California Tortilla - Grand Opening

The Grand opening of California Tortilla was an interesting affair that had to be mentioned in our diaries. We were  thrilled to be invited to this exclusive soiree! 

Doha was in dire need of a place that served good Mexican food, and we are beginning to think this might be the end of our search. As we entered, we were handed stick-on moustaches which we could not resist trying out. The ambiance of the restaurant is diner-ish, very easy and comfortable. No muss no fuss. As we looked around we realized that all the tables were occupied. The evening was clearly a hit already.

As we were waiting for the tables, the Mexican Live Band started playing a song full of energy that occupied us. There were many busy tables and a lot of people were left standing, but this did not bother us as much. Eventually, we (finally) found ourselves a place to sit down. Soon after, a server walked up holding a tray loaded with chicken and meat burritos. They were just brilliant. The light bread was soft and delicious, filled with chicken/meat, flavoured rice and refried beans all seasoned perfectly. Since it was the opening and the food was meant to be tasted, the burritos were fun sized. We decided to call them the “three-bite-burritos” since we, with our raging appetites, could finish each in 3 bites and could not resist having more. We noticed that there were no vegetarian options, which was quickly rectified after we pointed it out to the servers and a vegetarian “three-bite-burrito” was brought to our table on a platter which was just as good as the non-veg alternatives. Joy oh joy.

Still shaking to the tunes of the lively band, we were definitely ready for more. We looked around expectantly and a large plate of fresh tortilla chips was brought to us. The chips were still warm as if pulled out of the oven a little while ago and they were delightfully crunchy. This was when we noticed the Wall of Flame. The Wall of Flame is a cupboard loaded with different kinds of sauces in varying degrees of hotness. We decided to go all out and tried everything possible from the not so spicy Ginger Peach sauce to the tongue, throat and stomach set on fire traditional Chipotle based sauce. It was a whole different kind of adventure as we started to explore the various flavoured sauces when a server stopped by again and handed us some salsa and the house guacamole. The guacamole was our favorite; the chunks of avocado, tomatoes, onions spiced with garlic and lime went well with the tortillas. Although the chips and burritos earned good marks from our end, we were hoping there would be more variety!

A special mention about the Servers of the night, they completed our dining experience. They were attentive, cheerful, swift and handled the crowd with ease.

Though we struggled to find seating and got bored with the chips after a while, we are definitely intrigued with the place. It is an easy, location friendly restaurant that is definitely going to be on our food radar!

We reviewed just the opening night, so we haven't included the entire menu. Would you like us to review the restaurant for you?

 

California Tortilla is located at C Ring road at the Ramada Junction, right opposite Chilis

Meal for two: Approx 100 QAR

Doha Diaries reviews are not sponsored. 

Spa Love

Shaily Agarwal, a long time resident of Doha, says that one of her favorite past times in Doha is trying out the different hotel spas around the city (We love her already!) Undoubtedly one of the best ways to unwind and unplug, a good spa treatment can leave you feeling like a new person. Shaily tells Doha Diaries about her favorite Spa treatments here in Qatar!

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The weather has been really fine this past week. For those of us who like to be out and about, the rains made the breeze crisp and the mood lighter. A lot of things can be unpredictable when you are a busy working professional. But something that is guaranteed to leave you refreshed is a nice, long day of spa indulgence.

For those of us who love the summer and have been a little disappointed about not being able to go to the beach or get that sun-kissed skin, hold your thoughts, for the summer is just around the corner! In this upcoming month temperatures will go higher and the heat will be up. You are going to crave that pleasant stream of water and that wonderful feeling of being pampered. Summer or not, we all love a day of rejuvenation, don't we?

And this is why, through Doha Diaries, I am giving you a quick snap shot of some of the most relaxing spas I have been to in and around the city. From mid-level to the expensive range, take your pick and see what suits you best!

The Movenpick Spa 

Situated on the 26th floor of the Movenpick Hotel, the Bayview 26 Wellness Centre boasts a wonderful view of the Corniche along the sea, and the Doha city while you sit in the warm Jacuzzi. I have tried the Aromatherapy Massage that is about the most soothing and relaxing massage there is. The staff is very nice and the rooms are neat and clean. Additional facilities include hot indoor pool, fully equipped gym, steam room and showers. All of this for QR 400 – that’s really not a bad deal for an entire day of respite!

Summer is approaching – what more can you want? Book your appointment here right away!


Angsana Spa 

Housed in the Wyndham Regency, the Angsana Spa is a cozy retreat in the middle of the busting city. It provided you with access to a small swimming pool with water baths next to it. I tried out their hydrotherapy - a mix of showers at different temperatures with sound effects – and their bliss package, which I highly recommend to you! It has everything a girl would want for her day out – a massage, a facial, and a wrap. What makes everything special is their customer service. They are ever so friendly and accommodating, that I would go back just because I can rely on being treated like a princess. The staff and manager make you feel like exceptional and are willing to tailor treatments for anyone who would like. Big points for great service here!

For more information, you can visit their website here .


Six Senses
 

A favorite with the women, this place really stands out because of its traditional Qatari architecture and archaic feel. It has a lovely mix of old town Doha with the modern amenities. Starting with delicious flavored water, the spa offers the best services at the Al Sharq Hotel. Their rejuvenating facial is a good option if you want to relax and tone up. Their focus is entirely on healthy living and caring for your senses. So much so, the tea the herbal tea after any treatment is a great finish to a well-spent day at the crossroads of the old and the new. Once a month, they also have specialists who host spa sessions. 

For more information, you could check out their catalog and the offers they have here.

The Four Seasons Spa

The Four Seasons Spa is probably the nicest spa I have been to. They have it all! When it comes to the Four Seasons, the facilities alongside the therapy rooms are the real attraction. A variety of steam rooms, water pools, Jacuzzi and the very unusal ice room! It does make the whole experience feel like another world. I tried the wonderful “Indulgent chocolate delight” that was unlike anything else I have tried. Who doesn't love a little chocolate in their spa? This treatment was the perfect mix of a fragrant coffee wrap and a warm chocolate massage. Though slightly on the expensive side, they do such a good job that you can’t not go back! Besides the most relaxing treatments and wonderful service, the Spa also features Franck Provost’s hair salon and the Nails Boutique. 

What are you waiting for? Check it out NOW!

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About the writer: Shaily is a resident of Doha for the past 12 years. She is a jewelry designer who loves to be creative with ideas, stones and silver. To know more about her and the gorgeous jewellery she designs, visit her facebook page here 

**Pictures used only for representation purposes

Trip to Candy Land!

Top: Chocolate Mousse

Left Bottom: Raspberry Mousse Cake 

Right Bottom: Chocolate Fondue 

On a cozy Saturday afternoon, Doha Diaries decided to visit the one and only Chocolate Brunch Buffet at the Blue Restaurant in Grand Heritage Hotel a.k.a Candy Land! We entered this magnificent hotel standing in the Aspire Zone like a palace, which true to its name represented a lot of tradition in its design and the ambiance. We were there at 1:30 pm and were ready to try out every possible dessert they could offer. We were greeted in a very warm manner and once seated, were served a cold bottle of water in blue glasses. How much chocolate could we really eat? How will our taste palettes be satisfied with only chocolate? These were few of the many questions that were pondering in our minds. 

From Left to Right:

Chocolate mousse

Dark Chocolate mousse

Cheesecake

Chocolate Mousse cake

The buffet was finally open and there was a beautiful spread of many little happy chocolate things. We saw two enormous chocolate fondues, one pouring with milk chocolate and the other with dark chocolate. There were strawberries, marshmallows, apricots, raspberries and to add the Arabic touch, dates to dip in the sinfully delicious fondues. In our first round, we tried out the fondues and were gleeful. We made the next round to try out the cheesecake, chocolate and raspberry mousse, milk and dark chocolate cake. Most of these were satisfying and by this time we were in the midst of a wonderful sugar rush. We were happy and the little kid inside us was dancing with joy. Our third round was to try out the crêpe and waffles. We enjoyed the crispy and freshly made waffles with a large variety of different toppings ranging from powdered sugar to maple syrup and more than six flavors of ice cream. We did feel like we were eight (or younger!) again.

Crème Brulee

By this time, we were giggling and laughing like little kids and just couldn't leave without trying the crème brulee that was being caramelized in a broiler. We placed an order for one and were eagerly waiting for the server to call us when it was ready. It was served to us with a scoop of ice cream, strawberries and some sliced almonds and pistachio. The crème brulee marked the end of our chocolate feast and we were even happier to see that this treat was not too heavy on our pockets.

What we missed the most, was that there were no names of the desserts mentioned anywhere. Labeling of the dishes would have helped us tremendously but we liked the guessing game the chocolate dished played with us anyway. Another small dampener was the missing case of the white chocolate. We are huge fans of white chocolate and we missed its presence in this sinful buffet.

But overall, Doha Diaries highly recommends this experience to everyone. Chocolate lovers will die, go to chocolate heaven, and come back just for the Crème Brulee!

Where: Every Saturday at Blue Restaurant at Grand Heritage Hotel
When: 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm

How much: QR 90 per person

**Doha Diaries reviews' are not sponsored and are conducted anonymously.

Restaurant Review : Medi at The Village

We entered the Village sans expectations because it was just one of those nights, where you don’t know what you are going to get so you brace yourself and expect the least so as not to be let down. We decided to go to the “Medi” Restaurant and saw that it was close to empty, but this didn't change our mood. We remained semi-skeptical and got ourselves seated at a centrally located table. We did not realize how much of a treat we were in for.

The ambiance of the restaurant was completely unassuming and very unlike a fine-dining restaurant which contrasted the detailed and delicious looking menu. There was a tank of fresh fish and crabs which seemed to hit a nerve with some customers but delighted others. The prices, much to our joy, were very happy even without happy hours.

The service was wonderfully prompt (except for when getting the cheque, but we will get to that later). They were extremely attentive and sensitive to the fact that we had a child at the table. The youngster was treated with care and offered special cutlery and crockery much to her delight. Putting her into a better mood eased everyone else at the table. We settled down and started scanning the menu to judge exactly what they had to offer.  

Everyone at the table found something to tease their palette. We decided to start off with a Greek Salad, Buffalo Mozzarella with Tomato and Pesto and the Spinach Fatayer. The Salad was a definite hit with perfect dressing, awesome feta and fresh ingredients. The Mozzarella was either loved or really disliked but in our opinion that’s just the kind of dish it is, the love or hate kind. The Fatayer was not a fatayer, it was more on the lines of a Sambussek.

Main course consisted of a Steak with mushroom pepper sauce and homestyle fries, Moroccan grilled Hammour with rice and vegetables (ordered extra spicy), Pommery Chicken with vegetables and mashed potatoes, Spinach Pesto Tortellini (Vegetarian).

If I go into the details of each dish this review will go on forever but to cut a long story short, we loved everything. Seasoned beautifully, freshly prepared, each dish was sublime. Every plate even looked fantastic with a lovely mix of colours and flavours, garnished appropriately. Out of the dishes, Doha Diaries strongly recommends the Hammour: it hit the spot in ways only a foodie will understand.

Chocolate Fondant

We were incredibly stuffed by this time but we could not leave without tasting the Chocolate Fondant, which had to be ordered 20 minutes prior. It arrived perfectly on time after our main course dishes were carried away. The ramekin was piping hot as it was just taken out of the oven. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it was a little dangerous to tuck in like we would have hoped, but the dish did not let us down. After licking our lips, wiping our faces and heaving a sigh, we were ready to go home and jump into bed,  and we called for the cheque. After such a wonderful meal that made us rejoice in the messy gloriousness of food, we were made to wait for more than 15 minutes for the bill. This was the only loss of points for the place that goes into our favorite list anyway. Only if the bill was prompt, the restaurant would have had top ranking points.

The Village is located at Salwa Road, near Midmac Roundabout. 
Average meal for two: QAR 250 (Approx.)

** Doha Diaries' reviews are conducted anonymously and are not sponsored.

Tap that (Doha) App!

Doha Diaries gives you five helpful smartphone applications to download in this city. Being in an era of smart phones, we constantly look out for the new apps to download in Doha. Here are our suggestions for free apps available in the city: 

Al Cinema

1) Al Cinema by ADabisc - Cinema is one of the most loved leisure options in the city and usually we struggle to find out about updated show timings and latest movies playing in the city. This app makes life easier by displaying movies, timings and locations of various shows playing around the city.  Highly recommended app for the movie goers / lovers in Qatar.

Masarak iTraffic

2) Traffic Qatar  - Have you had the gripping suspicion about being caught by a speed camera in the city?Traffic Qatar saves you the tension time of waiting for the message or checking online for speed violations on your vehicle. Kode Blink has developed a great app  where all you need to do is enter your vehicle number and press one green button "go".

3) Masarak iTraffic -  In Doha, it is a given that the roads in the city will always be congested during the typical "office hours" (although it does feel like office timings stretch to 24 hours in a day!).  There have been times the app has failed on us, but Masarak iTraffic gets it traffic information mostly right. Now you can get your traffic updates before you get out of the house so that you will know which road, street and roundabout to avoid. A definite yes for this app!

Arabic

4)Arabic by Holfeld Apps - Ever been to a cafe where placing an order in the local language was a herculean task? With this easy to use language learning app, you can study simple but essential Arabic words and phrases that will help you in day to day Doha life.

Zomato

5) Zomato - We are surprised that Zomato isn't as popular an application here. This is our go to app to check menus for restaurants here, as well as contact numbers for cafes and restaurants around the city. It also has featured reviews of eating spots around Doha and you get to choose restaurants according to preferred cuisines and locations. You can follow foodies around the city and find out about their personal experiences and reviews. A must download according to us!

What are your app suggestions??

Drifting in Doha

There are so many people who think that Doha is too small a place and that there really isn’t much to do here, but we beg to differ. It might be smaller in comparison to the other Middle Eastern countries and possibly less flashy too, but Doha has a charm of its own that cannot be matched. Here we are going to help you out by letting you know the different places you absolutely have to visit to experience this charm and be as fascinated as we are with the city.


1. The night you get to Doha, or on the first night of your exploration of the city you must drive past the Corniche and end the night with some Karak chai or tea by the breezy skyline at Bander. When you do this you will feel the stillness and the life of the city all at once. This feeling instantly pulls you towards Doha and you immediately want to know more.

2. Katara Village – A visit to this section of the city is recommended not just for the wonderful traditional architecture that is all over the village but also because there is constantly something happening there, different fests, the carnival atmosphere, various displays of different cultures, good music, awesome food etc...and that is just the beginning. Walk by the beach and look out at Doha from a completely different angle, open skies, blue waters and different water rides just add to it. 

Note – Do try the  Red Velvet Bakery there, one of the few places in Doha that serves a good portion delicious cream cheese with it's red velvet cakes.

3. Souq Waqif – What kind of a person are you? Foodie? Shop-till-you-drop? Cultural adventurer? This Bazaar is the place for you. Multiple restaurants with different cuisines to choose from are scattered all over this marketplace. You will be spoilt for choice. Brilliant food, fine Sheesha and a great time is guaranteed. You will also be able to shop for everything from clothes to perfumes to chips from this one stop shoppers heaven. 

Note – try and visit the souq on a week day for a relaxed outing and definitely on a day when no football matches are going on unless you would like to be a part of the craziness of the sport that sweeps the city into a frenzy.
  
4. The Pearl – A drive to the Pearl is also a must. When you get there, get out of your car and just start walking around, hopefully if the weather is okay and you manage to get around you will see the wealth of Qatar in the structures around you there. The beauty of the Pearl is sometimes overbearing but undeniable. You absolutely have to see it to believe it.

 5. Villagio Mall – We recommend the Villagio mall because the building itself is lovely to walk through and it has all the possible branded stores you would want from H&M to Gucci. The mall has a section for the more expensive and exclusive brands which is slightly differently decorated as compared to the rest of the mall. It is definitely worth a walk though and even better, a spree if you can afford it.

6.    If you are taking someone around then you should definitely take the person to your regular haunt or sheesha joint. If you want a chill place to go, we would recommend Cafe Grand Joud (refer to the review here) for yummy food and fab sheesha. If you would like only some traditional Arabic food then you will not go wrong with Petra, located all over the city this restaurant has the basic traditional food that you should try when you come to Qatar, shawarmas or Felafel sandwiches to please your palette.
 
7. The Sand Dunes – You absolutely cannot miss the dunes in Qatar. Past Sea Line Resort you can hit the dunes and beaches with friends. You can either get yourself a desert safari with all the works including a barbeque at the end or just the trippy car ride that will make you gawk at the power of your professional sand dune guides and the scenery. Either way you should get sandy and get to the roots of this amazing Desert.

If you feel like we have missed out on something that makes Doha special please let us know, we will experience it and then add it to our list.

Till then, bask in the awesomeness of this city we call home.

Weekend Diaries

Image Source

The ins and outs, the happenings and the hits, Weekend Diaries is here to help you plan out your two days of nirvana!

You've always seen that scene from a movie or a TV show, where there is a serious auction scene and then, cut to drama. If you want to discount the drama and just plain see how an auction works, head to Katara Cultural Village at Building 5 to witness one in Contemporary Art. Art works by Middle Eastern as well as international artists will be displayed (and up for sale). And it doesn't stop at just paintings, you can expect modern and contemporary art in various media from installation to photography, sculpture and painting.

When? 22nd April, 2013 from 7.00 pm onwards
Where? Katara Cultural Village, Building no. 5

If you like all things Spanish, you are going to love what InterContinental Doha has in store for you. A Spanish Food festival, complete with all the works. Start with gazpachos, pile on the paellas and get trippy with tapas. There will be Flamenco dancers grooving away as you sip into a glass of Sangria. Sounds good? We say Si!

Where? Coral Restaurant, InterContinental Doha
When? 17th - 20th April 2013
How much? QR 235 including a glass of Sangria
For more information, call 4484 4919 

If you want this weekend to be all about the movies, head to the special screenings of 'Wadjda' & 'Bekas', two pioneering movies in the world of Arab Cinema.

Where? Katara Drama Theater
When? 18th April, Thursday
For more information, visit their website here.

Wake up the sports junkie in you and head to the Davis Cup that is happening right here in Qatar. This Cup promises to bring some of the top names in Tennis.

When? Till 22nd April (Monday)
Where? Khalifa Tennis & Squash Complex
 
All of us (try to) watch the Olympics but are you itching to know about its history and where it all began? Qatar Museums Authority brings you an Exhibition aptly titles 'Olympics - Past & Present' which will display original objects and artefacts from Olympia as well as objects from the past 48 Winter & Summer games.

When? April 19th, 3.00 pm to 10.00 pm
Where? Al Riwaq Doha Exhibition Space
For more information, call 4402-8535

What's better than a bar of chocolate? A brunch consisting of just chocolate dishes! For QAR 99 a head, Grand Heritage Hotel promises a Saturday Chocolate Brunch with a range of dishes to please the chocolate boss in you. Live cooking stations, chocolate crepes, waffles, souffles and ofcourse the decadent chocolate fountain. With all the works, a lover of chocolate wouldn't miss this for the world. Don't forget to (over) indulge!

Where? Grand Heritage Hotel
When? 20th April, Saturday
For more information, call 4445 5555

Joe Ashkar visits Crystal this weekend. If you are wondering who Joe Ashkar is, he is a famed Lebanese artist who has produced and sung some hit Arabic tunes. He is also known to shake up a party with his wild ways! If you are intrigued, don't look into a Crystal ball, just head to Crystal at W!

Where? Crystal at W
When? 18th April, Thursday (starting from 10:30 pm)
For reservations, call 4453 5353

Have an awesome weekend and don't forget to