A Mediterranean tour of taste at The Westin Doha

Nov 6, 2017

The Westin Doha’s Mediterranean Nights are held outdoors on Seasonal Tastes restaurant’s sprawling veranda.

This sumptuous buffet-style repast includes a range of Mediterranean cuisine, covering regions from North Africa through Europe, with a plethora of Arab, Italian, Greek, French and Turkish dishes to choose from.

We had the pleasure of visiting on a weeknight when the weather was particularly fine. Seasonal Tastes’ veranda area is lined with fountains, and sheltered enough that it won’t be a hassle to sit outside as the weather grows windier and cooler.

Whether you’re in the mood for kebabs, a plate of pasta, or just a whole lot of green food, there’s plenty to choose from.

The buffet’s classic mezze menu includes a gorgeous ochre hummus made with carrots and walnuts bound together with bread crumbs. The beautifully purple beet hummus, made with cheese, tahini, beets and a dash of lemon salt is a particular favourite.

Artfully presented and freshly made, the Italian antipasti are an excellent meal-starter. We especially enjoyed the focaccia, as well as the grilled vegetables marinated in balsamic vinegar, olive oil and garlic, served with cheeses from the region.

Because it is, after all, Mediterranean Night, the cheese choices (feta, mozzarella, brie) are abundant, along with different kinds of fresh bread and spreads. There are four types of butter to choose from—the sun-dried tomato one was a hit with us.

For the main course, we recommend the roast beef and chicken. If you’re not a meat-eater, there’s an array of scrumptious pasta to choose from, so don’t be disheartened.

Dessert is a treat. We tried at least four flavours of panna cotta, and pretty much inhaled the tiramisu. Luckily, the servings are reasonably sized, so you’ll only wind up binging on the sweets if you put in a concerted effort.

The soft lighting and warm, comfortable ambience of the restaurant lends an air of wholesome tranquility to the experience. Couple that with quality food and good service and you have yourself a night worth coming out for.