The 12 Days of Christmas in Doha Restaurants

It's Chriiiiistmaaaas! In the words of one of my all-time heroes (Buddy from Elf), "son of a nutcracker!" - how is it December already?! Time to put up those trees, write your Christmas list, bake some mince pies and start ticking off the things you are going to do to celebrate the festive season.

Top of our list this year has been a visit to all of the restaurants that we neglected to visit in 2016 (because ummm, where did 2016 go?!) and also a trip to those that are offering special promotions this season - there is nothing like a festive treat to get you into the spirit of things after all!

Doha's hotels and restaurants have pulled out all of the stops this year to appeal to a variety of different tastes, creating an exciting array of innovative culinary experiences, so the foodies amongst us really are spoilt for choice. To make it a little easier for you, here is my pick of the restaurants that I think you should visit before the twelve days of Christmas are up.

25/12/16. On the first day of Christmas my true love sent me to...

Al Jawhara Ballroom at InterContinental Doha the City for their Christmas Day Brunch! If you're looking for a lavish affair on Christmas Day (and let's face it, who isn't?), complete with turkey with all of the trimmings as well as activities to keep the little ones in the holiday spirit, then this is my pick of Doha's Christmas Day offerings this year. My family will be gorging on our Christmas dinners here, so I hope to see you there!

(For those of you that are celebrating from home, they offer a turkey takeaway menu too).

26/12/16. On the second day of Christmas my true love sent me to...

Opal by Gordon Ramsay at the St Regis Doha for Monday's Burger Night. With a choice of a tender, melt in the mouth Wagyu Beef Burger, spicy Lamb Burger with Harissa sauce or a cheesy Chili Dog, you also get chips on the side and a choice of alcoholic tipple for only 100QAR. Plus you can add a dessert (I recommend the sticky toffee pudding - probably the best in Doha!) for an added 30QAR.

Don't forget to collect your Green Collection card at the end of the meal to add to your Winter Collection set and receive money off your next meal, as well as be in with a chance of winning a two night stay in the St Regis' presidential suite! Find out more here.

27/12/16. On the third day of Christmas my true love sent me to...

Sabah w Masa on The Pearl for a light and casual Lebanese lunch. Don't miss: the Fattoush salad, Homos Bayrouti (traditional hummous with the addition of parsley, tomato, garlic and chilli), Lahme Beajine (basically minced beef cooked with aromatic spices on a pizza base) or the Bayd Jebneh (eggs which have been baked in a bread casket). Everything is made from fresh ingredients, and screams authenticity.

 
28/12/16. On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent me to...

Saffron Lounge in Katara to check out what Michelin starred Chef Vineet Bhatia is serving up to Doha diners. And trust me, it is special.

I was invited along to meet the chef himself for a very special afternoon of #bloggingwithchefvineet recently, where he performed a live cooking demonstration for some of Qatar's food bloggers. By the end of it all, I was in awe - it takes an incredible talent to combine simple, clean ingredients to create a refined dish with immense flavour, but he's mastered it. Lovers of Indian cuisine, this restaurant is not to be missed.

29/12/16. On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent me to...

Elements at the Four Seasons Hotel to try out the new menu they launched this Winter. As expected, it is absolutely sublime, but the real stand-out items on offer are the dumplings. Elements' dedicated dumpling chef who hails from China has combined delicate flavours and clever techniques to create some of the best Dim Sum and steamed buns that Doha has seen to date (their Express Lunch Menu is an absolute steal at 85 QAR for two courses and 95 QAR for three too).

30/12/16. On the sixth day of Christmas my true love sent me to...

Gourmet House at Kempinski Residences and Suites with six of my best friends for their Ladies Afternoon Tea. The quaint and perfectly-polished afternoon teas for two people also come with a free designer cake if you order three of them - and when you see how wonderful these cakes are, you are going to want to ring all of the ladies you know to get them to join you!

 
31/12/16. On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent me to...

Kempinski Residences and Suites again, but this time up to the 41st floor to Zengo, for a New Year's Eve celebration like no other in Doha. A five course Pan-Asian tasting menu including 15 different dishes, with unrivalled views of the city from the highest restaurant in West Bay, with the party continuing into the night in Z Lounge next door? Yes please!

01/01/17. On the eighth day of Christmas my true love sent me to...

Cactus Senshi for a New Years Day post-party recovery lunch. Starting a new year is all about embracing new experiences right? Well it doesn't get more unusual than Arabic and Japanese fusion food, with a dash of Mexican in the mix too. This might sound a little too out there for some, but if you trust my reviews then believe me when I say that the sushi is fresh and delicious, the flavours original and creative...and it actually works!

02/01/17. On the ninth day of Christmas my true love sent me to...

Le Vesuvio in Katara for a delicious and (dare I say it) legendary pizza. Of course, you must head there before the 17th December first for their Classic vs. Gastronomic Pizza promotion, which includes an appetiser, pizza, dessert and mocktail for only QAR 95, but once you have decided whether you prefer the deep flavour and soft dough of the Gastronomic pizza, or the thin and crispy base of the Classic Pizza, you must return to order your choice of preference again...and again...

03/01/17. On the tenth day of Christmas my true love sent me to...

Teatro at City Centre Rotana for a plush date night. Dark furniture, low lighting and elegant decor combine to create one of Doha's most romantic settings in which to share a meal with that special somebody. Just make sure you leave some time to enjoy a tipple at the well-stocked bar beforehand.

04/01/17. On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love sent me to...

Nando's to try out their new vegetarian menu. Yes, you read that right! The famous chicken joint has branched out into the world of vegetarianism, and they've done it in style. Think Paneer and Vegetable Espetata, and Paneer and Watermelon Skewers drenched in their delicious and unique Peri Peri sauce. There's also a Quinoa Salad for those of you that aren't a fan of such zingy flavour combinations.

05/01/17. On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent me to...

Nobu at the Four Seasons, because there really isn't a better restaurant in Doha to round off this very special season. That famous black cod, the sumptuous sushi selection, those steamed beef buns... everything on Chef Nobu Matshuhisa's reverred menu is about sophistication and style.

Yes, sophistication and style - that's exactly how I'd like to start my 2017 please. But somehow I have a feeling that potty training and toddler tantrums will be more my bag. Bring it on!

I was a guest for the above meals and promotions but as always all views are my own.