The Torch Hotel - The Flying Carpet Restaurant

After the disappointing experience of the Grand Heritage Hotel, my wife suggested that we head to the Aspire Hotel instead. Easy to park at that time of day (9am) outside Villaggio and we were shown to the second floor and the Flying Carpet restaurant.

The decor was a bit strange. You are sitting in a glass tube with sort of 1960's white furniture but with carpets suspended over your head. However this all seemed to work! We were welcomed, the place was not too crowded and we had our buffet breakfast.

Every need was attended to, I enjoyed my breakfast and there was everything that you could need. The cost was 135 Riyals a head but it was worth the price to push the boat out a bit.

The Head Waiter said that not many people knew that they were open. We were also told that the restaurants are generally fully booked so you need to make a reservation in advance.

A good experience and we will go back and try the restaurant sometime.



Grand Heritage Hotel - A mixed bag

This is a fairly recently opened hotel on the other side of the Aspire Park. It is easy to park your car there (for free of course) or you could do like we did and park your car by Villaggio and take a very pleasant stroll on the pathway round the football pitches.

We had a fantastic time at the Blue restaurant. We had taken the stroll route to get there and sat under a canopy outside on a lovely January day. I had the best Caesar salad I have ever had while my wife tucked into tomato and garlic soup with some chips. She enjoyed this too. The service was impeccable, we were given an Ipad as the menu (this was good fun) and we had a great time. The bill (including two small waters) was 158 Riyals.

Having had this good experience and chatted to the waiters, we decided to head on over there a couple of days later for brunch, this time in the restaurant called Flavours. Breakfast there is 135 Riyals and the hotel boasts 5 stars.

When we arrived there was no one to greet us so we just wandered in. The tables that were free (the restauarant seemed a bit small) were nearlyall dirty - there were other people's breakfast things on the tables. We wanted to sit at one table, the waitress ushered us elsewhere rather than clean the table. My wife called the waitress by her name tag only to be told that it was not her name tag. When we came to sit down at the "clean" table the chairs were dirty, covered in crumbs.

There only seemed to be the one waitress, although there were plenty of staff milling around reception. After this bad start, and only seeing one waitress, we decided to cut our losses and left. We took our business elsewhere.

Not to sure what to do now, Blue was fantastic but the breakfast experience was awful.

The Garden Group Indian Restaurant

My work colleague Aloma (she is from Sri Lanka) recommends the Garden Group Indian Restaurant. The telephone number is 4436 5676.

Tried to search for this on the Internet and I came up with the following links:

Reviews at Qatar Living

And here is some further details at a blog too:

Expat Wanderer

La Notre restaurant/café on C Ring Road

This restaurant/café is in a new building just as you start to go up the hill from Ramada Junction on C ring road towards the Hamad Hospital. It is on your left hand side.

We visited in November 2011 when it had only been open a couple of months. There are tables outside but we opted for inside. We just wanted a coffee and a snack really but the snacks were more than that.

Therefore we shared a wrap that was OK with some wedges as well. Before this we were given some complimentary bread and dips that were really good. The service was fine and the staff tried hard.

However, the coffee (a latte) that I was given was absolutely the worst. Their second attempt was not a lot better. My wife's juice too was not good either. An instant coffee would have been much nicer and if we ever go back there (doubtful due to the very low standard of drinks) then I will get a drink out of a can or a bottle.

The entrance to the café is not very obvious and the route to the toilet is also not very well signposted.

Katara Cultural Village

This is situated between the Exhibition Centre and the entrance to the Pearl islands. It is an area set off for exhibitions, shows as well as having some restaurants as well. It was "soft opened" in 2010 and at the time of writing (end of 2011) it appears to now be going full tilt.

This year (2011) it held the Tribeca Film Festival and we have visited there a couple of times. It seems quite big on exhibitions of photographs and you need to keep an eye out in the local press for these. Also in the centre there is a big ampitheatre that will probably have outdoor shows and events.

Here are some details about Katara:

Official Website

A movie on You Tube

Aryaas Pure Vegetarian Restaurant

This is another recommendation for an Indian vegeterian restaurant from my work colleague Aloma who is from Sri Lanka, so she must know what she is talking about. The restaurant is situated down in Al Mansoura near the B Ring Road.

The telephone number is 4441 9668 (or according to Qatar Living it is 44360097

Some further details can be found at:

Qatar Living

The Peninsula Qatar newspaper



Star of India Restaurant Doha

Another recommendation from my Sri Lankan work colleague Aloma and this one is the Star of India Restaurant that is situated near Doha Municipality on Khalifa Street.

The phone number is: 4486 4440

Have done a bit of research on the internet about this restaurant and the links are:

Time Out Doha 

Qatar Living

Panetone for Christmas anyone? This is where you need to go

One of the joys of the Christmas time is that the Italians bring out their pannetone that is a lovely rich moist cake with chocolate or plain. Often you can see these stacked up in supermarkets etc in November and December.

We have bought the mass produced ones from supermarkets in Dubai and we have been immensely disappointed. The boxes are generally big and expensive then the pannetone cake inside is much, much smaller than the box.

However, if you head along to Carluccio's on the Pearl they have a little shop next door to the restaurant so you can pick up a superb pannetone there. No small portion here and it is super tasty, the cake inside pretty much fills the box. They do two sizes, a family size one and a baby one person size one (or maybe it is for two people, I just have a big mouth!)

An oasis or two in Al Wakrah

We were travelling to Messaied City for a Toastmasters evening and when we reached Al Wakrah that is the only sizeable town on the way from Doha my wife said that she fancied drinking a Costa Coffee. I nearly said to her "Yes, and I think it is going to snow too soon!" However, a very short way up the road we found a Costa Coffee.

The Costa Coffee is on the main road through Al Wakrah on the right hand side as you head out from Doha. The shop is quite big and has the usual Costa food and drinks. It also has clean toilets. Unfortunately, despite the entire shop being designated and clearly signposted no smoking some people still seem to violate this rule. What price some clean air when you drink your coffee or eat your snack.

Next door is a Pappa Johns that is a pizza joint so maybe you could get a more substantial meal in Al Wakrah as well too?

Book your Christmas Lunch early

Now is the time to book your Christmas lunch if you are going to a hotel for this. It may even be too late now to get the booking that you desire. We left it too late last year and ended up at our third choice place. Christmas lunch was a sort of Lebanese affair, hardly any vegetables, very dry turkey, no Brussel sprouts, no Cranberry sauce etc.

From my understanding the Christmas lunches in the hotels in Doha generally tend to be the buffet sort. Also, as we found out some of the trimmings were missing too.

Don't be caught out, if you are intending to have your Christmas lunch at a hotel, better to book right this minute.

Nando's Portuguese Restaurants in Doha

Nando's is a Portuguese chain of restaurants focusing on chicken with piri piri sauce. As my wife is Brazilian she likes this sort of thing and I am OK with visiting Nando's too.

There are three branches that I know of in Doha. One is in City Centre Mall, another in the Hyatt Plaza Mall (at the entrance to Giant Supermarket) and there is another down the Salwa Road.

Ideal for children as well as adults and if you need your chicken fix then get to Nando's.

Some Trip Advisor Reviews

Fuddruckers Restaurant

I have not personally been in this restaurant but have been in branches of Fuddruckers in Dubai so I expect that the food would be similar.

The branch in Doha (is this the only one?) is just up from the Oryx Roundabout. Take the turning up the hill towards TV Roundabout and take the first slip road on the right and there is a big car park and Fuddruckers is on your right hand side.

It does burger type food with chips and the usual accompaniments. I have generally enjoyed myself in Fuddruckers and I have no doubt that you will too.

Here are some details at Dining In Doha

La Mer Restaurant in the Ritz Carlton

We went here for our Wedding Anniversary celebration, we did want to go during Ramadan but it was shut for the month. Therefore our anticipation was high.

This restaurant is on the 23rd floor of the hotel next door to Bar 23. The setting is splendid with lovely views, the restaurant is quiet, nice pleasant music and attentive serving staff. Unfortunately that is where the enjoyment ended.

The AC is turned up so high that I was freezing cold. We ordered our main course, no starters and had to wait nearly an hour for this to turn up. When it did, I had a small piece of beef that was good but no vegetables to speak of. I was hungry when it turned up and hungry when I had finished eating. Where were the vegetables? I do not want to look at food for long, I want to feel satisfied, and I was far from that.

My wife had fish that was OK but she left half of it and there was not much to start with. My wife's dessert was a chocolate fondant that she said was good, I had to order cheese as I was so hungry. This was so-so.

A bill of 555 Riyals was too much for so little enjoyed by so few. We won't go back.

English Afternoon Tea at the Four Seasons Hotel

The Four Seasons Hotel is on Diplomatic Street out in West Bay. The Hotel is one of the best ones in Doha, and I like going there. On the right as you walk through the lobby is the Seasons Tea Lounge.

The Lounge is a sort of English/French style and there is (thankfully) a non smoking section where you can look out over the Bay. The tea (or coffee if you prefer) is lovely, the service is good and attentive. We usually have one English tea between us and a separate coffee as one English Tea is enough for two people. You get a cakestand full of sandwiches, scones and cakes.

A lovely place to while away a couple of hours on a leisurely afternoon.

Four Seasons Website

The Belgian Cafe

The Belgian Cafe is a lively cafe that serves beer, mussels and other hearty fare. It is out in West Bay at the Interncontinental Hotel.

We have been there once but unfortunately as we had not booked we did not go in. However, it looked very nice and lively. It has dark wood and a big bar and looks like a British pub from what I could see.

The are some tips here at Dining In Doha

Market by Jean-Georges at W Hotel special lunch deal

My colleague suggested this to me, said that he had a fantastic lunch there for a special offer of 85 Riyals. This I believe is only during the lunchtime.

The Market restaurant (not to be confused with the Spice Market) is in the W Hotel. The W Hotel is located two blocks in front of the City Center Mall out in West Bay.

Maybe it is best that you call and see if the deal is still on? Here is a link to the W Hotel Website.

Having checked out the website, the restaurant unfortunately allows smoking, as does all of the W Hotel restaurants etc except the W Cafe. This is the 21st Century W Hotel, when do we get clean air to breathe?

Branigans Restaurant near the Tennis Club

This restaurant is next door to the Doha Tennis Club that is down just off the Corniche pretty much into West Bay. At the Oryx Roundabout turn away from the Corniche and there is a big car park at the first turn off on your right.

This is a good place for families as it has a big playground for children. The food is mainly of the chips with everything variety. Burgers, Coca Cola, ice cream etc. We have been there once with some friends with young children and they like to go there.

For my wife and I it is a bit run down and needs a bit of an update. Not really my cup of tea.

Ruby Wu's Asian restaurant in the Ramada Hotel

Ruby Wu's restaurant is in the basement of the Ramada Hotel. It is in the left hand Ramada building as you look at the hotel from the car park. Just pretty much walk straight then go down a sweeping Hollywood staircase into the open basement area.

Ruby Wu's Asian restaurant shares its space with Bombay Balti restaurant so you can also get Indian food while you are there. It does good food (as does the Bombay Balti) so you will not be disappointed. It is also licenced.

Only down side is that sometimes you get smoked over, unfortunately that is the case with all pretty much all Doha restaurants. One day they will realise that it is nice to breathe clean air when you having a meal?

Phone 4428 1428

Trip Advisor Reviews

Ruby Wu's Website in Ramada Hotel

Ponderosa Steak House in Doha

There are a couple of branches of this restaurant on the Salwa Road one down on Ramada Junction and the other is a few roundabouts along on the Salwa Road towards Saudi.

I have been in the one along Salwa Road for a company meal to celebrate handing over a building. The place was functional and we had a buffet of salad, some meats and as much fizzy drink as you wanted. I understand that this is all for one price?

You can also get steaks etc from the a la carte menu too.

Probably a good place to go if you have young children, for me though it was OK but not brilliant and a place to pop into after shopping when you don't want to cook!

Some reviews here at Virtual Tourist

Latinos Restaurant in the Sheraton Hotel basement area

The Sheraton Hotel is in the West Bay area and was constucted sometime in the 1970's, it is on the Corniche. For me it looks like a piece of cheese. However, most of the hotel looks like it has been refurbished and we have been to Latinos once and we had a lovely time.

Just open in the evenings from 6pm to 2am and it does all manner of Latin food. The night we went it did a chuhaskaria that was pretty good (although no linguisa unfortunately - no pork here), this is when the waiters come round with skewers of meat and carve bits for you that you pick off with some tongs. You are also given a sign that says when you are full up or having a rest or you would like some more meat. There is also salad as well!!! And beer!!!!

Well worth a visit and the phone number is: 4485 4006

Latinos Website reviews from dining in Doha