This is Qatar’s year and all signs point to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. And, it’s fair to say that the food and beverage scene is matching that energy. Believe it or not there are more than 3000 restaurants, cafes and eateries in Qatar and that number is growing every day. But here are the seven restaurant openings I am excited about opening in Qatar in 2022. Jean Georges at Four Seasons Doha The master is back in Qatar with this contemporary dining concept at the ever evolving and exciting Four Seasons Doha. Expectations are high, Jean Georges previously opened two spots at the W Doha, so diners here know…
-
-
Is The Pearl Social the Best Restaurant in Doha You Have Never Been To?
Doha’s dining scene can be fickle and driven by fads, as anyone who has seen a line outside the latest specialty coffee house can attest. A few weeks ago I went for my third visit to The Pearl Social at the Kempinksi Marsa Malaz. For a Friday night, the restaurant was at half capacity. The bar (aka the Diver’s Club) upstairs was busy. But the restaurant was not. Occupying the spot that was once home to the overrated, overpriced and over itself Antica Pesa, the Pearl Social completes the trio of restaurants on the hotel’s mini island. This venue has been hit and miss – the location on the water…
-
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…
-
Your December Hit List – Where to Eat and Drink in Doha this Month
To use a well worn sports analogy – we’re on the home stretch people! December is upon us and 2018 is almost a reality. It’s that time of year – for overindulging and panic buying. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find some time to dine well in and around Doha. Here’s my December Hit List of where I will be eating and drinking this month (be warned – there is a distinct lack of festive fare here. For a full rundown of where, when and how for Christmas and New Year, head over to my friends at Marhaba. Now…to my list: Megu Many, many moons ago, when I was…
-
Al Fresco – Six Restaurants Where You Can Enjoy the Cooler Weather in Doha
Weather is a preoccupation in Doha. Whether it’s the heat, the humidity or the alleged “rainy season” (on now apparently), it’s the number one topic for discussion at dinner tables, office kitchens and cafes across the city. I also love it how it’s a COMPLETE surprise that come October, things start to cool down. Well, it has actually. Evening temperatures are now hovering in the high 20s. Time to turn down the AC, put the Netflix subscription on hold for a few months and head outside – this is the time of year we live for in Qatar. I mean, I even come out of my summer hibernation for this…
-
Hidden Gems – Let’s Taco About Isla Mexican Kitchen
I’m the first to admit I am a bit of a late adopter. Maybe it’s my inner stubborness. Maybe it’s my refusal to join any type of bandwagon. But when I do join the party, it’s like a lightbulb moment. When we entered Isla Mexican Kitchen on The Pearl Qatar, it was as if I was entering a party I was either late to or hadn’t been invited to. It was a mid-week and the place was busy. I thought, “hang onnnnn….how did I not know about this place?”. Clearly I was living under the foodie equivalent of a large rock. And to be fair, I generally have an aversion…
