Your January Doha dining hit list: the hot, new and just-reviewed places to check out, right now

Sliding into 2025 with some recommendations to start your year as you intend to continue it! Here’s my January Doha dining hit list: the hot, new and just-reviewed places to check out, right now.

Curry Night at Isaan

I don’t like to bang on about how long I have lived in Doha (blah blah), but I was actually one of the first to dine at Isaan when it opened back in 2010. And I have been a fan of it ever since. Originally it served almost exclusively small plates with a spicy menu from the north east of Thailand. The menu has evolved over the years, with more crowd pleasing items added. Which is part of its charm and probably one of the reasons it has been added to the Bib Gourmand MICHELIN List.

Their weekly Monday curry night is one of the best kept secrets in town, and I can see why many people gate keep it. Unlimited curries for QR150 per person. There are seven curries on the menu, ranging from the favorite green curry (Kang Kiew Wan) through to a lush roasted duck curry with sweet basil (Kaeng Phed Ped Yang) and a deep friend fish curry (Choo Chee Pla).

Several of the curries are offered in different variations – beef, chicken and veggie style which are also brought to the table. My highlight was the Massaman beef (Kaeng Massaman) – with tender hunks of beef simmered in the peanutty sauce. You are asked at the start what your spice level is, which should please all diners! Sticky rice as a side is topped up and there is also an all night happy hour.

Must order: The Massaman beef or chicken is rich and comforting.

Hoppers

Sri Lankan (via London) eatery Hoppers Doha  cemented its culinary credentials in December, landing itself a Bib Gourmand in the MICHELIN Guide

This newly bestowed accolade, it seems, fits Hoppers Doha nicely. Their QR99 business lunch is great value, with some excellent cooking and robust flavors.

There are four set menus available for lunch. The standout dishes in the non-veg version were a starter of hot butter squid – a tangle of lightly crisp tentacles, just tender enough and bathed in the buttery, sauce. Meanwhile, the main dish in the thali was a luxurious prawn mango curry. The tiny bowl housed five plump prawns nestled in the spiced gravy.

Don’t skip dessert of you get the business lunch – hoppers with vanilla ice cream and jaggery is my new favorite jam.

Must order: The business lunch is fantastic value at QR99

Luau Friday brunch at Trader Vics

Could this be the best value brunch in town right now? Let’s start with the pricing – QR350 for house drinks (including some lethal cocktails) and QR325 for soft drinks, even before adding in that it’s on both the ENTERTAINER and Urban Point, it’s a no brainer. Full sized portions of starters arrive soon after your drinks and they are mostly a success. The tom yum gratin seafood dip, is a fusion that shouldn’t work but it does.  Hanguk “chicken munchies” are spicy Korean style morsels and one of the stars of the selection.

Charging full speed into the mains, again these are adult-sized. The teriyaki beef tenderloin the hero dish – still tender and with a sweet/sour tang of pineapple. I made quick work of the glossy green curry prawns (the broth was a little thin) as well as the nutty egg noodles with vegetables. Both the miso glazed Barramundi fillets (which came with veggies) and the sticky black pepper chicken admittedly punched above their weight flavor wise.

Drinks include six cocktail options, two beer options, four spirits plus a white and white wine option. TVs is known for their cocktails and these hit the spot, even resulting in me feeling a tad dusty the next day.  There is a fun Latino three piece band that kicks the atmosphere into controlled party brunch mode.

Must order: Just let them bring it all!

AYjYa at Marriott Marquis

AYjYA Marriott Marquis City Center Doha Hotel sits on level 3 where Aziza was. This new venture is Pan-Asian fusion and can best be described as a bar, restaurant and hangout space (there’s even power outlets for it be used as a working space if you want).It’s a huge space and at first is a bit confusing – you don’t know where to look. There are murals of Jackie Chan, an alcove with old school video games (that’s a siren call Gen X – there is Pac-Man!). The bar area has comfy seats which leads to another dining area.

The menu is as big as the ideas at AYjYa – noodles, soups and laksas, sushi, burgers, steaks with a smattering of veggie dishes, plus desserts. It encompasses Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Malaysian and more.  As an indication, starters clock in at QR35 and up; soups from QR40; sushi rolls form QR65; rice and noodles from QR55 and mains from QR45.

I had a very small taster, plumping immediately for what will be a bit of a divisive dish – the carbonara ramen (QR55). Sure to upset purists from both sides, it’s actually very moreish and well executed. The noodles have a bite and lashings of Parmesan. Very comforting. A spicy salmon maki roll (QR65) is fresh and clean. It should be good, the people behind this place also have Soy Tokyo so they know their sushi. Dragon fire chicken (QR45) and sriracha firecracker shrimp (QR45) are both surely crowd pleasers. Solid new takes on some classics.

Must order: all dishes are tasty and meant to please

Malibu Poolside Brunch at The Ned Doha

The Malibu brunch The Ned Doha may just have hit the sweet spot between party and chilled that has even impressed me.

Starting off with the food selection – yes not as vast as some (it’s a buffet) but focused and very good quality. There is a very well put together fresh salad and cold starter selection that would please even the pickiest of eaters. Complementing this is a raw bar with shucked to order oysters, lobster and juicy prawns.

The hot main selection encompasses freshly made pizzas; a grill station with seafood and some very moreish filet of beef and a brisket in addition to some hot station items like lasagna.

Dessert, never my strong point, lured me in with a self serve serve soft serve machine (say that three times quickly) among its delights. Staff keep the drinks (beer, wine, four killer cocktails and additional for bubbles) flowing and lively.

Speaking of which, The Ned does something interesting with the entertainment. It kicks off with a DJ playing some laid back favorites, then moves to a DJ with a keyboardist (evidently a fan of Amy Winehouse) then the DJ rejoins, switching gears with a drummer. The entertainment as such ebbs and flows according to the crowd and the progression of the brunch. Yep. Someone actually thought about that. Also, despite this and the crowd, you can have a conversation.

The brunch runs a leisurely 12pm to 4pm and has four packages – QR300 with soft drinks; QR400with house beverages; QR500 with bubbles and you can rent one of their very LA style VIP cabanas for QR500 per person. Kids under 12 are QR150 and under five free.

Must order: Head straight for the seafood selection

QAQAW at the Mandarin Oriental

One for chocolate lovers – Mandarin Oriental, Doha yesterday opened a chocolate centric outdoor cafe Barahat Square. Qaqaw has a menu of lush chocolate creations in a stylish, art deco inspired outdoor setting.

The desserts and hot chocolates use Valrhona chocolate – for example the raspberry and honey hot chocolate (QR65). There’s the obvious sweet treats as well as salads, sandwiches, waffles and bakery items. The profiteroles with house made vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce (QR70) played into my sweet spot.

Everything is finished tableside with a little flare. Prices range from QR65 for the signature hot chocolates; QR55 for milkshakes; QR35 for coffees and desserts from QR75. It opens daily from 4pm to 12am and is located on the Baraha Square side of the hotel with a separate entrance.

Must order: the lush hot chocolates would convert even a hardened cynic

NOZOMI Teppanyaki

Nozomi Doha Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl – Doha has updated its low key upstairs lounge area and revamped it as a Teppanyaki space. And, it’s a winner.

There are three Teppan tables installed, kind of like mini culinary theaters. Teppan means metal plate in Japanese and in this context means the hot, flat grills the chefs use to cook the vegetables and proteins. The live show is means to display precision knife work and of course, some entertainment – flying eggs, volcano onions and flaming grills. Diners sit around these communal tables and are part of the show.

Nozomi’s approach is to offer a set menu as the base – appetizers including gyoza, a salad, miso soup plus mixed veggies and rice both cooked on the grill. You then choose your proteins (which are integral to the show). These start from QR225 for tiger prawns and go up to QR500 for Canadian lobster. The best option in my view are the combos – surf and turf so to speak – starting from QR310.

There is a children’s set menu as well – which included all the starters and extras plus the proteins starting from QR110. It’s all relatively fast and the items good quality, especially the prawns and the Australian beef.

Must order: guys, it’s dinner AND a show

And there we have it – your January Doha dining hit list: the hot, new and just-reviewed places to check out, right now. That’s a great primer for the month and year ahead – 2025 is certainly giving an indication it will be great and this is just a sample of the must-visit spots in the city.

Thank you for reading and all of your support over the past year – here’s to a delicious 2025.

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Please note:
While I pay for a large portion of my experiences that I write about, I am sometimes provided meals and other experiences free of charge or at a reduced rate. However, I make it clear that I am under no obligation to give a positive review.

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