Weekend Diaries

Picture courtesy

- Rev up them engines, bikes are going to be all around the CommercialBank Moto GrandPrix at the Losail International Circuit! The sound of racing bikes coupled with good food sounds appealing to you? Then, the biker boy / girl in you will love it there this weekend.

Dates - April 4th to 7th
Ticket Prices
Grandstand Ticket (4 days) - QAR 200
VIP Village tickets range from QAR 2550 to QAR 2500

For more information, you can visit www.motogp.com or www.circuitlosail.com

- The only thing better than beer, is beer on the beach. Intercontinental is hosting a 'Corona on the beach' event on Friday from 2pm until 9pm and their facebook page promises 'there is as much Corona as you can drink' (direct quote!). They will be sports such as volleyball and human foosball, but really, as long as there's an unlimited supply of corona, we wouldn't bother even if aliens were playing foosball!
Entry: 50 QAR for men and free entry for women. (21+ only)

- Four Seasons Hotel in Doha is hosting a Beach Grill event tonight. Lots of good food cooked on a charcoal grill. For QAR 320 per person, Beach grill will have a meat station and a seafood station set up by the beach. Tomorrow night, they host a Beach bar which starts at 7 pm. If you do plan to go, there will be Alcohol, Arabic food and All your moves on the dance floor!

- Doha Film Institute is hosting an interesting screening dedicated to the 'cinematic voices from the Gulf region.' Titled 'Hekayat Khaleejiya', it will present films and will also include a Q&A session with the filmmakers.
Ticket information here:


- A musical weekend is good, and when it's jazz, it's better! Every evening from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm, they will be playing at St Regis' 'Jazz at the Lincoln Center'. They will be accompanied by Charenee Wade, an accomplished vocalist from New York. 


- We haven’t forgotten you foodies and that’s why we suggest you try the Swiss Gastronomic week that is happening at Grand Hyatt Doha. We were sold at the Toblerone Mousse. Traditional Swiss cuisine will be served with a variety of dishes prepared by a guest chef who has been flown in specifically for this event. Get nostalgic about your Swiss trip as you think of the Alps, the St.Bernard puppies and the lovely chocolates, while you munch on authentic Swiss food. Not enough? They even have a traditional band that will bell out Swiss melodies! 
The week ends on the 6^th of April and happens every evening from 18:00 to 23:00 hours.

For more information, call 44481234

Have a great weekend..Hakuna Matata style!

Restaurant Review: PAUL

Good breakfast places in Qatar are a rare find. On Saturday, we decided to head to PAUL for breakfast. This pretty looking Parisian café is situated at the Villagio Mall right across the River Island store. It looks enticing from outside and we couldn’t wait to see what this place had to offer. Their menu has a variety of breakfast options but we decided to settle for an Omelette Marseillaise (with bell peppers, tomatoes, onions and mushrooms) and a Corbeille de viennoiseries (1 croissant + 1 pain au chocolat + 1 pain aux raisins).

If you don't understand French, the menu could be a little difficult to comprehend. The starter breads (six cereal and brown) that came with some classic PAUL butter were a bummer. They were cold and did not taste too fresh. If they were a little warmer, it might have tasted a lot better.

The omelette looked delicious and was packed with the vegetables promised on the menu. However, the sides were not what we were expecting. The accompanying salad felt out of place on the breakfast plate and the hash browns were undercooked. The omelette was prepared without any salt. Despite adding salt to the eggs, it ended up tasting a little too bland.

Our favorite item on the menu was the freshly prepared croissant. The French café definitely gets its croissants right. This beautiful crunchy piece of bread melted in our mouth as soon as we took a bite.  The chocolate bread and the raisin bread were well prepared without being too sweet but we still wanted more of the croissants.

Their fresh orange juice is refreshing and just what we needed to kickstart our day. We had ordered for the mango juice thinking it was fresh as well and when we double checked, they told us that the Mango Juice was the only one out of the menu that was not fresh, and was made of juice concentrate. So people hoping for fresh mango juice, take note! Special mention to the staff who were courteous and ensured that service was good.

Would we haul to PAUL again?

Maybe. But the next time we do, we are sticking to croissants and coffee!  

Rating

PAUL is located at Villagio and Landmark

The Ideal Shawarma.. Where art thou?

One of us at Doha Diaries dreams of the perfect Shawarma. Read on...

Dreams have such a powerful effect. Whether you remember the dream or not, there are days when you wake up in a mood and you are not sure why it lingers on without a rhyme or reason. Have you ever had those days? I know I have. This morning was one such day.

I woke up hungry and it was not just a little craving that was easy to get rid of. I woke up ravenous for some Shawarma. The dream was vivid and exquisite. I was walking through the streets of Doha taking in the wonderful aromas of sheesha, attar and smokey meat. I could see the people sitting around tables covered with different kinds of food. The air had a slight chill in it and the feeling of being in that place just filled me with an odd sense of satisfaction.

Everyone around was smiling and talking about this and that, it seemed as if everyone knew one and other and so did I. As I walked on, I smiled at many and they all returned the greeting with warmth. Finally I spotted a table that I surely felt was mine. I sat down and waited for someone to come get my order. No one did. This didn’t seem to perturb me at all. I just sat there taking in the sights and smells of the place. All my senses were heightened and I knew I was in for something spectacular.

Soon enough a waiter walked towards me holding a tray that didn’t seem to have much on it. I have to say I was a little disappointed. After seeing all the food around me I thought I was going to be spoilt rotten with a feast. The tray had two things on it, a glass of lemon mint juice and one Shawarma. As the plate was kept before me I saw the dish. It seemed like perfection, the meat looked moist and succulent, the bread looked soft with lightly browned areas and the juices of the shawarma were gently falling onto the plate. I could not wait to dig in. I took a bit of the bread which had some tahina on it and put it into my mouth. The feeling was indescribable. It seemed to hit the spot and I couldn’t hold myself back any longer. I was going to gobble that shawarma up like a caged animal set free, without a care in the world. I picked up the shawarma and raised it to take my first bite when....BEEEEEEEEEP....

My alarm went off. I woke up with my mind reeling and stomach yearning. So many feelings were bubbling up inside me. I was angry, craving, expectant, hungry to the point of desperation.

Now I cannot seem to keep my mind on anything except going on a search for that perfect shawarma. Let me know what your favourite shawarma places are and help me find my treasure. My heart is set on it and I feel like I have fallen in love.

Could you please help Doha Diaries find the perfect Shawarma?  

BB creams - Finally in Doha!

We are excited to see that the BB cream has finally hit stores in Doha. This cosmetic, (well deserved) hype that was running world over has reached Doha too. BB cream is a moisturizer, foundation and a sun block, all in one, small, affordable tube.The 'B'lemish 'B'alm, like its name, conceals blemishes, evens out the skin tone, protects the skin from the sun and keeps it moisturized.  It is so important to take care of your skin in a hot place like Doha. Almost all brands have introduced their own brand of BB cream claiming a better SPF, a better glow or a better price! Unlike foundation creams, BB creams are available in limited number of shades – at the most two or three. It is perfect for everyday wear as it does not give a greasy look after you have been out in the sun for a few hours, not to forget it avoids tan or worse, skin burns. 

Here are our top 5 recommendations:

Garnier’s Skin Renew– 50ml for QAR 22.75 (one shade available- Medium Light)

Maybelline’s Dream Fresh BB cream -  30ml for QAR 45 (available in dark, light, medium and apricot)

Estee Lauder’s Day Wear BB cream – 30ml for QAR 131

Christian Dior Hydra Life BB creme – 15ml for QAR 204 (available in nude and fair)

Lancome’s UV Expert GN Shield – 30ml for QAR 235 (shades 01 and 02 available)

Good news for all the Shiseido lovers out there! Their Perfect Hydrating BB Cream is going to be available in Doha stores from April 2013 onwards.

Doha Diaries BB cream Tip: Try mixing two different shades of Garnier’s Skin Renew and Maybelline’s Clear Glow Bright Benefit Cream. Works like magic! 

(All the above mentioned creams are available at The Center in Doha)

Qatar International Food Festival '13

Yesterday, Doha Diaries went for The Qatar International Food Festival which was held at the MIA Park.  Although a lot of people were complaining (both online and offline) about numerous parking issues, we managed to find comfortable parking spaces for ourselves. As we were hoping, the weather was perfect for good food. There was a light breeze in the air as we walked to the much anticipated food festival. First thought was relief as the place wasn't as crowded as we expected it to be. Lots of space for sitting and walking around. We also spotted the 'Dinner in the Sky' event, and felt even more relieved that we didn't book a table there. A table was being carried off ground by a large odd-looking crane. It looked inconvenient for the foodies back on ground level as we wondered if they felt comfortable enough to be eating good food up there. Here are a couple of things we liked, and not so liked about the event.

Things we liked

- A good, mixed family crowd

- Lots of seating and space for people to walk around

- We loved the Torch Hotel's stall. It had a Mexican theme and we munched away on the Fajitas and Nachos.

-The winner stalls for the night were the dessert stalls. The stall of Sharq Village & Spa had a signature chocolate dish with chocolate dumplings in bread crumbs served with a berry compote. That dish took us to food heaven. Another winner was the Village Restaurant's Deli Stall. Lots of Canopies, mini sandwiches and cupcakes (with yum frosting!).

- Pricing! The food was very well priced and it let us taste all kinds of food comfortably.

Winner of the day! Chocolate Dumplings from the Sharq Stall

Is that a bird? Is that a plane? It's just a weird looking table!

Things we not-so liked

- The pricing of the vouchers seemed a little off. There was a 10 riyal service charge for every voucher booklet you purchased. Since we just reached and did not know about the pricing of the food, we were not sure how much to buy as well. Every time we purchased additional vouchers, we paid an extra 10 riyals.

- We are not sure why they charged us a service fee when the service wasn't quite there. Dustbins were scarce and we had to walk for a while till we spotted a dustbin.

- Parking woes were a many. Even though we got lucky, a lot of people complained about lack of parking space. This has become a standard problem for every event in Doha, maybe it is time someone stepped up and did something about it?

QIFF had a carnival atmosphere and is rightly being called a 'food festival'. Festivals are all about celebrating occasions and being a foodie who is surrounded by great food is reason enough. 

Doha Diaries recommends not leaving the festival without trying out the dessert options!

Go or not go for the festival?

Doha Diaries says a definite 'Go!'

For more details about the festival and schedule, you can visit: http://www.qatartourism.gov.qa/

Nando's

Pic courtesy

Wondering what to do for lunch today? Doha Diaries suggests beginning your weekend with some good food. Doha Diaries is never disappointed with the quality of food and service at Nando’s. Nando’s is the place for all the chicken lovers out there. We ordered their Chicken Espatada with sun dried tomatoes and green peppers with a side of spicy rice and creamy coleslaw. Their signature peri peri sauce gives an unconventional twist to the whole dish. Worry not vegetarians, their veggie burger does not disappoint. The drinks on their menu is unique but goes well with the food. We ordered a Madeira Red which is a pomegranate lemonade mixed with sprite, and a Crimson Cola, a cola drink infused with pomegranate, fresh mint and lemon.  Nando's is located at many convenient locations around Doha, so it is an easy work lunch option as well. Some of the locations are listed below:  

1) Financial Square on C Ring Road 

2) City Center, Level 3, opposite the theatre 

3) Al Sadd

Before we sign off, we leave you with a quote we resonate with.

Isn't it true? Eat some great food and have a great weekend!