We went out one night while in Doha to the Souq Waqif for a Persian dinner – I highly recommend Parisa for superb Iranian food in Qatar.
Parisa – Great Persian Food in Doha’s Souq Waqif
Souq Waqif feels old and is in fact the oldest souq in Doha, but it has been rebuilt and is actaully not that old at all. Even so, as you make your way through the winding corridors of shops selling anything and everything, it feels like you are stepping back in time.
The concierge staff at the Four Seasons Doha highly recommended we tray Parisa for dinner, which is located in Souq Waqif and offers Persian cuisine (and is technically part of the Ritz-Carlton Sharq Village, though we did not know it at the time).
We found the restaurant on a fairly busy promenade with the Al Fanar mosque and Abdullah Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center towering nearby.
The dining room felt very much like being in Iran and the hospitality was quite warm as well.
Dinner began with a lovely assortment of raw vegetables and Maast-o Khiar (yogurt with cucumbers) with freshly-baked bread.
We ordered a couple appetizers including Kasha Bademjan (fried eggplant with walnut, onion, sundried yogurt, and mint dressing) and Kurt Anar (pomegranate meatballs).
Then for our main course, served family-style, we ordered lamb, beef, and chicken kebabs with saffron rice and vegetables.
No alcohol on the menu…we had fresh-squeezed fruit juice instead.
Prices were not cheap, but everything was delicious and we left quite satisfied.
CONCLUSION
Living near West Tehran (Beverly Hills, CA) and West Yerevan (Glendale, CA), I routinely enjoy great Persian and Armenian-Persian food in Los Angeles. Even so, I love it wherever I am in the world and we quite enjoyed eating at Parisa in Doha’s Souq Waqif.
Fantastic! Love Persian food. One can hope one day Iran will be an open and safe place to visit.
not sure if I would like the food or not but the restaurant is cool with the stained glass and colorful decor
One of my biggest regrets was having food poisoning while I was eating here since the food was some of the best I ever had. Normally, I could have eaten twice the amount I actually ate. The Park Hyatt was a good place to rest and recover though
I hope OMAAT, FM or you will visit Iran in near future, at least for three days, and write a trip report. Iran is on my bucket list of must visit country later in this decade. A Persian rug is the best rug in the world, especially it is made from Tabriz and Asfahan. I love Arabic food, unsure if it is similar to Persian food. It is quite unhealthy as it is mostly red meat and greasy but wildly tasty.
I’d love to spend time in Iran. I really would. I know the people would be very welcoming of Americans. Not sure about the government, though.
I love Parisa, always have a meal there when on a layover in DOH using QR to get to/from Australia. Fabulous food and the decor is pure magic!
Looks tremendous. I’ve transited Doha many times but never thought about leaving the airport and spending a few days in the country itself…now perhaps I shall.
Did you visit any other attractions besides the hotel/restaurant? My impression is there isn’t much to do in Qatar
There’s an art museum and history museum. Otherwise not too much. I went to church…that was interesting (I’ll write about the “religious compound” in a future post).
That’s not expensive for what you got 80 bucks for two people? Barely buys you a round of drinks in a is city.
Wonderful restaurant
Where did you get that impression? I have an overnight layover in Doha in about 2 weeks and have enjoyed researching things to do. Plan on walking through the Souq, dining at an amazing looking restaurant called SMAT, walking the Corniche (waterside promenade), and checking out a local hookah lounge).
The correct pronunciation for food are KASHK-O-BADEMJAN and KOOFTEH ANAR
thank you for trying the Persian cuisine
Excellent explanation of persian cuisine. We invite Matthew to come to Iran, experiencing Persian foods just inside Tehran traditional Bazar(market) for more cheaper price than Doha.