Tag: international food

Top 10 Healthy Eats in Doha

Categories Food, I'm Always Hungry, Publications

Top 10 Healthy Eats in Doha
By: Ms. Hala Abdoun for BQ Plus via Zomato
Originally Published: February 2017
Publication Source: BQ-Magazine.com

A new year, a new beginning, a new you! Self-improvement is the top resolution many of us make when we flip a page to the new year. This includes staying positive, being active and eating right.

If you love the food scene in Doha but want to start a healthy eating habit, that kale leaf won’t cut it. The latest collection on Zomato, Healthy Eating, has the top go to spots with delicious, healthy eats. Here’s the top ten rated healthy eats from the collection.

10. Crepeaway

Where: Al Muthanna Complex, Al Hilal
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Lowdown: If you have friends who aren’t really attempting to eat healthy this year, this spot will have you all breaking bread in peace. With a healthy section in the menu listing calories, protein, fiber and carb count, you can chow down at Crepeaway guilt free.

9. Al Jazeera Cafe

Where: Building 4, Katara Cultural Village
Rating: 3.6 / 5
Lowdown: Conceptualized by the Al Jazeera network, you can start your day on the right track. Enjoy your meal with the latest news, interactive setting and beautiful ambiance. Try one of the fruit smoothies, herbal infused teas or grab a bite knowing you’re doing good by your body and global farms.

8. Dine Smart Restaurant

Where: Lulu Hypermarket, Barwa City
Rating: 3.6 / 5
Lowdown: We all love to eat while we shop! And Dine Smart wants you to eat smart while you shop. Whether you’re craving Italian, Chinese, a sandwich or a simple salad, you can eat knowing you didn’t ruin your New Year’s resolution to keep it healthy and within budget.

7. Salad Boutique

Where: Aspire Park, Al Waab
Rating: 3.7 / 5
Lowdown: They aren’t just famous for those large bowls of salads anymore. This will be good news for your anti-salad eating friends of yours craving risotto, pasta or even a burger. You can dine within the bright ambience, lounging in the oversized chairs indoors or dine under the stars in this cool winter weather.

6. Which Wich

Where: Medina Centrale, The Pearl-Qatar
Rating: 3.8 / 5
Lowdown: Where the self-proclaimed “superior sandwiches” are made in the heart of The Pearl-Qatar. Grab a sandwich paper bag and like Aladdin, make wishes for the sandwich genies to grant on the spot. Feeling adventurous? Drop the bread and wish for a lettucewich.

5. Chef’s Garden

Where: Marwan Club, Education City
Rating: 3.9 / 5
Lowdown: The horses in close distance, the greenery all around, the healthy dishes on the table. Where else can you get all three but the Chef’s Garden? Next to the Equestrian Club, you can’t go wrong with the food or view as many of the foodies have raved about in their reviews.

4. Evergreen Organics

Where: Qanat Quartier, Pearl Qatar
Rating: 4.0 / 5
Lowdown: Co-founded by renowned Qatari foodie, Ghanim AlSulaiti, this vegan haven is all about eating and surrounding yourself with wholesome goodness. The very popular fresh pressed juices are now bottled up, so you can take a few on the go until your next visit.

3. Jones The Grocer

Where: The Gate, Dafna
Rating: 4.1 / 5
Lowdown: With a new healthy menu added to the original, it’s no wonder JTG has climbed up the ranks. Already a popular breakfast spot, this JTG branch is still a top favorite with a die-hard Doha foodie following.

2. Zaatar we Zeit

Where: Opposite Souq Waqif Art Center, Souq Waqif
Rating: 4.2 / 5
Lowdown: With many locations around Doha, the Souq branch tops the list for this popular Lebanese chain. This breakfast hot spot makes you feel all the good feels as you feast on a budget before shopping in the historic bazaar.

1. Meesh Me-Time Cafe

Where: Crowne Plaza Business Park, Najma
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Lowdown: The highest rated healthy eat in the collection is a spot with “me time” in its name. It’s that kind of attitude that’s captured the hearts of Doha’s inhabitants. Can’t go wrong with a cafe serving up all kinds of healthy goodness, from its fresh brewed coffee to its latest quick bites menu.

What are you waiting for? Download the Zomato app today and bookmark these restaurants to keep that healthy New Year’s resolution going strong!

All images courtesy of BQ Plus Magazine unless otherwise noted.

International Comfort Food

Categories Food, I'm Always Hungry, Publications

International Comfort Food
By: Ms. Hala Abdoun for BQ Plus via Zomato
Originally Published for the January 2017 Issue
Publication Source: BQ-Magazine.com

Winter is here! A relatively warm winter but, this is the season we crave something to make us feel all warm and fuzzy. It’s why they call it comfort food!

Let’s discover some of the world’s favorite comfort foods and where to get a taste of it.

Spaghetti Carbonara – Italy

Can’t start this list without the world’s favorite dish, pasta! And the one Italians call to for comfort is spaghetti carbonara. Originating from Rome in the 20th century, this dish has comforted the masses as it has evolved in different parts of Italy and in different forms of pasta.

Sticking with the classics, the spaghetti dish is made with eggs, cheese, bacon and seasoned with black pepper to taste. You can’t go wrong with a classic!

Slurp on some spaghetti carbonara at Lo Spaghetto in Al Saad.

Pho – Vietnam

Not only is pho the star of Vietnamese food, but it’s one of the most popular soup dishes in the world. Pho dates back to the 20th century and was introduced to the world through migration and tourism.

Pho consists of rice noodles, either chicken or beef, cooked in broth with a few herbs and seasonings. It’s all the basics in one pot!

Try a bowl of pho at The Rice Room in The Gulf Mall.

Poutine – Canada

Ask any Canadian and they’ll tell you that poutine is what warms their soul. Originating in Quebec in the 1950s, the word “poutine” is French for “mess”. Who knew messy can be so good? Canada did!

This messy street food quickly took over the nation with just three ingredients. Fried potatoes topped with cheese curds and gravy. That’s it!

Get messy with platter of poutine at Lord of the Wings at The Pearl-Qatar.

Pav Bhaji – India

Some say dosas, others say choles, we say, “can we have them all?” Indian cuisine is so beautifully diverse, we can’t pick just one. However, pav bhaji was the dish that stood out from almost every corner of India.

Potato based vegetable stew, all mashed together with fragrant spices and served with light, fluffy buns.

Get yourself some finger licking pav bhaji at Saravanaa Bhavan in Al Ghanim.

Koshary – Egypt

Talk about making something out of nothing! In the 19th century, whatever was leftover in the pantry at the end of the month, got all mixed together to make room for the new. And from there, koshary was born.

Today, it’s the ultimate comfort food in Egypt, sold from street carts to five-star restaurants. It started with rice, lentils and pasta topped with spicy sauce, vinegar and crispy onions. It has since evolved to include chick peas, garlic and oil.

Grab a bowl of koshary at Layali Al Qahira in Souq Waqif.

Macaroni and Cheese – USA

Whoever came up with this baked dish, thank you! Of course, this isn’t a historically American dish but it has become one over the last couple of centuries with the flood of immigrants altering their own favorite comfort foods.

With small pasta and a whole lot of cheddar cheese topped off with some bread crumbs and baked in the oven for about 15 minutes. The end result is crispiness on the outside and gooey goodness on the inside. This is why America is great!

Try a fishy take on the classic at Red Lobster in Fereej bin Mahmoud.

Kare Kare – Philippines

The thick stew of kare kare is another rendition of putting everything in one pot. Originating from Pampanga and spreading across the islands, kare kare is a stew like no other.

It starts with a base of stewed oxtail and can have anything from calf feet to leftover meat, and seafood to all kinds of vegetables. Thickened with rice and topped with peanut sauce, this stew brings the essence of comfort in a bowl.

Try a bowl of kare kare at Max’s Restaurant in Al Saad.

Harees – Qatar

Coming back to Qatar, many don’t realize harees has history. This simple wheat dish dates back to the 10th century as documented in ‘The Cooking Book’ by Ibn Sayyar Al Warraq. Many even say there’s evidence of Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) eating harees.

Harees is not soup, it can fall between a stew and porridge. After simmering pre-soaked wheat in water, it can be made savory by adding meat before it’s strained and beaten to a thick consistency then seasoned to taste. Make it sweet by excluding the meat and season with cinnamon and sugar.

Discover the flavors of harees at Muglat Harees Al Waldah on Salwa Road.

All images courtesy of BQ Plus Magazine unless otherwise noted.