Bahri Restaurant - Doha

Bahri - Inside Town Center, Opposite Al Ahli Hospital / Civil Services, Bin Omran, Doha

Cuisine: Egyptian

All reviews will be based on the Cuisine and Fare the restaurant/outlet is known for / specialized in.

This review is based on inputs from myself as well as fellow foodies who have accompanied me to this restaurant. 


ALL RATING ARE IN THE SCALE OF 5. A rating of 5 mean Excellent while 1 is Poor.

FOOD: RATING 4 OUT OF 5.

This place only has 3 items where in the Main Star of the show is the Feteer meshaltet (as they are called in Arabic) which is an Egyptian version of a pie that translates roughly to cushioned pies.

Basically it is a square pie in form of a cushion or a pillow that is filled with anything under the moon (Sweet & Savory) along with a genours helping of Mozarella Cheese and some truly Egyptian cheeses like Akawi & Roumy.

The other two main items are Pizza and Pasta along with a few sandwiches and side dishes.

Item 1 – Main Course – Cheese Feteer / Cheese Pies (Savory)

If you are fan of pastry and cheese then you should order one of the Cheese Pies. Mind you! Do not ignore this pastry as a Manakeesh or Pide, this guy here is way more riches and cheesier!!

My top picks are as follows

·         Kiri Cheese & Zaatar – I guess there is no need of an explanation.

·         Kraft Cheese with Honey – This is main ocurse one and not a sweet

Order this and you are richly feed with cheese!!

There is one pastry with the Roumsy Cheese. It has a distinct flavor. A cheese lover should try it.

Item 2 – Main Course – Meat Feteer / Meat Pies (Savory)

The meat pies is the game changer and the SUPER STAR of this joint. SLURP!!

The meat used are of many types including Sausage, Egypian Pastrami, Pepperoni which are all mixed with cheese and veggies.

My go to item is the Meat Pastry – Minced Meat , Mozarella, Roumy Cheese & dash of fresh veggies.

If you are fan of other meats mentioned above, they make pies using those meat only but I am not a use cold cut meats fan hence I stick to the minced meat version.

Meat Pastry / Meat Fateera

Meat Pastry / Meat Fateera

Meat Pastry / Meat Fateera

Item 3 – Main Course – Chicken Feteer / Chicken Pies (Savory)

I haven’t ordered the Chicken Pies but the general consensus among my Egyptian food experts is that Mix Chicken pastry is the good one.

Item 4 – Main Course – Seafood Feteer / Seafood Pies (Savory)

Seafood and Pastry is not something I indulge in especially when you are aware that the seafood may be mostly frozen / packed ones rather than the fresh catch of the day.

The Tuna Pastry has been recommended by some but I have not tried it yet.

Item 5 – Main Course – Sweet Feteer / Sweet Pies (Sweet)

The true Egyptians are lords of sweet (aka SUGAR and HONEY!!) so it comes as no surprise that the largest variety of pies are under the Sweet Pies category. The items listed here covers almost all sweet elements including Arabic sweets.

I am yet to have one from Bahri as I am usual stuffing myself with the Savoury ones!!

But I have ate loads and loads of these sweet pies from other outlets and they are all SUGAR BOMBS!! The ultimate sugar rush is an understatement. Anyways here are my top picks

•  Honey Moon Pastry– Cream, Custard, Sugar, Nuts, Arabic Sweets wrapped in a flaky pie!
• Basbosa Pastry– Basbosa, Cream & Custard
•  Choclate & Banana – Banana & Nutella / Hazelnut Spread.

·          

Item 6 – Main Course – Veggie Feteer / Veggie Pies (Savory)

There is only one LEGEND in this menu list

·         Vegetable Pastry– Falafel, Tomato, Olives, Mushroom & Cheese

Item 7 – Main Course – Pizzas

Choose any of the fillings of the above mentioned savory pies and top it on to a Pizza Base.

Mind You! There Pizzas are not the ones you experience in a typical pizza joint. This a truly Egyptian masterpiece made for the dough of the Egyptian style breads.

I always prefer the Chicken Pizzas that Bahri serves the meat ones are usually the cold cut meats which I mentioned earlier I am not a big fan.

There are two versions of the chicken and both are worth the try

• ·         Chicken Pie – Shredded Chicken, Mozarella, Olives & dash of fresh veggies
• ·         Mixed Chicken Pie – Shredded Chicken, Turkey ham, Mozarella, Olives, Mushroom & dash of fresh veggies

Chicken Pizza

Chicken Pizza

SERVICE – 3.5 OUT OF 5

The place is known of its home delivery and this does take toll on the service during rush hours / peak weekend hours. The main reason is the guy taking the order at the tables also is the delivery coordinator. Hence the priority of orders can get mixed up.

Moreover, there is only one Chef who prepares this magical pastry hence, he may tend to get overloaded with orders.

 LOCATION – 4 OUT 5

The Town Center is dead bang in the middle of Bin Omran, within the vicinity of many landmarks like Bein Tv Studios, Al Ahli Hospital etc hence there is no need of google maps to find this place.

Parking can be an issue at time especially in weekends as this place has one of the largest outlets of McDonalds, Petra & KFC and add to it a big outlet of Rawnaq.

PRICING: 4 out of 5 (5 means cheapest while 1 means expensive)

I rate this place 4 (The wallet may be needed)

The generous portion size, good quantity and the wonderful taste.

A medium sized Pie or Pizza is good for 2 but I suggest you order 2 mediums (1 Pie & 1 Pizza). That should cost you around 55-65 riyals including drinks.

AMBIANCE: 3 OUT 5

This place is fan-favorite among the Egyptian community in Doha so in the weekend / rush hours expect a lot of loud ranter, laughs and noisy kids. The vibe sends you to one of those busy cafes of Egypt.

The Pie Station (including the oven) is a part of the seating area hence when it is crowded and the oven is running on full heat, the air conditioning may take time to cool of the place. Nevertheless, the place is a hole-in-the-wall / down right casual joint so the ambiance has to be a little hectic.

DECOR AND SEATING CAPACITY – 2.5 OUT 5

Simple tables and chairs. There is about 8-9 tables but they are closely packed so expect a few nudges and budges when the occupants of the neighboring table moves about.

There is no separate family section / table and the washroom is okay but can get messy at peak hours.

OVERALL RATING: 3.5 OUT OF 5.

The Egyptian community just like the Indian one is a huge fraternity of the Expat community in the Middle East and hence their food culture is rather wide and in a way cluttered by some common / usual suspects that many think is the main food of that nation.

So, if you ever thought that the Egyptian Cuisine is all about livers, sausages, falafel and foul, then I am afraid the foodie in us has been gravely misinformed because Bahri is a restaurant that stays true to its Egyptian roots.

This little restaurant in Bin Omran is a true testimony to the Egyptian fraternity in Doha and is indeed of those unique restaurants where food makes any hungry person happy and content. Bahri is very much imbibed by the Egyptian culture of good rich food with a vibrant overwhelming feel of being in Egypt (i.e when the place is rush hour).

Danat Al Bahar BBQ Fish - Souq Al Wakrah, Al Wakrah

Cuisine: BBQ Seafood

All reviews will be based on the Cuisine and Fare the restaurant/outlet is known for / specialized in.

This review is based on inputs from myself as well as fellow foodies who have accompanied me to this restaurant. 


ALL RATING ARE IN THE SCALE OF 5. A rating of 5 mean Excellent while 1 is Poor.

FOOD: RATING 4.5 OUT OF 5.

Item 1 – Appetizer / Starter

Well to be frank there is no such thing as an Appetizer / Starter but then if you are a true 3 course meal fan, I suggest you order the Prawns.

There is two versions, the deep fried version and the Grilled Version. The Grilled version is the one to go for, feisty tandoorish flavor!

Deep Fried Prawns

Grilled Prawns

Item 2 – Main Course FISH BBQ / FRY

Well this is their main item and the only item in their menu because the rest of the things other than the appetizer / starter are accompaniments for the main course. I will be rating the accompaniments separately in the ITEM 3 to 5

Now to order the main course, all you have to do is the following

STEP 1: Walk upto the fresh fish counter near the cashier

STEP 2: Select you preferred fish

STEP 3: Walk back to your table and wait for the food.

The butterfly cut fish mixed with their special spice is just brilliant. HANDS DOWN one of the best Fish BBQ you can have in Doha.

There is a lot of fish to select from in the fresh fish counter but these are the ones my fellow foodies as well as myself consider worth the try

·         Sea bass

·         Sea Bream

·         Snapper

·         Hamour

·         King Fish

Grilled Seabass

Almost all the fish you select is within the 600 grams to 900 grams serving. So I say one fish is good for 2 foodies or 3 regular people. If you are family of 2 Adults and 2 kids (above 10) order 2 Fish and one Appetizer.

Item 3 – Side Dishes / accompaniments – Rice

Just have a go at it. It is just brilliant. A tinge of Arabic nostalgia creeps in especially if you one of those old school (1980-90s) generation of the Kabsa and Bukhari era.

One plate of rice is a default accompaniment with your fish. I think they charge 5 riyals for it but who cares, one plate of rice is good for a family of 4!

Item 4 – Side Dishes / accompaniments – Danat Chutney

This Chutney like the rice is a default accompaniment with your fish. I am not sure they charge for it but again who cares for this Chutney is a MUST. There has been even times when I just ate only the bread or rice with this chutney. It is that good.

Item 5 – Side Dishes / accompaniments – Bread

This is very Danat falls a little flat. They only serve normal Arabic bread (the ones we get in super packets in the pack of 5). They just re-heat it and serve.

Though, I am not overly fussed about it as the rice will balance the loss of the bread.

But Since they are buying the packet Arabic bread, I was wondering if they could also adding the pre-made packet chappatis or saj bread into the bread list. I am sure it will make some more faces happier.

Item 6 – Desserts and Beverages

uh? Pepsi anyone?

I strongly suggest we walk to the beach at the back of the souq that after a sumptuous meal in this place and have a go at a kunafa from Al Aker to ensure a super meal day.

SERVICE – 5 OUT OF 5

This place is more jam-packed than the Rush Hour of Corniche and the pace is hectic but their service staff and the owner(s) who are usually on the restaurant floor really value the customers.

Even when at times the waiting time of the table is around 30 minutes to 1 hours, they keep note of your phone number and also take you orders beforehand to ensure that you do get your fish in case they are out of stock by the time you plan to order after getting the table.

LOCATION – 5 OUT 5

Souq Wakra is in itself a landmark and to top it off this is just near to the parking lot. So unlike all the other restaurants in Wakra Souq you don’t need to walk all the way to the beach.

Easiest landmark for this place is the Fish Market / Vegetable Market building which is just next to this restaurant.

Once you are near Fish Market / Vegetable Market, there is ample sign board of the Restaurant to guide you there.

PRICING: 4 out of 5 (5 means cheapest while 1 means expensive)

I rate this place 4 (The wallet may be needed)

The generous portion size, good quantity and the wonderful taste.

AMBIANCE: 4 OUT 5

It is an open courtyard. You feel like having a picnic meal.

I must say though when it gets crowded the ambiance is more of traffic jam but then that is what all MUST –EAT places in the world is.

Best time to go is weekdays between 7 and 10 or if the weekends make it after 10PM they are usually open till 2 but mind you they do run out of some fish varieties by 11 on weekends.

The toilets needed to be upgraded / maintained especially during rush hours / weekend.

DECOR AND SEATING CAPACITY – 4.5 OUT 5

The décor is very casual long bench/chairs with tables. The seating capacity is no issue at all.

You can bring in a whole rugby team, cricket team and Sunday baseball kids league teams and yet have some chairs remaining!!

OVERALL RATING: 4.5 OUT OF 5.

DANAT AL BAHAR just came into the Doha Food scene a little more than a year ago but this place has taken the food scene by storm. If Turkey Central is the undisputed and all time reigning champion of BBQ meat & chicken, then DANAT AL BAHAR is currently all set to become the undisputed and all time reigning champion of BBQ Seafood.

At a time when Doha Food is bustling with boutique / high-end / leading foodchain restaurants. This little restaurant in Wakra is a heartwarming tribute to the old school doha’s hole-in-the-way, cheap but delicious eateries.

Saida - Doha

Saida –Near Souq Waqif Art Center, Souq Waqif, Doha

Cuisine: Middle Eastern (Lebanese / Arabic)

All reviews will be based on the Cuisine and Fare the restaurant/outlet is known for / specialized in.

This review is based on inputs from myself as well as fellow foodies who have accompanied me to this restaurant.

ALL RATING ARE IN THE SCALE OF 5. A rating of 5 mean Excellent while 1 is Poor.

FOOD: RATING 4 OUT OF 5.

Item 1 –Manakish – All Manakish with Labneh / Cheese /Meat

If I am not mistaken SAIDA does have a bakery of their own, hence the Manakish they make is indeed a good one. Especially the ones with Labneh or Meat. They are a treat to eat and loved the way the serve them on the plate.

Manakish

Item 2 – Hot Appetizers – Batata Harah (Spiced Potatoes)

It is quite a treat and I believe it is grownups version of the French fries. Fried and Spiced to perfection with a hint of Coriander that gives it a little kick in the overall taste and texture.

Batata Harah (Spiced Potatoes)

Item 3 – Hot Appetizers – Egg dishes

Even though I have not tired the egg dishes it seems to be a commonly ordered dish as most of the people I have asked about says a good review about it.

Item 4 – Cold Appetizers – Hummus / Hummus with meat

For all those Hummus lovers, this is dish does fit the bill as a feel good hummus.

Hummus / Hummus with Meat

 Item 5 – Sandwiches

Again, I haven’t tried this but this seems to be one of the most prominent dishes on the table of every customer who visits this place. The cheese chicken sandwich (or is it the Philly sandwich) does look tempting.

Item 6 – Juices – Fresh Juices

They are really refreshing and must have especially as a “starter” before the meal!

Item 7 – THE MINT TEA!!! – WOW!!

Mint Tea

Item 9 & 10 – Pizzas & Salads

Unfortunately, I haven’t tried this nor do I have any feedback from people I know on these items hence I cannot rate.

This being the fact, the overall rating is based only on the things I have tried or know about.

SERVICE – 4.5 OUT OF 5

Wonderful. They do make you feel at home. I could have given it a 5 star but at peak times or more than 70% occupancy I feel the waiters are overloaded and they do take time to receive an order especially if it is a refill or a second round of orders. The first round of orders is quick and fast.

LOCATION – 5 OUT 5

The Souq Waqif – On the main walkway that now leads to the Mushreib Downtown development. On the right side a few meters before you reach the underground walk to Mushreib downtown.

PRICING: 4 out of 5 (5 means cheapest while 1 means expensive)

I rate this place 4 (The wallet may be needed)

The Price is a quiet affordable and the food is pretty good for the price and service.

AMBIANCE: 3.5 OUT 5

Like most small food places in the Souq the seating is predominately outside and hence it can be task in the summer (due to the heat) and weekends (due to the crowd, privacy is almost nil). There is inside seating but then I haven’t seen many seating inside until or unless they are really hungry and the outside seats are full.

But I tell you once it is the winter, a Saturday lazy affordable brunch with a good shisha will be fab!

DECOR AND SEATING CAPACITY – 3.5 OUT 5

Nothing over the top. Simple décor. Seating is limited like all other places in the Souq but you can still a table for 5-7 people. Mind you in when all tables are filled, space to maneuver can be a little limited.

OVERALL RATING: 4 OUT OF 5

The best thing about the place is that, it is your feel good Arabic snack café that serves you the simple food that has dotted the culinary snack / small meal scene of Qatar. Plus, the fact that the Shisha they serve is good makes it a perfect family weekend lazy brunch or early dinner place.

I would say if you are in the Souq Waqif and not looking for anything fancy and yet want good food that doesn’t hurt you pocket. Saida is worth the visit.

The Oriental Pearl - Doha

Oriental Pearl – Beside Salata Park, Al Corniche Street, Al Salata, Doha, Qatar

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

All reviews will be based on the Cuisine and Fare the restaurant/outlet is known for / specialised in.

This review is based on inputs from myself as well as fellow foodies who have accompanied me to this restaurant.

If you are a true Middle Eastern Fare lover who would love to indulge in some classy yet superb dining then Oriental Pearl fits right in.

ALL RATING ARE IN THE SCALE OF 5. A rating of 5 mean Excellent while 1 is Poor.

FOOD: RATING 4.5 OUT OF 5.

Item 1 –Cold Appetisers - Hummus & Hummus Beiruty

Oriental Pearl takes the humble hummus to a classy delicacy. I always believed that hummus needs to have a little texture because after all it is primarily made from Chick Peas and not Tahina. Oriental Pearl seems to know that well because, that tinge of texture reassures the foodie in you that Hummus is indeed a chick pea dish and not your run-of-the-mill corner shop hummus that is creamy with Tahina.

For the newbie to Middle Eastern fare, Hummus is Levantine dip or paste made from cooked & mashed chickpeas that is blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. Hummus is a staple diet of the Middle Eastern but then this staple diet has been “revolutionised” to such an extent that the new-age foodie has lost the taste of the real hummus.

Hummus

 Item 2 – Cold Appetisers - Baba Ghanough

Some call it Baba Ghanough, while some regards it as Baba Ghanoush.

Be it a Baba or Gaga, for me it is good old Eggplant mystified by some Arabian magic. This dish from Oriental evokes the sleeping / dormant veggie in me.

But I must say the Baba Ghanough alone is a good fare but the game-changes when you add a dash of that Pomegranate Molasses whilst scooping them with oriental pearl’s freshly baked Arabic bread.

Baba Ghanoush

Item 3 – Cold Appetisers - Labneh Motawameh

Labneh is a Middle Eastern cheese that is made from strained yoghurt. It is usually used as a dip and used in as the cheese for all Middle Eastern / Arabic version of the Pizza (manakish / fatayers).

I am not a very huge fan of Labneh like my Missus but then, I still believe it is best used in baked dishes. Hence the Labneh Motawameh of Oriental Pearl is not my dish of preference but my I have been told by many of them Labneh experts that this Labneh from Oriental Pearl is worth the order!

Item 4 – Hot Appetisers – Moufaratek Patata

This is one of the 2 most unique and worth ordering Hot Appetiser dishes of the Oriental Pearl. Moufartek Patata is diced potato sautéed in Lamb and Onions. It is just wow!!

Moufaratek Patata

 Item 5 – Hot Appetisers – Sawdet Dajaj ma debs remmam

This is the 2nd most unique and worth ordering Hot Appetiser dishes. Chicken livers sautéed with garlic and Pomegranate sauce / paste. I total am not a fan for chicken livers but I found this dish is quite intriguing and yum.

Sawdet Dajaj

Item 6 - Hot Appetisers – Kebbehs and Arayes.

Try the Arayes. I have been told that this is a good dish.

Item 7 – Main Course – Charcoal Grills

I am not going to describe it. Just go have a meal. Order the Mixed Grill and a plate of Lamb chops. YUM!!

Item 8 – Main Course – From the Arabic Oven 

Whatever you order from this section of the Menu will be mostly uncharted gourmet territory of many expats but please do have a go at it. It is worth the Uncharted Exploring of the Taste Buds. This is where the game takes whole new level. Please do note that a single portion of all the items in this section along with 1-2 appetisers can be make two hungry tummies happy.

Item 9 – Main Course – Shawarma 

The art of making a good shawarma lies in the skill of the chef / cook in preparing the meat and then the temperature of the grill at which this shawarma is prepared.

I most places it is the marinate and sauces that make the shawarma a die for but I always believed the real sharwarma just like any good steak lies in the type / cut of meat and the temperature it cooks with a little amount of seasoning that is rendered in the fat of the meet as it hits the heat of the grill.

For more details, just order the plate Shawarma (Chicken) in the Oriental Pearl. The magic here is that rendered fat that just makes take the whole flavour profile of the shawarma to another level.

Chicken Shawarma (Plate)

SERVICE – 4.5 OUT OF 5

Wonderful. They do make you feel at home. I could have given it a 5 star but the reasons of the 4.5 are as follows

·       The waiters disappear after an order / delivering your order. For the follow up you need to get their attention even-though they are just a few meters away. Sometimes it might be that they feel that they need to respect the guest’s privacy but still they can come and ask for updates.

LOCATION – 5 OUT 5

The Corniche. Next to the New Museum. These are the landmarks near it but ORIENTAL PEARL is in itself becoming a Landmark!

PRICING: 2 out of 5 (5 means cheapest while 1 means expensive)

I rate this place 2 (The Credit Card makes an entry)

The Price is a little high. Yes the quality of food is good but then the fact remaining that the ingredients are not exotic nor is the menu. Over all I believe the Ambiance, Location and the fame of this place take the prices to 10%-15% premium but it is not as expensive as one of the high-end / Well Known restaurants in the 4 / 5 Star Hotels.

For example, A plate of Chicken Shawarma is QAR 80, I would have taken a QAR 65-70 with no qualms.

AMBIANCE: 4.5 OUT 5

The place is more than you regular high -end restaurant. It is more of a 4-star Hotel Premises. It is gives the guests a very warm and cosy feel and one does not feel the hustle-bustle of a restaurant.

The best thing is they have a pretty superb Kids Playground at the back. That is a BLISS!!!

DECOR AND SEATING CAPACITY – 4.5 OUT 5

Bring in the Football Team, The Dune Bashing Team & the one big Family. You will still have chairs left to play musical chairs and space left to host a 100m dash.

OVERALL RATING: 4 OUT OF 5

The best thing about the place is that, There is no exotic ingredients like Wagyu, Kobe, Norwegian Salmon, French baby Potatoes etc. that dot the menu and make the guest feel WOW!!

The food that is prepared is from locally available / regular everyday available ingredients that has been cooked with utmost love of the cuisine and joy of making a good meal.

But this same reason also is brings the rating down because the price we pay for this love and joy is on the steeper side.

But the bottom line is, The Oriental Pearl is surely one of the must eat places in Qatar and is worth the money to enjoy a good Middle Eastern fare with a rich ambiance.