Review: Good Asian food in Qatar

Chinese chef at work. Pix credit

In a land where there are not too many social and recreational activities, the opportunity to enjoy good food becomes an obsession for many people. In the last couple of years, Qatar has seen more and more new restaurants serving cuisine from all over the world as more hotels and shopping malls come on-line.

There has always been a good choice of restaurants from Arabic and Western countries; Turkish, Lebanese, Iranian for the former and French, Italian, American for the latter. You can also easily find Filipino and Indian cuisine because most of the foreign workers are from these countries and some of these migrant workers has branched into opening small restaurants.

What has always been difficult to find is Asian food; especially those from the Far East. True, you can find many restaurants advertising Chinese food but once you find out that the cooks are Nepalese or Filipinos, you can imagine how 'authentic' these restaurants are.

If you are into Far Eastern food, here's my personal choice of the more authentic places:

Chinese restaurants

1. Beijing restaurant (Opposite Megamart)
Whenever one ask for recommendations for Chinese food, almost all will recommend Beijing restaurant. Unfortunately, Beijing restaurant serves Northern Chinese food, which I consider oily and less creative/varied than Southern Chinese food.

Fortunately, prices are reasonable and I visit it occasionally to add variety to my food choice.

Other Chinese restaurants serving the same genre of Northern Chinese food include Great Wall (Behind Megamart), Shanghai Garden (City Centre) and Wok of Fame (Villagio). I stopped visiting these restaurants the moment Chopstix and Tse Yang arrived.

2. Chopstix at Holiday Villa Hotel
Chopstix is as close as you can get to Singapore/Malaysia style of Chinese food which is reasonably close to Cantonese/Hong Kong style. The chefs are from Malaysia and Dim Sum is served as well.

This is a popular restaurant with Malaysians and Singaporeans and their Peking Duck, a perennial favorite with Western expats, is the closest you can get to the real stuff from Peking itself. In addition to Chinese food, you can get a good choice of Malaysian/Singapore cuisine of Curry Fish head, Claypot Mutton, Fishball noodle and Fried rice.

3. Tse Yang at The Pearl
This is the latest Chinese restaurant to reach Qatar. Located at The Pearl, it boast Hong Kong chefs and waiting staff from China.

They are so new as of this writing that they are yet to offer a full menu as they still have problems getting the full range of ingredients and spices locally. Prices are a bit steep, waiting staff are inexperienced and the dining experience still feel incomplete despite their swanking decor.

By the way, if you need a bit of wine or beer with Chinese food, this is your best choice.

Korean restaurants

1. Moon Palace
Located at Nassr street, this is my favorite Korean restaurant. The restaurant ambiance is very close to what you can find in South Korea, down to the restaurant decoration, the BBQ pit at each table and the pretty authentic Korean signature dishes of Bul-Go-Gi, Kimchi and Bean paste soup.

This is the restaurant that the Korean expat community come to for some home comfort. You almost feel that you're in Korea when you're here until you realise that the waiters are from Nepal!

2. Korean Garden
This is the other Korean restaurant that is located at Al Sadd Street. The restaurant is popular with the Western expat community but I do not see as many Korean expats as in Moon Palace. Perhaps that the food here is a tad of a lower standard than Moon Place could be a good reason.

When it comes to food, always follow this wise advice - Go where the native go.

Japanese restaurants

1. Oishi at Royal Plaza Mall
My first experience when they just opened was a bit disappointing but quality seems to improve with each subsequent visit. Their Bento set, Teppanyaki and Sushi has been reasonably good and close to what you can get for the money in Qatar.

Service tend to be a bit slow, prices are a bit steep and I can't believe that there is no free flow of Green Tea.

2. Shushi Minto at Salwa Road
I visited Shushi Minto once and was shocked at the prices. I ended up with a promotional Bento set which was very good. I visited it again for it's Friday brunch but ended up disappointed by the poor choice of Japanese food. (Who will visit a Japanese buffet with pasta on it's selection!).

Sushi and Sashimi choices was poor and not good. Maybe it's just the brunch crowd that caused the drop in standard but it's definitely not my place for sushi or sashimi.

Thai restaurants

1. Thai Snack at Al Nasr Street
This is the perennial expat favorite eating place in Qatar. They have been around for a while and every expat seem to know this restaurant. It's popularity seems to make the small restaurant even more busy and getting a table at peak time can be difficult.

Food is reasonable, prices so-so and service seems to be a bit slow. Not exactly my favorite place because I always associate Thai restaurants with fantastic food, service and price and I don't seem to find the complete combination here.

2. Isaan at Hyatt hotel
This is a high-end Northern Thai restaurant complete with open-concept kitchens located in a 5-star hotel. Dining ambiance is good, food is above average and Singha beer is served.

Unfortunately, prices are steep and portions are extremely small. Be prepared to order at least 4-5 dishes instead of the usual 2-3 dishes for 2 persons. Complete your meal with the very authentic sticky rice and mango dessert.

3. Jasmine at the Souk
Latest Thai restaurant to arrive in Qatar. 99% authentic Thai as the chefs, waiting staff, food ingredients, furniture, cutlery are shipped entirely from Thailand. If you are a Thai, you'll feel completely at home here.

Food is authentic Thai, prices a tad pricey and service is good. The restaurant offer two menu; Thai and Chinese. My suggestion is to skip the Chinese menu and stick to the Thai menu. Only con about this restaurant is that it is a little off the main route and can be difficult to locate. Also, they need to fix their weak air-conditioner!

Malaysian/Indonesian restaurants

1. Central Restaurant at Umm Ghuwailina
This is a popular restaurant with Indonesian, Malaysian and Singapore expats. A rather difficult to locate small restaurant that sells delicious Indonesian favorites.

Like typical Indonesian restaurants, you queue to select your dishes that goes with your rice. The rendang, sambal chilli and telor is almost as good as what you can get in Indonesia. This restaurant tends to get crowded during meal time and getting a table can be difficult.

2. Sri Kebaya at the Souk
Many of us had high expectations as this restaurant advertise itself as an authentic Malaysian restaurant.

Many of us had also came away disappointed as the Nasi Lemak (a signature Malaysian dish) falls completely flat. Even the beef or chicken rendang simply does not have the 'oommp' that you would expect from a Malaysian restaurant. On the other hand, the sambal prawn was pretty authentic as was the Nasi goreng.

Prices was on the high side when I last visit. However, have heard that prices has been adjusted downwards but am unable to confirm this.

Food in Qatar

Once you settle down into your accommodation and job in Qatar, the next big hurdle or challenge is invariably food.

If you cook, you'll find that many familiar foodstuff you get in your home supermarket is not available here. It does not matter where you are from in the world. I hear the same familiar complaints from Lebanese, American and British colleagues.

For those who regularly have pork as part of their diet, you may suffer from 'pork-withdrawal symptom'; if there is ever such a symptom. Sufferers of such symptoms are known to take flight over the weekend to Dubai or Bahrain to satisfy the withdrawal crave.

Some will sneak some pork back and hide-and-seek stories with airport custom officers are well regaled adventures.

Of course we know that pork is not available in this strict Muslim country but familiar vegetables such as Kailan, Bak Choi, Bean sprout, Kang Kong are also not available too or only at a high price.

Americans will complain that their favorite snacks are not available, Lebanese the quality of Yogurt, Italians the selection of olive oils, Englishmen the availability of sausages, Singaporeans the choice of vegetables, etc. As large as the supermarkets here are, they can never satisfy the varied needs of the number of nationalities who congregate in this small country.

Food is a challenge for those who do not cook as well.

You'll find restaurants and food courts only at the malls and hotels. There are also a sprinkling of restaurants along some roads and petrol kiosks. However, it does not matter where you find them; your choice are always limited to:

1. American Fast Food (They are everywhere!)
2. Middle Eastern Fast Food (Almost everywhere!)
3. Indian Food

Fast Food - Invented in the Middle-East?

Middle Eastern Fast Food - Sharwama

Indian Bryani

For those who abhor fast food, and there are indeed many such people, you are in tough trouble. Your next best bet are the Shawama (if you do not get sick of it) or the Indian Bryani (if you do not mind getting clogged arteries).

Once you want to move past these 3 choices, you will now face the challenge of:

1. Finding parking spots
2. Pay the high price

What has that to do with eating your favorite food?

Well, the better restaurants, be it Italian, American, Chinese, Thai or Japanese are inevitably located in malls or hotels where parking is almost always a hassle and food prices are always 50% or more what you'll need to pay back in their native land for the exact same food.

You either live without your favorite food or you can go through the hassle of finding parking lots and/or paying through your nose for the privilege of indulging in some comfort food.

For some, the indulgence of their favorite food in hotels come with the added benefit of having alcohol, for the only place in Qatar where you can have food with alcohol outside of your home, is only in hotels.

For the rest of us, where money does not fall from the sky or spurt from underground, I hear that Instant Noodles, Pasta and sandwiches are perennial favorites.

Pix-Courtesy of their various owners

Pumping petrol in oil-rich Qatar

Qatar modern skyline

Qatar is sometimes a strange country. This is a country that produces one of the world's largest supply of oil and gas and prides itself on it's infrastructure modernisation program with sleek and spanky buildings and malls.

Many of the world's largest petroleum companies are here; think Chevron, Mobil, QatarGas, Shell etc either as an original entity or in some form of joint-venture.

This is also a country where almost every one drives. If you're a keen reader of automobile magazines, you might as well throw away your magazine and just check out the latest cars on the road. You'll easily find the latest sleek Porsche race car alongside luxurious Lexus SUV to workhorses like Honda Civics and Nissan Tidas.

For a country with all these conditions in place, you'll expect that Petrol(Gas) stations here will be classy showcases for the various big gas companies aptly suitable for the country's Porsche, Lexus, Mercedes, Audi and Cadillacs...

Old petrol stations

Nothing can be further from the truth. Gas stations in Qatar tend to be old, run-down, pot-holed and without convenience stores or auto facilities like workshops and tyre-shops. Most of them are gas station dealers that has been around for a decade or two and has not seen any upgrades for as long.

Most of the time, you do not even know what brand of gas you are pumping. Is it Shell, Mobil, Chevron or something else? You are more likely to see the individual station owner's name than the brand of gas - Abu Nakhla Petrol Station, Al Muntazah Petrol Station, Doha Petrol Centre, Rayyan Petrol Station, Umm Said Petrol Station etc

And instead of convenience shops, you're likely to find kebab shops, barbers, tailors, children toy shops, electronic shops and the occasional fast-food shop.

Gas stations are mostly old and run-down

Most of these stations look like they have freeze in time from the 70s and 80s... especially with their old looking petrol pumps, bi-directional pumping lanes, pot-holes in the lanes, petrol attendants and cash-only transactions.

European expatriates are amazed to have some-one pump the petrol for them, Americans complain about not being able to pick up drinks at the convenience store and Asians wonder why they can't fix their tyre at the same time...

Of course, things are changing and new petrol stations coming up seems to be following conventional worldwide trends; sleek pumping stations, large convenience store, auto car-wash stations, auto-repair shops etc

Until then, we'll just have to horn at each other as we meet head-to-head at the older petrol stations.

Land Cruiser Country

The Toyota Landcruiser is by far the most popular vehicle in Qatar. Almost every Qatari drives one. So do many expatriates who believe in bigger is safer; especially on Qatari roads.

Next in popularity are the Nissan Pathfinders. And Mitsubishi Pajero. And Hummers. And FJ Cruisers. And Tahoes. All the big, mean machines. Nothing under 4 liters will do.

Your first introduction to these vehicles is inevitably a set of flashing headlights in your rear mirror if you are driving. Especially if you drive a 1 to 2 litre puny sedan car. Especially if you're driving under 100km/h. Doesn't matter if it's a 80km/h speed limit road.

Get out of my way.

These vehicles have loud horns too. You'll find out exactly 0.1 second later at the traffic light if you do not move off after the lights turn green. That's how fast you'll get horned at for holding up traffic. Especially these big, mean machines.

Get out of my way.

Most of the roundabouts in Qatar are 3-lane. There is a 'lane protocol' here; outer lane for a 3/4 turn, middle lane for straight turn and inner lane for immediate turn. However, Landcruisers and Pathfinders do not usually care for protocols... it is not uncommon for them to cut from the inner to outer lane or vice-versa; right in the middle of a turning roundabout. This is where you'll hear screeching tires and smell burnt tire marks... simply because Landcruisers and Pathfinders are in a hurry.

Get out of my way.

The parking lots in Qatar are slightly bigger than most other countries. It needs to be bigger to accommodate these large vehicles. Yet, it is not unusual for these vehicles to take up a lot at such an angle that you can't park beside it. Does not matter if it is the last available lot in the whole carpark.

Get out of my way.

It is not uncommon to be caught in a jam in Qatar. Sometime it's just heavy traffic. Sometime it's construction work. Sometime it's an accident. Most of us patiently wait and sit out the delay. Not the Cruisers and Pathfinders. They will go up and over the traffic island. Or the sidewalk. Or the grass verge. Go a few cars ahead and cut back to the line. And so on.

Get out of my way.

You need to get use to these large, mean vehicles if you want to keep your sanity on the road. Otherwise, do not drive. Better still, get one of these vehicle below.

This photo was not taken in Qatar.
However, a couple of these vehicles has been spotted in Qatar.

Photocredit: www.jacked-up-truck.com

Driving in Qatar

Read any expatriate discussion forums about working and living in Qatar and you'll find two hotly discussed topics.

1. The rapid rising cost of living in Qatar
2. The hazards of driving in Qatar.

It really depends on which part of the world you come from. If you're from mainland China or India sub-continent, you're likely to find Qatar to be a 'driving haven'.

If you come from USA, Europe, Australia, Singapore or Japan, you'll be horrified, terrified and petrified by the driving here.

There is little or no public transport system here. There is no subway and taxi and buses are few and far and certainly are way below capacity for it's rapidly growing population. Almost everyone drive.

Roundabout galore

Like most countries ruled by Great Britain once upon a time, there are an abundance of round-about instead of traffic junctions that divide traffic. Many newly arrived people are not used to roundabouts and they get nervous whenever approaching one.

Adding to the confusion for new comers is that some roundabouts are straight roundabouts, some has normal traffic lights, some have flashing traffic lights and some are controlled by traffic police.

Impatient drivers

It also certainly does not help that most divers in Qatar drive large fuel-guzzling big capacity 4WD SUV. Most people in Qatar are nice and patient people but the moment they get behind their steering wheels, they turn into another character altogether.

Horning and flashing at you at 140km/h on 80km/h speed-limit roads are daily affairs. If you happen to drive a 800cc or other small fuel-efficient car and fail to get out of the way in 1 second flat, expect these gigantic 4WD to come up to almost your bumper, fill your rear-mirror with their high-beam lights, and tail-gate you till you scramble out of the way.

Or you get drivers of pick-ups, trucks and buses that weave in and out of traffic at high speed thinking they are F1 wannabees.

Accident statistics

It is no wonder that it is acknowledged that Qatar has one of the highest accident rate in the world. Do a survey with your neighbour, work colleagues or countrymen. Do not be surprise that 2 out of 3 has minor or major accident experiences within a year of drivng here.

The roads in Qatar tend to be well paved. However, construction are everywhere in Qatar and it is not unusual for roads to have large pot-holes or not having signboards. Coupled with poor street lighting away from the main roads, it is no wonder that it can be stressful driving in Qatar.

Many people who are not confident of driving on Qatar roads end up hiring drivers instead of driving themselves even if it cost a good proportion of their salaries or allowance. I guess it's far better to spend the money and keep your safety and sanity...

Despite popular belief, there are no camels on Qatar public roads.
These camels are found only on racing tracks or the desert.

The Qatari Desert

You cannot come to Qatar and not see the desert.

Doha is the administrative capital of Qatar. Doha is a relatively modern city of about 800,000 population with all the amenities and facilities you can expect from a modern city. Once you are out of Doha, it's desert land.

Qatar is a relatively flat peninsula jutting out into the Arabian Gulf. The land is generally flat and mostly rocky desert. The entire country is well-served by highways and dotted with smaller towns but you can expect nothing but desert once you move away from the towns and highways.

Most days, the sun is strong and because of the flat terrain, you'll be able to see far into the horizon as you have never seen before. The sky is mostly a nice blue and you will find little or no cloud.

The desert is not all quiet though. It has it's own life too. There are wandering Bedouins, cattle and camel herds, desert shrubs and wildlife.

The desert is also the key industrial lifeline for Qatar's economy because of the various oil and gas plants dotted all over.

On weekend, the desert becomes the playground of Qataris and expatriates with it's myriad of social activities. Just remember to bring a hat, sunglasses, sun-tan lotion and lots of water...

4WD line up for some sand dune bashing fun

Falcon racing anyone?

Watch yourself riding a camel on large video screen

Getting a job in Qatar

The whole world is undergoing a recession today including even certain countries in the Middle East. Not Qatar... it is the one of the few countries that is still going strong and is expected to come out of the current economic gloom stronger than ever.

Some of you may even be considering getting a job in Qatar. Feel free to do so; afterall, almost 80% of the workforce are migrant workers from outside of Qatar and ranges from the top professional manager to the middle engineer to the lowest laborer.

There is likely to be a suitable position for you whatever background you come from because every kind of Qatari organisation, foreign or local, at every level of position will require migrant workers.

You can get a job by referring to the many on-line jobsites, international job agencies, Qatar newspapers on-line classifieds, industry discussion forums and professional magazines. The vacancies are there... just make the effort to hunt it down.

One word of advice; the immigration and labor laws in Qatar are pretty unique and may be quite different from the country that you come from. Be sure to research on your prospective employer and the applicable Qatari immigration and labor regulations before you sign on the dotted line.

While there are many happy stories of migrant workers and expatriates who have found good employers, there are also many who have suffered under bad employers. Do your research well...

Anyone wants to be an ice skating instructor in a shopping mall?