Mouth-watering Meal at the Market (W Hotel, Doha)

With Ramadan having started, we were thinking of possible restaurants in the West Bay area that are open for lunch. We decided to try the 'Lunch Express’ offer at the Market (W Hotel Doha) and what a fantastic idea that was!

The restaurant was pretty busy considering it was lunchtime but we were seated as soon as we walked in. The ambiance is lovely with minimalist colors and warm lighting. We were served fresh breads with some butter while we contemplated what to order. The Lunch Express option is a 3-course express meal. The menu is varied with around five options for each of the three courses. (Vegetarian options are also available, and delicious at that.) Since it is designed as an express business lunch, we were asked to order all our courses at once.

Our appetizers arrived promptly. We got the Avocado and Apple salad with pecans and the Crispy Calamari with rosemary and lemon dip. I am not a huge fan of salads but the the tanginess of the apples and sweetness of the pecans complemented the avocados and greens very well. This light and fresh salad was a great start to my 3 course feast. The Crispy Calamari was an absolute winner

In a happy place post our appetizers, we were given a couple of minutes before our wonderful entrees arrived. I ordered for the Fusilli with Mushrooms in a lemon cream and Parmesan sauce and the Parmesan crusted Chicken. The pasta portions were hearty and I dug right into it. The sauce was a little too tangy for our taste but the mushrooms and fusilli were cooked to perfection. The scattered pine nuts added a pleasant crunch to the dish. While I was unable to finish my dish because of the large portion size (and I wanted to leave space for dessert), my colleague managed to wipe her plate clean. As they say, actions speak louder than words; She seemed mighty pleased with her juicy entree.

Moving on to the favorite part of our meal, the dessert options were appealing to the eyes. The inner chocoholics in us eventually took over and we both picked the Warm Chocolate cake with a dollop of Vanilla ice cream. As I used my spoon to cut a piece, moist chocolatey goodness started to flow out. Complemented by the vanilla ice cream, this dessert was off our plates and in our tummies in a couple minutes. Our taste buds were in heaven!

I ordered black coffee to get myself out of what felt like a perpetual food coma because of all the delicious food I had just consumed. As we waited for our bill, we glanced at our watches and realized we had spent a good hour and fifteen minutes at our “express” lunch. While it may not hold true to its tagline of “served in 30 minutes”, it is an absolute delight nonetheless! We also noticed that my coffee, my friend’s drink, and our water cost a few riyals extra which brought our check total to approximately 130 riyals per person. 

A signature restaurant by 3 star Michelin chef Jean-Georges, this 3-course meal definitely lived up to his reputation. The Lunch Express offer is great value for money and we walked out of the Market extremely content. 

For just 130 riyals, this restaurant delivers a wonderful experience.

(Also check out the Spice Market at the W Hotel Doha as well. Serving South East Asian cuisine, they have an express lunch option for 89 riyals as well!)

Doha Diaries reviews are conducted anonymously and are not sponsored.

Near Satiation at Romano's Macaroni Grill

Situated at the Villagio mall, one does not expect this restaurant to be cozy and quiet, but surprisingly this place achieves both attributes. It is cut off from the otherwise bustling mall and gives you the dining experience you'd hope for. The restaurant has an indoor and outdoor section, and unless you want to be stared at by walking shoppers, we'd suggest the comfortable indoor seating.

Known for its fine dining Italian food, Romano's does not disappoint completely. Yes, it could be tweaked to perfection, but we were happy with most of their dishes.

While the ambiance was stylish, and service prompt, here's what we thought of the food we ordered.

Crab stuffed mushrooms

A complete winner. It was smooth on the palette. The crab was well cooked and adequately stuffed into deliciously cooked button mushrooms. The dish was presented nicely and the accompanying garlic bread was fresh. Some of us at the table felt the dish was on the blander side and needed more salt but overall, this is one of the dishes we'd come back for.

Primavera Pizza

The vegetarian at the table was thrilled. The pizza was fresh, wasn't too oily. The crisp crust with the puffed edges elevated the entire dish for us. Use of earthy italian flavors made it easy to keep munching on every slice.

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

This was hands down the best dish of the afternoon. The Parmesan crust complemented the fish beautifully. The pickled capers sprinkled on top added the right hint of pungency. The garlic factor promised with the dish was completely missing, but top points for the well flavored and well cooked meat.

Chicken Portabella

Hugely let down by this dish. The caesar salad that we ordered alongside was under dressed and way too bland for us. The chicken breast was too thick for our liking and made it difficult to proceed to the next bite. The accompanying rice was made bitter by the overdose of spinach leaves. The priciest dish of our meal disappointed us the most.


Quick tip: Avoid the mint mojito unless you like the taste of bitter tasting cough syrup. All the bread makes you more thirsty than usual so we'd recommend ordering the bottomless iced tea or soda.

Average cost for a meal for two: QAR 250

Romano's Macaroni Grill
Villagio Mall
Al Aziziya
Ph: +974 44320921






Doha Diaries reviews are not sponsored and are conducted anonymously.