the biggest year in terms of stalls, I found the variety a little lacking. and uninspired. Maybe this will change as the week progresses, as the energy builds and more offerings pop up, but I felt it needed a little more oomph. I loved the “Farm to…
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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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Living on the Wedge: My Top Dishes of 2017
And so here we are…What a year it was! We’ve seen the illegal blockade of Qatar continue to rattle us and have some rebound effects on the country’s dining scene – some ingredients are harder to find (others easier) and we haven’t seen as many new openings as in previous years. I’ve also found that while the market is more competitive (we are spending less and not going out as often) the dynamism of previous years is missing. But my annual list of best dishes must go on! It’s still been a creative and delicious year on the dining front in many ways. The Mondrian Doha was a late and glamorous…
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Six Places in Doha to Go for a Girl’s Night Out
Let me be clear do about this – by “girl’s night out” I don’t mean “ladies night”. In fact, what I really mean is a list of places you can go with your “squad” (although I also hate that term) or tribe (much better). I mean a place to go with drinks (or maybe not), decent food and yes, maybe, some musical stylings (preferably of the retro persuasion). And, of course, this isn’t just limited to after 6pm fun or places with Happy Hours. So…because, sometimes, you just need to be with your tribe, here are my go-to places for a girls night out/afternoon gathering (alert the authorities!). Break out…
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Five Reasons Why Prague is a Foodie’s Dream Destination
Dear Prague, I have to admit, the trip was booked at the last minute and in a rush. And being brutally honest, you were not my first choice. And, yes my expectations were low. But dearest Prague, you have won a new fan. What won me over? Well, since you ask… Street food – beer and sausages at 10am on the Square you say?Without judgement you say? SOLD! Street food is everywhere you look here, whether it be kiosks selling freshly grilled sausages or even those touristy icecreams that look like something from a scifi movie, this is a city that is out and proud about food. Within an hour…
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Five Reasons Why Dublin Makes the Perfect Summer Getaway
Without delving too far into the implications that this story makes about my current age, I last visited Ireland around 22 years ago as a young, starry-eyed Australian lass. I took the ferry from France, it was a long and choppy crossing but it was very exciting to get a stamp in my then freshly minted passport. “Where are you from then young lady?” the Immigration agent at Rosslare asked. “Australia? Well, it’s changed a lot since when your ancestors probably left here!” (His correct assumption being that my ancestors were Irish and convicts). Fast forward to July 2017 and I am standing at the Immigration counter of the Dublin…
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12 Travel Apps to Help Make Your Next Vacation a Little Easier
Until recently I used to be a little old school when it came to traveling. I would tote around a plastic folder stuffed with print-outs of plane and hotel bookings, even reams of restaurant and tourist attractions. But you can teach old dogs new technology tricks. The biggest change for me was buying an iPhone and discovering the Apple Wallet – it was like a bolt from heaven! A place where I can store boarding passes, hotel loyalty cards and more? Sign me up! But the more I travel, the less I want to take with me. So along with my iPad, headphones, lip balm and travel insurance, several pairs…
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Seven Essential Books for the Foodie and Traveler in All of Us
It’s a little known fact that I am a voracious reader. How, you might ask, do I fit this in with my regimented schedule of Netflix viewing and Lifetime movie watching? It’s tough, believe me, especially now the new Post-Trumpian House of Cards has dropped (and seriously, it’s brutal – “I will NOT yield!”). I will always make time for reading…and eating. My two great loves. With the summer months ahead, I thought I would take a short break from the restaurant scene for this post and share with you the seven essential food and travel reads for any foodie. Think of this like “Beach Reads for the Hardcore Foodie”. If you…
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What Ramadan Means to Me
Yes, I’m one of those Doha residents. You know the ones. Those who came here for a couple of years, planning to return home in a blaze of glory with a fattened bank account and a sense of moral superiority. I’m happy to say, I’m now marking my 10th year in Qatar and all of those pretensions have dissolved. Each year brings a new experience and a new challenge. I should start this piece with what Ramadan is “not” to me. It’s not something I have to “endure”. Yes, it’s hot. And yes, the bars are closed. And yes, the driving is, at time, maniacal. But honestly, I didn’t drink alcohol…
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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…
