Doha's Breakfast Central

Where: Movenpick Tower, West Bay

When: 7 am to 11 am.

What’s on the menu: 
Five pre-decided breakfast set menus. Arabic, Energy, Lime Café and Westbay breakfast and not to forget the bread basket. Prices form QAR 30 to 92.

What we ate:

Hani:
As usual I ordered myself the largest combo available, that being the
West Bay breakfast. It comprised eggs, bacon, hash brown, breakfast pastries, sausages, juice and a choice of coffee or tea! Phew, I thought I wouldn’t be able to complete this in one breath.

Taste aspects, the eggs were lightly crisp! Quantity on my plate was not as much as my description would have made you to believe. Places that are not half as fancy usually have at least 2 hash browns, 2 sausages or 2 strips of Bacon. So quite naturally I polished off my plate (except the nuisance halved tomato). They just had one person manning the cash and the floor. He was able to do everything on his own.

Kavi: Against my better judgment, I ordered an “Energy Breakfast” that consisted of Grapefruit juice, brown bread, honey, butter, low fat yoghurt, tea and a fruit platter. Now I would imagine for some who’s a health buff, all of this must be very appetizing. But somehow the idea of consuming sweet stuff for breakfast doesn’t energize me in the least. There isn’t much to be said in the form of review. You can’t really go very wrong with fresh fruits or butter. However, the service was outstanding. With no help whatsoever, one person was able to greet customers, take orders and serve at all the tables.

Verdict:

Hani: Quantity is less compared to the price charged- food is not exceptional.  

Kavi: Biffsquiggle food but FIVE STAR service.

Insterestingness: They serve a small Toblerone with their hot drinks :)

Where: Ar Rumaila Hotels, Souq Waqif

When: All Day Breakfast

What’s on the menu: 
Eggs to your liking, London Adria, Continental breakfast and Arabic specialties priced from QAR: 19 to 95 or go for the buffet continental breakfast served from 7:00 am to 11:30 am.

What we ate:

Hani:

The London adria breakfast, my order, includes muesli, 2 poached eggs,
hash browns, chicken sausages, baked beans, bacon, bread and butter pudding and orange juice. All of this was even too much, even for someone with an appetite like mine. Found the sausages to be juicy, hash browns crispy, the bacon chewy, the baked beans soft not mushy, in short, the way they should be.

Kavi:

I ordered fried eggs which supposedly comes with condiments and sauces. The only problem is you have to expressly ‘opt-in’ and say, “please bring everything the menu promises” or they only get you the fried eggs. Fortunately, I mentioned my choice of sauce and they were kind enough to include a small blob. The condiments? None. In theory, condiments include ham, bacon, tomato, mushrooms, hash browns, baked beans, spinach and cheddar cheese. For QR 29, I’d rather go to Bread and Bagels and get a sumptuous sandwich.

Verdict:

Hani: Nice, quiet and sunny breakfast. Nice super filling breakfast. (Not the case with Kavi)

Kavi: Biffsquiggle

Where: Landmark Mall in between Haagen Dazs and The One

When: Daily from 9am onwards

What’s on the menu: Eggs, Labneh, pancakes Coffee with Croissant
Prices between QAR 18 to 31.

What we ate:

Hani: I had The Gambini Omelet which was with butter bread, bacon
The baby potatoes were mushy and sweet, which does not fit my liking. The cheese instead of making the egg crispy was rather cooked to the degree that it formed a film on almost all the eggs (see egg border in the picture).

I had an after eight mint coffee, I am not sure whether it should’ve tasted the way it tasted, also was very sweet as if I was drinking sugar syrup. These guys have good service but it did seem to me as if it was one of those days …..
Even for the non-breakfast meals that I’ve had from here, nothing has been extraordinary.

Kavi: I ordered the Perfect Pancakes which comes up with maple syrup and fruits. The Pancakes were a bit heavy and not light and fluffy as I had hoped. It had a cake/bread like texture as though it had been baked. Not my favourite kind of pancakes. However, their servers are very attentive and will visit your table to enquire if you’re pleased with food or not. We’ve been to some places which serve good food and have terrible service. This feels like awkward change. We want to say great things about this place but the food is only so-so.

Verdict:

Hani:The food and coffee gave me zero appeal although the attentive service is praise-worthy. Almost like a place where you go not for the food but to enjoy the great service.
But then again, good food with bad service still gets a lot more business.

Kavi: Biffsquiggle

Where: Dar Es Salaam Mall

When: 8 am everyday - all day breakfast.

What’s on the menu: 
Set menu items all priced at QAR 49. Also you have the option of a la carte items like manakish (fatayer), savory crepes etc. priced at QAR 24 to 29. Eggs and specialties menu come in prices QAR 21 to 41, these include eggs (done your way, benedict etc.) foul etc.

What we ate:

Hani:

Healthy breakfast was quite a large sized breakfast but went well with the name. The eggs were were light and were accompanied by fruit and yogurt. Since it was meant to be healthy, I don’t know if I should complain about it being bland. There was nothing memorable about the breakfast, the service however, was accommodating. The bread basket and the butter were left as is. This place is already a busy place despite being new. So don’t expect it to be empty.

Kavi: After having just returned from London, where I was used to having an English breakfast every day, I decided to choose the same to for nostalgia’s sake. I have to say the scrambled eggs were a bit of disappointment. They weren’t fluffy or moist lacked flavor. The bacon, potatoes and sausages were very good. But that is kind of setting the bar low, isn’t it? It would be very hard for a decent restaurant to get that wrong. The furniture and ambience in this place feels a bit tacky at first but eventually warms to you.

Verdict:

Hani:
not ready to write this off yet!

Kavi: Biffquiggle

Where: Landmark Mall

When: Saturday to Thursday 10 am onwards

What’s on the menu:
Breakfast buffet, Arabic breakfast (mankeesh, foul, hummus, falafel, saj) and different types of eggs. QAR 15 to QAR 65.

What we ate:

Hani:
Being the fatty I am, I decided to go for the buffet, most items that are part of he buffet are also sold separately in the a la carte menu. The juices weren’t fresh though, which is a downside. When I was asked what type of egg I would like to eat, I ordered an omelette with every available add-on. What I got was an egg with just mushrooms, I wasn’t disappointed though as the eggs were quite fluffy and well-prepared. Looks like their breakfast isn’t big with people yet, as the day we visited, it was rather empty. The fatayer I had were stale ones that were reheated upon selection, this made them rather chewy.

Kavi: I ordered a Gourmet Saj, which was basically Arabic cheese & egg quesadillas. It came with olives, cucumbers and tomatoes. Unfortunately it was far too salty for my taste. However, it has a nice quiet ambiance. Despite the popularity of Wafi Gourmet, it is not my favourite place for Arabic food. I still recommend Zaatar W Zeit in Souq Waqif for the best Arabic breakfast in Doha.

Verdict:
Hani: I can go again but doesn’t mean that I will.
Kavi: Biffsquiggle.

Where: Qatar Sports Club

When: 10 am onwards

What’s on the menu:
Eggs N’ Cheddar, Eggs N’ Bacon and Eggs N’ Turkey. QAR 15 for a 6” and 23 for a 12”.

What we ate:

Hani:
I ordered me a eggs and bacon sandwich, and it was just that!
No Tomatoes, no lettuce, no cucumbers, no cheese! So dry it felt like I was eating a drought. Bacon was sparse and egg was egg. I don’t know why I am surprised, I got what I asked for after all. Service wise, better than subway, as it is delivered to your table. I wasn’t recommended addition of toppings despite the staff knowing that just eggs+bread+bacon won’t be easy to swallow.

Kavi:
I ordered the better sandwich (for a change) - egg and cheese sandwich. Unlike Hani’s, I loved my sandwich and it was absolutely delicious. And unlike all the other bad experiences with cheddar, this didn’t feel so sharp or bitter. If you don’t like driving around a bit for parking, try the Quiznos near Al-Meera Hypermarket, opposite West Bay health centre.

Verdict:

Hani: Trust me, Home-made is better!

Kavi: Delumptious

Where: Qatar Sports Club(They are also located in the Villagio Mall)

When: 24 hours (Only at QSC)

What’s on the menu: Other than the individual croissants and muffins(QAR 10 to 14), three items are available as breakfast options. Mediterranean Breakfast, Italian omelette and Delizioso egg panino (QAR 35 to 46)

What we ate:

Hani:

I picked the Italian omelet which tasted like ‘skimmed’ eggs. It felt too light and I was feeling empty soon afterwards. It also tasted quite bland which I remedied with a generous helping of black pepper. However their style of presentation, their cutlery and staff all were very impressive.

Kavi:
I ate the Delizioso panino and boy did it live up to its name. Aside from the omelette, the sandwich contains fresh parsley, fresh basil and oregano all of which make it a delightfully herby sandwich. However the sandwich can be improved by making the omelette a little less dry. But that’s just me nitpicking. I also wish there were more breakfast options to choose from. From Hani’s review, it appears my choice was the only item worth having. However be warned at QR35, this egg sandwich does not come cheap.

Their hot chocolate is very Italian in consistency. This means you should expect a thick, saucy, soup-like melted chocolate. Is this your kind of hot chocolate? Then Caffe Vergnano is the place to be.

Verdict:

Hani: I should probably stick with their coffees.

Kavi: Delumptious 

Where: City Centre Doha (also has branches in Souk Waqif and Al Mana towers)

When: Daily from 8:00 am onwards

What’s on the menu: Fixed combos with prices from QAR 14 to 22 
(scones, muffins, egg mixes and muesli)

What we ate:

Hani:

Brek O day is what I ordered which comprised of eggs, sausages, bread and jams. When you order a combo, coffee and tea is served for free till 11 am. The coffee that came as a default is american coffee. I have not found a way to like American coffee yet, so it tasted rather bitter despite sugar addition. The eggs would have been bland too had I not added the salt and pepper. Jam with bread was satisfactory and the sausages came out cold.

This is a first post with a consolidated meal photo. Although I don’t fancy it much, let us know if it missed a spot.

Kavi:

I had the “Food for Thought” Combo which included toast, poached eggs and jam. They also offer tea and coffee for free with every breakfast. The breakfast was not too bad for the price that I was paying. I usually don’t like my eggs so runny. But it was healthy and I am glad I chose it.

Now the Earl Grey Tea deserves its own note. They serve the house brand of tea and boy was it tasty. By habit I always add a dash of milk to my Earl Grey Tea. But the tea at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf tasted heavenly without any milk. I would certainly put it par with Forte Tea which a premium brand of the beverage and not available in Qatar.

Verdict:

Hani: Locations are aplenty. Food is re-edible. Re-trip not certain but not ruled out.
Kavi: Delumptious

Where: Tiffanys, Merweb Hotel, Al Sadd

When: 6 AM to 10.30 AM

What’s on the menu: A buffet of baked beans, sausages, eggs, sliced meats, cereal, fruits and much more. All for QR 65. They also four set menu options of Mini Continental (QR25), Viennese (QR35), Asian (QR35) and Arabic (QR35).

Hani: I had the buffet breakfast and was very excited when I chose it. I took a full plate of food on the first go. Baked beans, tomatoes, hash browns, sausages and chicken picatta. Don’t let the pictures fool you, other than the eggs and the Foul beans, didn’t find anything worth remembering.
The service I felt was over-efficient though, they were ready to take our orders the moment we sat to dine- taking my tea cup, even before I had finished, without bothering to ask if I was done.

Kavi: I ordered the Asian option because I wanted to try something completely new. And boy was it DELICIOUS. They served me 2 very soft rotis (Indian bread), yummy omelets, pickle, plain yogurt, chickpea curry and vegetables.

They were all so good. My only complaint would be that the helpings of yoghurt, curry and pickle are so generous, there weren’t enough chapattis to finish them off completely. Would I eat this again? Oh yes!

You are very familiar with my love for hot chocolate. This one was different because it came with a large chocolate lollipop that you swirl around in the hot steaming chocolate making the drink so much more creamier.

Verdict:

Hani: I wouldn’t go for the buffet, if I were you.
KAVI: Scrumdiddleyumptious. GO THERE NOW!

Where: The Pearl Qatar, 1 la Croisette

When: Weekdays from 9am -12pm
Weekends from 9 am - 2 pm.

What’s on the menu:

3 items on the breakfast menu
CBNY Breakfast 55 QR
Pearl Breakfast 65  QR
American Breakfast 75 QR

What we ate:

Hani:

I ordered the American breakfast considering how hungry I was- fried eggs, bacon and hash browns. Fried eggs had juicy yolks, dry & salty bacon with crispy crusted hash browns. Coffee as a part of the breakfast was good too.

The savior:
The above was a very limited quantity for breakfast and wouldn’t have been enough if it wasn’t for the (included) bread basket that was served with butter, honey and an assortment of marmalades.

Kavi:

I decided to order a grilled cheese sandwich. As the photo will demonstrate, my sandwich was overflowing with cheddar cheese. I’ve now surmised that I’d dislike anything I order with cheddar in it. And this sandwich was just cheddar overkill. So if you like cheddar, bite into these cheese paradise of a sandwich. The Chocolate Bar has great service if the restaurant has anything under 6 customers. Should the number of customers exceed ten, the service and attention declines rather rapidly.

Verdict:
Hani:
Late weekday breakfast, didn’t have many others and staff was extra attentive. The (what seems an essential part of breakfast at the pearl) flying fly made a guest appearance.

Kavi: I feel bad ranking this place because I ordered something which had an ingredient I dislike. So for now, I am undecided. Maybe I’ll visit again, order something different and revise this. But based on Hani’s expression of delight, do visit them!