FOOD TOUR – Doha, Qatar

Why did I book a Doha food tour? Doha is the capital and eastern coastal city of Qatar, and has it all: a gorgeous Corniche, a blend of premodern architecture and sophisticated shopping malls and historical landmarks reflecting Qatar’s nomadic past.

I travel to Qatar every year for my business, and have taken personalized tour to explore this beautiful peninsula before. Subsequently, my stays in Doha have been very brief, just flying in and out for meetings.  In February this year, just before the Pandemic, my work took me again to Doha, and my schedule was not as tight, so I decided to take an afternoon off for a food tour… Viator offers many interesting tours and activities in Doha, and here’s a link that i have used to select this Food Tour. It was a really interesting side of Doha that I discovered.

Pearl – Qatar

My arrival flight in Doha was scheduled in the morning. Hence, I would have a free afternoon before my next day business meeting followed by a flight out. I decided to explore the culinary hotspots on the Pearl-Qatar and booked the Doha food tour at the last minute. The Pearl is a man-made 4 million sq meters reclaimed area by the harbor with two horseshoe-shaped pieces of land.

As my taxi took me from my hotel near the airport into the city center along the sweeping coastline road, I made a mental note to visit next time the recently opened National Museum of Qatar. This white architectural marvel shaped in a serie of interlocking disks is designed by award-winning French architect Jean Nouvel, and inspired by the native desert rose

Qanat Quartier

The taxi dropped me off at the Qanat Quartier, which is inspired by Venice with a replica of the Rialto bridge and  the Canal. The guide met me there and led me to the Musical staircase, on the way to the restaurants along the promenade.

Then the first stop was an Indian restaurant. Qatar nationals only form 12% of the 2.8 million population, so the foreigners have brought diverse food influences which made Doha a cosmopolitan city with one of the world’s best international cuisines.  I tasted delicious Indian appetizers, papadum with various dips and chutneys in an outdoor seating area. This is a great start to the food tour!

Strolling along the Qanat Quartier canal, we stopped by a specialty chocolate boutique. I tasted delicate house chocolates truffles with exotic flavors at Violette Chocolatier. My family and friends know my sinful weakness for dark chocolates!

Porto Arabia

From the picturesque canals of Qanat Quartier, we took a scenic boat ride to the luxurious marina of Porto Arabia. This is a popular expat residence, and boasts an impressive fleet of yachts. It’s very pleasant to take a quiet stroll and admire the stunning views.

Falconry is a national obsession in Qatar. In a country boasting space-age sports stadiums, falconry remains a time-honored tradition. The owner of the cafe that we visit is a major falconry expert. He’s like a collector of luxury sports cars, as falcons are assessed for their breed, speed, efficiency and value for money.

After viewing the various Falconry displays, I enjoyed a karak chai (spiced milky black tea) and chapati (flatbread) while admiring awe-inspiring view of the Gulf and the Doha skyline beyond.

Medina Centrale

Next, we crossed a few blocks inland toward Medina Centrale, the central shopping district of the island, with more than 55,000 sq metres of retail and restaurants.

It was pretty quiet in the evening. We sat an outdoor restaurant and ordered some kebabs.

The next stop was the highlight of my food tour.  We stopped by a Palestine cafe / bakery. My guide ordered Falafels, a popular Middle Eastern snack. These deep-fried chickpeas or fava beans patties are seasoned with herbs and spices. To be honest, I have had better falafels prepared by a friend of mine (Newell, if you read this, your falafels are the best!).

Then came a taste revelation, piping hot Kanafa, a favorite Palestinian dessert. Crunchy shredded phyllo dough around a layer of creamy sweet cheese and then soaked in rosewater syrup is pure heaven! Another mental note to self: try to find an authentic recipe and ingredients to replicate this at home!

Finally, our last stop was a traditional place serving Arabic cafe.

Arabic coffee or Gahwa is offered as a sign of hospitality and friendliness and is served at breakfast, after a meal, in the afternoon or evening during family or friends gathering.  Dates are usually offered with Arabic coffee to balance the bitter taste with a hint of cloves or cardamon.

It’s a perfect ending to the relaxing and enjoyable Doha food tour.

Tell me, have you been to Qatar? What was your favorite experience?

Don’t forget to check out my other culinary travel posts!

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