Hot and new venues in Doha, Qatar to add to your must-visit list, plus some places to add to your must-revisit list. European comfort food, tapas for days and even a gin tasting class. These are my top picks for you this August. Polish comfort food at Polka Food from eastern European is still having an extended minute in Qatar and I am here for it. Polka is a cute as a button spot in Madinat Khalifah that is serving up Polish dumplings and other comfort food. Believe me, the Polish version of a pizza, a late night post party snack involving a baguette piled with meats and cheeses and…
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Where to Find Specialty and Unique Food Shops in Doha
Need to find that unique ingredient? Or maybe something that reminds you of home or that trip to Italy (when we still could travel!)? There was a time when you had to wait to travel or ask a friend bring in that special vinegar or sauce. Not any more. In some cases you can thank COVID-19 – some suppliers opened their doors to the public during the lockdown. In other cases, specialty food shops across Doha are popping up all over the city offering a range of items and in many cases, home delivery or through Whatsapp. Here’s my a few from my little black book of great food and…
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Your October Hit List – Where to Eat and Drink in Doha This Month
We are at the pointy end of the year and for foodies this is great news. The weather starts to change oh so slightly, events start rolling into the city and this is the time when new menus, new restaurants and more start to open. So here is your October Hit List – where to eat and drink in Doha this month… 1. Pizza Box Another pizza place…yes. But this one is a little different. It offers New York style pizza – the pie is larger, the dough thinner and the toppings a bit more eclectic. You can buy by the slice or the whole pie. Toppings include traditional pepperoni,…
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Your June/July Dining hit List – Where to Drink and Dine in Doha this Summer
And so the Summer has arrived – temperatures are soaring, days seem longer and well things a little slower. But that doesn’t mean you can’t eat well! Here’s my combined, bumper edition, list of where to drink and dine in Doha this Summer: Mosaic at Mandarin Oriental Doha It’s finally open. Doha’s newest hotel took a gamble and delayed the opening of their all day dining restaurant to ensure they got the offering right. And it’s worth the wait. With views across the city and the Baharat Square of Msheirib, the menu is firmly planted in the Silk Route. Asian, Indian and Arabic flavors are among the strongest, players on…
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Qatar Food Trends 2018 – the Good, the Bad and the…please just stop
There is no doubt about it….Qatar loves a food trend. Remember when elaborate cupcakes popped up like wildflowers? Then cookies filled with all manner of sweet fillings…2018 is no different. Here’s my tongue-in-cheek look at the best and the…worst food trends of 2018. Peruvian Food: Yep, with the opening of La Mar and Manko, this intriguing and addictive cuisine that is a mix of Japanese, Spanish, Chinese and South American – has Qatar’s foodies talking – and it’s all good. The Intercontinental Doha has taken the “go hard or go home” approach, putting serious cash behind it with a custom built venue, celebrity chef endorsement and frankly it has paid…
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Five Important Things I learned About Travel in 2017
I’ve been traveling for pleasure solidly for more than 25 years and lost track of the countries and cities I’ve been to (that’s not to brag – really I have a terrible memory). But one of the best things about travel and being…ahem…slightly mature…is that you always learn something new from each adventure. This year, with the illegal blockade of Qatar throwing in a bit of color and movement, was especially instructive and I wanted to share with you some truths I learned in 2017 from cities far and near: The best trips don’t have to be meticulously planned Nearly every trip I have taken this year has been half…
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The Doha Brunch Index – How Far Your Riyal Will Stretch
Brunch in Doha (usually Friday but now increasingly also Saturday) is a deadly serious business, especially in these leaner times. But, with seemingly every restaurant offering some kind of brunch offer, how far will your dining riyal stretch? Being the intrepid food blogger, half baked economist and general busybody that I am, I devised and extremely dubious scientific ranking system for Doha’s burgeoning brunch scene. Behold – the inaugural Doha Brunch Index© This is the result a complicated matrix of reviews, personal experience, overeating and general hysteria levels. It’s not definitive. It’s not exhaustive (but boy was it exhausting), but it should give you a solid snapshot at what’s out there and…
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Doha’s Hidden Restaurant Gems – Stockburger Co
So Stockburger Co at the Holiday Inn Doha may not be so much as a hidden gem, rather, it’s a new entrant on the dining scene that deserves little more exposure. To be upfront – this place is essentially a sports bar, showing hundreds of games and different sports daily. There is even a private area to watch “big games” and devour your wings and shout out the screen in seclusion (although, they are yet to embrace my suggestion this would also be a good venue for Netflix). It’s true there is a bar area a very attractive happy hour from 12pm, but this is also a good place for…
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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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First Class Fare – Not Just Plane Food
Last year, after a rugged Summer, I treated myself a business class flight to Thailand. At the gate, ready to board, I was informed my seat had been changed. I swear, at that moment, I heard angels singing. Suddenly I was bathed in a soft light emanating from heaven itself. The gate staff member turned into a unicorn. I had achieved the impossible – I had been upgraded…to FIRST CLASS. When I boarded and was rolling around in my vast seat, a fellow passenger, also upgraded, literally ran on board. He looked around, surveying is kingdom for the next seven hours, and said… “SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET”. Right then, that man was all…
