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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Seven Underrated Restaurants in Doha You Should be Trying
It should be no surprise to anyone that Qatar’s dining scene is driven by fads. If it’s new, shiny (and has a big brand or well known name attached), we flock to it like moths to a flame. Then…it’s onto the next big thing. Don’t get me wrong, there are a host of new restaurants to look forward to in coming months, including Iron Chef Morimoto at the new Mondrian and (he was in town last week so this may actually be happening soon….finally) and a CUT by Wolfgang Puck at the same hotel. But there are a handful of good restaurants that may have slipped off your dining radar or maybe you just…
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Something to Crow About – the Best Chinese New Menus in Doha
Chinese New Year is always all color, movement and the best eats. And always SO much better than that January 1 business, which always sees me holed up on the couch watching fireworks rather than actually getting out and about. Chinese New Year menus often contain similar, traditional dishes or a chef’s interpretation of them. the theme is always around celebration, so you will find food with symbolism (good luck, prosperity) and also dishes with lots of color. The most common Chinese New Year foods includes dumplings, fish, spring rolls, and niangao (glutinous rice cakes). You will also find abalone (good fortune) and pomelo because it is thought to bring “continuous prosperity…
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A Pizza My Heart – Six Great Home Delivery Restaurants in Doha
Contrary to popular opinion, I don’t eat out every night. My natural state is at home, on the couch, with AZ arguing over my apparently inexplicable love of reality TV. So truth is, I am, in fact, a bit of a homebody. I love to cook, but sometimes, after a long and complicated day or week in the Vineyard of Truth, I am partial to a takeaway. And with Doha’s natural traffic state as being in No Man’s Land between Carmageddon and Carpocalypse at any given time, any restaurant that can delivery tasty, hot and delicious food to me without me hollering my location, is going to be a winner. Both Kababs&Kurries…
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Wok and Roll – A Review of the Shanghai Club
It’s very rare that I would go to a restaurant “cold” – that is with literally no idea what to expect in terms of food or experience. Usually Doha-based foodies would have swarmed a new venue, picked it apart and shared it on social media. Or, the fooderati (I say that with my tongue very firmly planted in my cheek) would have been invited and posted glowing reviews. The Shanghai Club at the Shangri-La Doha opened a few weeks ago with a glitzy party. Then…silence. No reviews. No chatter. Only online ads. With AZ out of town, I rounded up Alicia and we headed to the 43rd Floor to see what the big…
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Giveaway Alert – Win Dinner for 4 at Doha Marriott’s Noodling Night
Nobody had to think twice when I circulated on our tribe whatsapp group about the Doha Marriott’s new Saturday night deal. Called Noodling Night it’s a simple concept – all you can eat noodles and dumplings hand made by their Asia Live! chef Xudong Zheng every Saturday night from 6.30pm. All for QR100 per person OR add QR60 per person for an unlimited draft (wine and beer) beverage package. Honestly we did have to double check the offer – it’s that good. Favorites at our table were the noodles with slow cooked beef, a spicy seafood noodle dish and of course, all the dumplings. Throw in a few glasses of wine and…
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There’s Dumpling You Should Know – Hakkasan’s New Menu
In the rest of the world, the change of seasons are marked and obvious. Leaves fall in autumn. Flowers bloom in spring. In Qatar, things are more prosaic. One day: “My, we are having a mild winter! It’s a cool 27 degrees!” A week later: “WTF! It’s 45 degrees! OUCH! The steering wheel!” For foodies, the change of season signals new menus in the restaurants. When chefs go wild with new produce from afar and experiment. When the invite came to try the new Spring menu at Hakkasan Doha I knew the seasons were changing. Consistently one of the top restaurants in the city, this place rarely puts a food wrong and…
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Wok This Way – Review of PF Changs Doha
“So, what did you think of your first experience at PF Changs?” It was the 64,000 Riyal question and one every food blogger dreads. Especially when posed by the man he founded the restaurant himself. Both Phillip Chiang and his international marketing director had me in a spot. Since opening two weeks ago, the Doha branch is serving around 1500 customers a day with people waiting up to an hour for a table (the only thing I would line up for is an ABBA reunion and that ain’t happening until Annafried says so). There have been some social media reports about poor service and spotty food (addressed by the team…
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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…
