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 Hacks to Ensure You Have the Best Hotel Stay Possible
I have to be honest, I am a five star gal. I love a good hotel and all the trimmings that come with it. And who doesn’t? But we all know the five star life comes with a five star price. And while I don’t mind paying for the experience, I also want to ensure I get value for money. With hotels facing competition from the likes of Airbnb and similar, they are working harder than ever to get your business. I’ve compiled my seven best “hotel hacks” for getting the best price, a nice room and even some extra benefits for your next stay: Pay for Club Floor Access As an…
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Four Great Eid Staycation Options in Qatar
Not everyone has the luxury of being able to travel this Eid period. Work, family and life can get in the way. While I am fortunate to be able to travel this year (destination to be revealed soon!), I will still be adding a couple of days in Doha on at the end to ease myself back into work and enjoy the city. Luckily there was some great offers around at the moment, with hotels in the city and beyond keen to welcome locally-based guests in light of current issues. A couple tips before you book: Call the hotel and ask if there are special offers or packages. You may…
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Summer Loving – Nobu’s Seasonal Menu
You would have to be living under a rock to not know that all is not well in the GCC region right now. This isn’t a blog to discuss politics and the bullying antics of neighboring countries against a sovereign nation (oops…see what I did there?). But I can truly say it’s business as usual – supermarket shelves are full, ATMs are dispensing cash…expats and citizens are just getting on with life as best we can. Which brings me to this blog post – for me, this means continuing to eat my way around the city. Last night it was Nobu Doha to try their new Omakase (Chef’s choice) menu. This has become…
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No Bulbul at this Street Food Restaurant
I’ve become a more cynical than usual of Doha’s dining scene of late. Too many new and mediocre burger joints, too much high praise for above average cuisine and frankly not enough fun. But when Erstwhile Wingwoman and my business guru Brooke suggested we check out BulBul Streetfood after an event one evening last week, I was more than a little interested. On first glance, the BulBul Streetfood in Tornado Tower is very out of place among the grey steel and traffic laden streets of West Bay. I’m a sucker for a colorful cushion. Add tacos and a flatbread pizza into that mix and I may never leave. With brash murals featuring lots of…
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Dine Around Doha – A Perfect Day as Told Though Food
Not every day is wine, roses and free snacks in the food blogging world. Some days it’s a long day at work, then collapsing on the sofa with Netflix and a steaming bowl of… Maggi noodles and cheese (seriously – don’t tell anyone). But some days, every so often, when the Gods shine, are just golden. Those days are few and far between, but when they are…I grab them. These rare days had me thinking, given the current state of Doha’s dining scene, what would be my “perfect’ day as told in food (and the occasional stiff drink)… Breakfast: In a perfect world, it would be breakfast in bed or…
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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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Seven Foodie Destinations to Add to Your Travel Bucket List
I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in this confession – but I choose my holiday destinations based on food. Beaches are nice. So are galleries. And yeah, I love a bit of shopping. But honestly, for me, it’s all about the food. I’m in the process of researching and booking my Summer vacation destinations (thank you Qatar for your long Government vacation allowances!). The criteria this year were: solid foodie credentials (of course), direct flights on Qatar Airways, minimum visa hassles and some cooler weather. So, southern hemisphere here I come – at this stage Sydney, Cape Town and Argentina are favorites (plus a few other short beach-related forays in between and…
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Nine Places to Eat and Drink on a Stopover in Doha
This week Qatar Airways announced something that was music to to ears of any traveler – free transit stopovers in Doha. The range of things to do on a short stay in this city has been covered in other places and I have done an exhaustive list of places to eat at the stunning Hamad International Airport. But what about Doha itself? I’ve lived here more than a decade and managed to pretty much eat my way around the city. You can find something to suit all palates and budgets – you just need to know where to look. But as a regular traveler, I also know what makes a great trip – food…
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Soy Into You – Review of Zengo’s Friday Brunch
Honestly I haven’t had the best start to 2017. Things haven’t gone to plan, and given that I gave up planning things in late 2016, that should give you an indication of my current mind set. I needed to get out and about, drink a cocktail or three, eat some good food and talk some hard core nonsense. That’s how we ended up at Zengo for brunch last Friday. Part of Richard Sandoval’s global culinary empire, it’s yet another of his Doha outlets following Toro Toro and Isla. I had been to the opening night and found the space stunning, the pan-Asian food interesting and the entire project brimming with potential. A fusion restaurant…
