Showing posts with label Indian Cuisine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indian Cuisine. Show all posts

Qatar - Food Finds

Qatar has seemingly endless options for food, much of it excellent. If you would like European cuisine in a fancy setting, visit a hotel like the Ramada or the Marriott, both of which also offer excellent sushi and the choice of having drinks with your meal (the only restaurants in town that can do this are in the major hotels), but at a steep price. Authentic and delicious Indian buffets in Doha is found throughout the city, ranging from family oriented places to very basic eateries catering to the Indian and Pakistani workers. You may attract some curious stares in the worker eateries, but the management will almost always be extremely welcoming, and the food is very inexpensive.

For excellent and truly thai restaurants in doha, try either Thai Twin (near the Doha Petrol Station and the computer souqs) or Thai Snacks (on Marqab St.), and be sure to sample the delicious spicy papaya salad at either location, but be careful, if you ask them to make it spicy, expect for it to burn.

Middle Eastern cuisine is everywhere as well, and in many forms- kebabs, breads, hummus, the list goes on. It can be purchased on the cheap from a take-out (many of which look quite unimpressive, but serve awesome food) or from a fancier place, like the wonderful Layali (near Chili's in the 'Cholesterol Corner' area) that serves gourmet Lebanese food and has hookahs with flavored tobacco. Refined Persian cuisine is available for reasonable prices in the royally-appointed Ras Al-Nasa`a Restaurant on the Corniche (don't miss the cathedral-like rest rooms).


Don't be afraid to venture into the Souqs looking for a meal; it will be a unique experience in an authentic setting, and although some of the places you see may look rundown, that's just the area in general, and the food will be probably be quite good. If you are in a funny kind of mood, you can try a McArabia- McDonald's Middle Eastern sandwich available only in the region.

It is forbidden to bring alcohol in to the country as a tourist; at Doha airport customs xray bags and will confiscate any bottles of alcoholic drink. They will issue a receipt valid for 2 weeks to reclaim the alcohol on exit from the country.

Source-http://www.expatfocus.com/expatriate-qatar-food-drink

Decorated Indian chef Sanjeev Kapoor on his new Doha restaurant

Sanjeev Kapoor has opened a new restaurant in town. The celebrity Indian chef talks about the restaurant, which definitely imprints his name.
Tell us about your new restaurant in the city.
It is named Signature by Sanjeev Kapoor and is situated at the MeliĆ” Hotel. As the name suggest, Signature not only imprints its authority on the recipe, but also on the ideas that are served. The food is art on a plate. We try to give you a complete dining experience – it’s a contemporary take on authentic Indian food.
What’s your favourite Indian meal?
My favourite Indian meal is kadhi chawal, especially the pakorewali kadhi that my mother makes. If not that, then a close second is rajma chawal.
Is this what you would cook at home?
When I cook at home, it is on special request, mostly made by my daughters, so the menu is totally dependent on what they want to eat!
Will you be making regular visits to Doha?
The Middle East is like my second home. I have restaurants and many friends and acquaintances in the region and I love the place! So I am constantly visiting and I will definitely make it a point to be there any time the team needs me.
How many restaurants do you currently have your name to?
54 operational and 20 more that are to open by end of the year, under different brands.
Describe a typical day for you.
A typical day orbits around work. Thankfully, for me, each day at work is filled with a new journey, new experiences and new people – all bound by food. When I am not working, I relax with music. I enjoy playing the drums.
Do you cook as much now as you would like to?
Not as much, but I take any opportunity I get to create something exciting in the kitchen. For me, cooking is therapeutic.
Which is your favourite IPL cricket team and favourite player?
Well, that changes with every season.
How can a young chef be the next Sanjeev Kapoor?
I don’t know about being the next Sanjeev Kapoor, but I would want the next generation to be better than me and reach a higher plane. I have full faith and confidence that they will. There is a lot of talent in India especially.