“Curry has ubiquitous appeal, and is a favoured food for the Omani and expatriate, young and old, alike.  Indeed it is one of the fastest growing retail food categories in the World, principally because it offers consumers an authentic alternative to international fast food brands.  Our mission is to contemporise the Indian classics, by offering consumers convenient curry dishes, prepared and cooked to very high standards using locally sourced, high quality ingredients for people who have appetite, but are on the go: hence our brand name – Curry in Hurry.” (from Entertainer Oman 2013 description)

Curry in Hurry is in the food court of MGM, between Szechwan Wok and McDonald’s.

What do you think we paid for these 2 Chicken Combos? Would you believe only 2.6 rials for both?! (about $6.75 US!)  Well, it shoud have been 2.6 each but we got 2 for the price of one thanks to this…

All 3 coupons for Curry in Hurry are for “buy 2 for the price of 1 Chicken Combos”. The combos come in 3 sizes: small (2.2 OR) , medium (2.4 OR) , and large (2.6 OR). I wonder why the coupons are all for “chicken” and they don’t offer the choice of the mutton or fish combos?!

A closer look at what you get for 2.6 rials:

A pretty decent meal and for under 3 rials! (Drink included!)  I’m not normally a curry-kind-of-guy but I was in the mood to try it out.  Glad I gave this spot a try!  This combo meal was SO good!!!

More of the menu found on the wall

Here is their entire menu which is found on the counter.

The gents at the counter said they’ll have these menus available for customers to take away in about 15 days. For now, there are 2 menus bolted together behind 2 sheets of glass available at the counter.  They hope to have delivery service in the near future.  Check our “Curry in Hurry” on facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Curry-in-Hurry/165587696917101 or you can check out their main website at: http://www.curryinhurry-me.com  Tel: (+968)-2200-9696, 2200-9700.

So, any of you readers out there try “Curry in Hurry“? (If we want to get tecnical, it should actually be called ”Curry in a Hurry”! )  If so, did you enjoy it as much as I did? Let a comment and let us know!

Last night (Wednesday, Jan. 30th) was the first night of a monthy specialty at Mokha Cafe’s buffet called “Exquisite Omani Specialties“. In celebration of Muscat Festival (which also started yesterday!), from January 30th to February 28th, the buffet, in addition to its regular buffet, will feature Omani items prepared by their local and talented Omani chefs.  Here’s the ad:

If you can’t read the writing well, the buffet is 18 OR +17%.

Plenty of space in Mokha Cafe, both indoors and out.

Chef Majid and Head Chef Jayson with Nicole Bassitt (Marketing & Communications Manager) at the Grand Hyatt, showing us Omani dishes that are part of the Mokha Cafe buffet this month. Thanks so much for the invitation, Nicole! We had a fabulous time. My wife can’t get enough of the Mokha Cafe buffet and is always “looking for an excuse” to go there.

Chef Jayson, Chef Majid, General Manager, Garry Friend, Chef Ali, and the Grand Hyatt’s Director of Food and Beverage, Dirk Holscher.  It was an honor to meet the Grand Hyatt’s new General Manager, Garry Friend, who has been in Oman about two weeks now.  He comes with over 25 years of experience working with Hyatt. Click here to read more about him in this article that just came out in The Week.  While I was speaking briefly with Mr. Friend he remarked, “Isn’t it interesting how bloggers are considered more and more important today?”  Interesting indeed!

Those who are interested in trying out some great Omani dishes (as well as other amazing dishes from around the world!) are encouraged to come down during this month’s specialty buffet. People sometimes send me emails or comments asking where they can get some authentic Omani cuisine in Muscat.  Well, here’s your chance!

Of course, besides the Omani dishes there are the standard delicious Arabic dishes that are also a regular part of Mokha Cafe’s buffet. (Hummus, Mutabel and Fattoush just to name a few)

Presenting a delicious traditional Omani dessert called “lokaimat“!

Chef Sammer always has time for a big smile as he prepares more ”lokaimat” for guests. (As a side note, you really should try the Peach/Nectarine Frangipane Puff pictured directly in front of him! MMM!)

In addition to prawns (as you see here), other Omani grilled seafood at the buffet include: lobster, king fish and tuna.  There are so many choices at this buffet!

Chef Hood “in the hood”! Ready to grill up whatever you desire! (But there’s usually no need to wait as there’s often plenty cooked up, ready for your plate.)

L to R: Nickyta Ray (Assistant Features Editor for Muscat Daily), Cem (prounced ”Jem”!!!) Dogan (Sales Manager at the Hyatt for Groups and Corporate), wifey and me – It was a great evening on Mokha Cafe outdoor terrace with great food and great company.  Just wish I had a complete group pic taken…

Buffet starts at 7pm daily, so what are you waiting for?

I love the desserts available at Mokha Cafe. (These aren’t all the desserts; I just couldn’t get them all in one pic.)

The talented Mokha Cafe chefs (L to R): Chefs Ali, Majid Chef Jayson (head chef), Harry, Zahir and Sameer

If you plan on enjoying this special monthly buffet, make sure to call ahead and make a reservation. Tel: +968-2464-1234.  You can also keep up to date with the latest pics and events from the Grand Hyatt on their facebook page: www.facebook.com/GrandHyattMuscat or their main website: www.muscat.grand.hyatt.com

Al Rafee Seafood Restaurant (Sai Seas) is an affordable place to get a decent sizzler if you’re ever in the Muttrah Souk and find yourself hungry.  It’s located between the Fish Roundabout and the entrance to Muttrah Souq.  I’ve included the entire 9-page menu in the post (mixed in with some Muttrah pics) in case folks want to see just how affordable this restaurant is.

As you can see, we don’t exactly come here for the “interior beauty of the restaurant”! We come here for good, cheap eatin’!

Lentil Soup – 1 OR!

The Chicken Lollipop appetizer is only 1.8 OR and comes with 10 pieces.  We order this on every visit!  Here’s a look at the other appetizers:

We think the sizzlers are the best items on the menu, especially at the prices they’re offered.

Prawns Sizzlers – 5 OR

And 2 of us ordered Seafood Sizzlers (5.5 OR each) Of all their sizzlers, I find seafood to be the best.

A nice view to take in as you enjoy a quick bite to eat!

I’m surprised there aren’t more restaurants in Muttrah as it’s such a popular tourist destination, especially for visitors coming off luxury cruisers at the port. Here’s an interesting write-up about this untapped tourism market on the blog, Omanly, titled “Making the Most out of Cruisers“.

This pic, just down the road from Al Rafee Restaurant in Muttrah, is of some of the cheapest hotels in Muscat for budget travellers: Mina Hotel, Corniche Hotel, Marina Hotel and Al Fanar Hotel as well as Naseem Hotel  and Muttrah Hotel which are closer to the Souk.

Our drinks were very good but we ordered them to go after our meal and had to wait forever for them to prepare them.

Just to clarify, they don’t actually serve “cocktails” here, haha! More like “mocktails” and smoothies.

Just a reminder that this is a nice place to grab a quick bite to eat if you’re already in the souk area (and looking for one of these sexy belly-dancer costumes, haha!).  We ate like kings and queens and our total bill only came to 22.9 rials.

A helpful map on the back of the menu to find this restaurant.  Tel: 2471-3933, GSM: 9580-9100

Has anyone reading this been to Al Rafee Restaurant? If so, what did you think?

Last night we went back to 360° Restaurant to celebrate a friend’s birthday and to treat another friend who flew all the way from Germany to celebrate that friend’s birthday! (That’s what I call friendship! ) Once again we had the Teppanyaki and it tasted even better than we remembered from our first visit almost 3 months ago!  As you can see in the photo above, Chef Alan had a little “pre-Valentine’s Day message” for us as he cooked!My friend asked us for directions to the restaurant but this huge sign (new since our first visit) on the building just next to the restaurant is unmistakable!                                  This is a pic of the Green-Tea Icecream we had that came with our orders of Samurai Tender Chicken (12 OR) and Surf and Turf Lobster (12 OR).  If you haven’t tried Teppanyaki at this restaurant, you really do have to give it a try!This is the outdoor coffeeshop-like area called “The Hydro Lounge“.  This is where they plan to decorate and host a special romantic candlelight dinner on Valentine’s Day with limited seats.  They mentioned that people could also order it indoors as well.

Seems like quite an impressive meal for 25 Omani rials/couple (+service charge & tax so probably just shy of 30 OR).  I already mentioned 2 decent Valentine’s Day offers yesterday and so I thought I’d post this one as well.  Why not enjoy a romantic meal and check out this relatively new restaurant on the Muscat dining scene?!  To reserve a table, call (968)2490398.

For a more complete list of Valentine’s Day specials around Muscat, check out the incredible list put together at Muscat Mutterings!

  What an honor to be invited to the launch of Shang Thai at MGM this evening! (The restaurant had a soft opening on Jan. 22nd but this was the official launch.)  My wife was very excited about heading down to Shang Thai even though we just enjoyed a fabulous Valentine’s Day menu at their Wave branch only 4 days ago!  We receive many invitations and it’s just not physically possible to attend all of them but this was one that my wife insisted that we attend. (Bend my rubber arm !)    Shang Thai now has 2 branches in Oman: this one in MGM which was moved from Al Khuwair and the other at the Wave (al Mouj).  What a warm welcome!    My wife didn’t waste any time getting right to the appetizers.  It was a pleasure meeting up with Rajiv Kohli, the Joint Director of Inspired Talents Management Consultancy and Chef Praiwan Sriplai, the Executive Chef of Shang Thai.  Rajiv was a delightful host and we were impressed that he knew about every post we have ever published on Shang Thai.  Chef Praiwan was also very charming and it was fascinating to hear about his experience working as Executive Chef in Oman overseeing both restaurants.  Would you believe they even insisted on offering my wife complimentary cooking lessons with Chef Praiwan?!  The seating on the outside patio is a nice option!  Here’s my wife sitting with the guest of honour, His Excellency Dr. Pornchai Danvivathana, Ambassador of Thailand, and his lovely wife.  We also got to meet Hassan Jaboub, the General Manager of MGM, seen here sitting next to the Ambassador.  A big thanks once again to Rajiv for introducing us and giving us the royal treatment during our evening.  A big thanks to His Excellency as well who declared us to be on his “official friends of Thailand network.”   It goes without saying, the food was fab! (2 points if you can identify the famous Omani blogger/tweeter in this pic! )  What would Shang Thai be without its chefs!?  My wife with the Thai dancers just before their Thai Cultural Dance.  This is the current promotion for “Thai Central Region Flavors” at Shang Thai which is only on till February 28th.  It’s a great excuse to check out the new location of Shang Thai in MGM while enjoying some of the best Thai food in Muscat if you haven’t been there yet.

What a lovely night!

   We had an incredible evening at the Grand Hyatt Muscat’s Indonesian Restaurant, Marjan.  It was the first day of their “Essence of Indonesia” promotion.  Marjan is located right alongside the beach at the Hyatt and also right next to the pools.  Its gorgeous location makes it one of our favorite restaurants at the Hyatt when the weather is right.  They have flown in two guest chefs especially for this promotion, Chef Sarwono and Chef Tristiano from their sister hotel, Grand Hyatt Jakarta.  Both chefs together with the Marjan culinary team will be presenting the essence of authentic Indonesian cuisine for a period of 10 days, from 20 February to 1 March. (9 days left now-don’t miss it!)  L to R: Grand Hyatt’s Director of Food and Beverages, Dirk Holscher, Chefs  Sarwono and Tristiano, and the General Manager of Grand Hyatt Muscat, Garry Friend.

Here are a few pics of the fabulous dishes we sampled:  All the salads we shared were great but the last one pictured here, Gado-gado, was definitely my favorite!  Here’s a look at the salads and soups and their prices on “The Essence of Indonesia” menu.  I can’t speak for everyone else, but I was very pleased with my choice of Sate Ayam.  Here are other main course choices as well as desserts on the second half of the menu.

  Make sure to try one of their exotic cocktails if you head down to Marjan.  No complaints about my 1st cocktail: “Marjan”!  I had a “Blue Cooler” for my 2nd cocktail.  This one was a bit strong for me and so it took quite a bit of time for me to finish it off.   This dessert, Klepon (rice glutinous dumpling), had mixed reviews at our table.  2 of the Westerners didn’t like it at all, but my Filipino wife and I enjoyed it.  I thought it’s a unique dessert worth trying out.  The black rice pudding with vanilla icecream looked interesting (5 OR).  I’m assuming it was good as I didn’t hear any complaints from “Angry in Oman” who ordered it.   The dessert I enjoyed was the deep fried banana.  The best part of it (not pictured here) was the incredibly delicious banana sauce that it came with! So good!

And as I reported in my first review on Marjan, the 2 singers/guitar players are a real highlight to any visit! 

Just a few days left of this promotion so head on down to Marjan while you can!

   The famed Tike returns to Mokha Café for the third year with three guest Chefs Nadir, Bulent and Sema. From 27 March to 4 April, guests will have the opportunity to sample authentic Turkish cuisine straight from the Tike kitchens as the guest chefs prepare delicious specialties throughout this culinary promotion. This culinary promotion sees support from Etihad Airways as the exclusive airline sponsor.  The buffet at Mokha Café is priced at RO 17.000++ per person. De Bortoli beverages are available for an additional RO 10.000 net per person and a double shot of Turkish Rake can be added to the meal package and is priced at RO 2.000 net.  Joining from Tike are Chef’s Bulent (pictured here), Nadir and Sema. Executive Chef Bulent has been with Tike since 1998 with over 35 years of experience in the culinary industry. He was one of the first chef’s to work in Tike that was opened in Greece and then moved onto Tike in Ukraine, Cyprus and Saudi Arabia. Bulent specializes in grilled BBQ fare as well as signature dishes such as Ozel Adana (mine lamb skewered kebab), Veli Nazik (chicken with yogurt and aubergine sauce) and Ali Nazik (lamb with yogurt and aubergine sauce).    Chef Nader comes from an extensive culinary background of over 30 years of experience and has previously worked in Tike Bodrum, Istanbul and currently working at Tike Jeddah.  This year Chef Sema joins the Tike team to showcase some of her culinary talent. With over 20 years of experience, Chef Sema has worked in Tike Istanbul and Bursa. She specializes in Turkish Osmani (Ottoman Saraya) as well as preparing some of the most authentic appetizers, mezze’s and salads.   “We are very excited to welcome Tike back to Grand Hyatt Muscat for the third year. We heard lots of great feedback from our guests previously and decided to bring Tike back this year again” said General Manager Garry Friend. 

For reservations or more information, visit muscat.grand@hyatt.com, call +968 2464 1234 or email muscat.dining@hyatt.com. Check the hotels Facebook page for more updates at www.facebook.com/GrandHyattMuscat.

  “4 Stagioni” is a pretty decent Italian fastfood restaurant in MGM (Muscat Grand Mall).  For those of you with Entertainer Oman 2013 coupon books, you’ll be happy to know there are 3 “main menu item” coupons for this place.  As you might expect at an Italian restaurant, they have salads, pasta, pizza and panini.  It’s hard to read the small print here: Large Pizza + Salad + 2 Drinks for 6.9 OR, Pasta + Salad + Drink  – 3.9 OR, Panini + Salad + Drink – 2.9 OR.  They also have Calzones (Vegetable or Beef for 2.9 OR) on the menu as well as Beef Lasagne (also 2.9 OR).  We decided on using the 2-for-1 coupon to get the Panini set and 1 Calzone.  The choices for Paninis include: Pollo (chicken, cheese), Vegetariano (Bell Pepper, Tomato, Mozzarello), and Tonno (Tuna, Cheese).  The wife loved her Tuna Panini and my Calzone was good, albeit a bit runny.  The Greek (or “Greka”) Salad was delicious! (1.9 OR)  “4 Stagioni first dine-in restaurant was settled in Spain in 1997 in partnership between two chefs, one Italian and one French.  Fifteen years later, they decided to settle their first Italian take-away restaurant in Muscat/Oman, to expand their concept of home-made pasta, this and crispy Italian pizzas, grilled panini sandwiches, fresh salads, and delicious Italian desserts.  All tasty and healthy dishes, the best of the Mediterranean cuisine.”  Open every day from 9am to 12am.  Muscat Grand Mall.  Tel: +968-9425-8440/9766-5137, email: quattrostagionioman@yahoo.com

Anyone else been here?  If so, what do you think?With so many expensive Italian restaurants here in Muscat, I personally feel that 4 Stagioni is a nice alternative for those of us who aren’t fussy. 

1) Wig Party 2013 on Thursday, April 18th    From the press release: “Oman’s first annual big hair party parades into Muscat on Thursday evening 18 April in the city’s Grandest hotel. Rock-up wearing a wig and you’ll be rewarded with free entry and a complimentary beverage. But don’t worry if you are without a wig – you can buy one when you arrive at the party for OMR 6. Since wigs are a little thin on the ground in Muscat, the hotel has flown-in a selection especially for party goers to choose from! No wig, no entry!  The uplifting vocal house music soundtrack, to shake your beehive to will be provided by international DJ CARL ROBERTS flying in especially for the occasion, accompanied by Tamas playing live saxophone and Ferdinand on drums and percussion.  The best wig of the party will win a free one-night weekend stay for two people at Grand Hyatt Muscat complete with buffet breakfast and late checkout. And thanks to our lovely friends at Oman United Agencies you can drink as much as you like from 7pm ‘til your wig falls off at the end of the night for just OMR 25 per person.  The main event will run from 7pm ‘til 10pm poolside on the terrace of Marjan. The after party and fun continues from 10pm in JohnBarryBar where DJ Carl Roberts will spin funky music until midnight.   To reserve a table for Wig Party please call +968 2464 1234 or email  muscat.dining@hyatt.com.  Check the hotels Facebook page for more updates https://www.facebook.com/events/125588124300184/.

2) An Evening with Matthew vanKan for all jazz lovers on Friday, April 19th    “Quintessentially British crooner Matthew vanKan’s last appearance in the Middle East was in Doha exactly two years ago. Those who attended that extravagant event will remember Matthew well – his suave good looks, velvet voice and charismatic personality charmed every person in the room that night.  Matthew is resident singer at The Savoy in London and The Grand in Brighton, two of Great Britain’s most prestigious hotels, and he has performed for a host of celebrities in the UK and overseas including Elton John and Ian McKellan.  Matthew returns to the Middle East to perform at Grand Hyatt Muscat on Friday, 19 April 2013 for an exclusive concert of upbeat jazz and swing classics, including Fly Me To The Moon, Under My Skin, The Girl From Ipanema, All Of Me and more, accompanied by his British pianist Gabriel Mantell.   Tickets are OMR 10 each including a welcome Peach Bellini drink on arrival, VIP seating OMR 20 inclusive a glass of Moet & Chandon. To ensure that everyone has a great view of Matthew on the night only 200 tickets will be sold. This event will be held at Muscat Jazz Club, also known as Copacabana. The venue will be completely transformed, from top to toe, especially for this exclusive event.  To reserve your seat for An Evening with Matthew vanKan please call +968 2464 1234 or email muscat.dining@hyatt.com, call +968 2464 1234.”

This sounds like a lot of fun. If you want a small sample of this gentleman’s voice, here’s a video from his youtube channel singing, “My Funny Valentine“:

3) Friday, April 19th is the launch of “Beverly Hills Brunch“:   “Indulge with unlimited Möet & Chandon champagne while listening to live music courtesy of international DJ accompanied by musicians for Muscat’s most lavish Friday brunch.   Enjoy a buffet of delicious appetisers, continental charcuterie, smoked salmon and fresh salads, complemented by a huge selection of main dishes prepared at live cooking stations, ranging from roasted rib eye of beef to grilled seafood and lobster.  A sumptuous choice of decadent desserts completes this feast. Attentive staff will attend to your every whim. And your children will be entertained and looked-after while you kick back and relax.  Beverly Hills Brunch with soft drinks OMR 22, Brunch with unlimited De Bortoli wines and beer for OMR 35 and brunch plus unlimited Möet & Chandon champagne OMR 49.  Children under 12 eat for free.  All prices in Omani Riyal inclusive of 17.4% service charge & tax.  You will not find a brunch like this anywhere else in Muscat. Book early to avoid disappointment.  Beverly Hills Brunch 12:30 – 15:30 every Friday at Mohka Café. For reservations please call +968 2464 1234 or email  muscat.dining@hyatt.com or visit muscat.grand.hyatt.com.  Check the hotels Facebook page for more updates facebook.com/GrandHyattMuscat.”

I normally wouldn’t post the entire press release of each event, but it’s nice to know all the details, right?! Always something exciting happening in Muscat!  Thanks for sending this, Nicole!

  I’ll post comments later tonight. I thought I should post these pics of our incredible evening at Safari Rooftop Grillhouse as soon as possible as this restaurant is scheduled to close for the summer on May 1st.  If you haven’t been to this restaurant, I highly recommend going before it gets too hot!

  I posted this image more than a week ago (along with 2 other events advertised) after it was sent to me from Grand Hyatt Muscat.  They wisely send out such promotions to those in media, including simple bloggers like myself.  I hit the reply button and asked them to book us some seats for the launch of the buffet on Friday, April 19th and I’m glad we went as it was one of the best Friday brunches we’ve ever experienced in Muscat!  I’ll let the pics do the talking!  The General Manager of Grand Hyatt Muscat, Garry Friend with guest of honor, Matthew vanKan, who performed at a sold-out concert the same evening at the Muscat Jazz Club (aka Copacabana).  If you do go for the brunch + alcohol deal, you should realize that alcohol is not served until 2pm on Fridays.  We were more than satisfied with the brunch + unlimited soft drinks for 22 rials (all inclusive).  Carl the friendly DJ! Musicians are also part of the live music offered during this special brunch.  Probably my favorite pic from the brunch! The incredible Grand Hyatt chefs take a short pause for a group pic.  Just one of several plates I enjoyed… Eat today and diet tomorrow!    Plenty of desserts!  Anyone familar with Mocha Cafe might realize from this pic that tables have been cleared away to make way for all the extra food provided in their Friday brunch!  We were very impressed with this new Friday “Beverly Hills Brunch” at Grand Hyatt Muscat! The best part was when we asked for the bill and the waitress came back to tell us that “the bill has been completely taken care of”!  WOW! What a pleasant surprise! That had to be Nicole! We were more than ready to pay 22 rials (tax and unlimited soft drinks included) each for the buffet as the food was so delicious.  I was especially impressed with the sushi, lobster and steak.  The waitress informed me that the Beverly Hills Brunch will run until May 11th and then close due to the summer heat.  I really hope that this brunch becomes a norm at the Hyatt as it really is a fantastic option for family dining on Fridays!  You’ve got 3 weeks to try this buffet out before they close shop for the summer…I’d definitely make a reservation if you’re planning on attending as they were quite busy even on the first week of this promotion. (Tel: +968-2464-1234)

   “ITALIAN MASTER CHEF SERIES AT GRAND HYATT MUSCAT -  Tuscany is set to welcome the first out of three Italian Master Chef series in May.  Grand Hyatt’s award winning signature restaurant, Tuscany is set to host a five-day Italian Master Chef series from 8 to 12 May with Exclusive Sponsorship from Qatar Airways, a world class international airline offering 5-star travel experience of exceptional quality & comfort.           Argentinean Chef de Cuisine, Francisco Canzano has extensive experience within the Hyatt brand. He started his career in Paris where he worked for the acclaimed Park Hyatt Paris Place Vendôme.  On weekends he also worked in local brassieres adding accumulative experience in French and international cuisine. His next move was to Italy at the Park Hyatt Milan, where he learned all the secrets of the Italian kitchens and continued to pursue his career with a speciality in Italian cuisine. Chef Franco then moved to the Grand Hyatt Regency in Spain and learned more about Mediterranean cuisine.  After spending years in Europe, Chef Franco made his way back to his home town Buenos Aires, where he worked at the Park Hyatt for six years as Chef de Cuisine at the main all-day dining restaurant.  Chef Franco recently moved to Doha in January, where he quickly gained popularity preparing a fantastic variety of high quality food at Rocca, Grand Hyatt Doha.  Grand Hyatt Muscat’s General Manager, Garry Friend with Chef Francisco Canzano from Grand Hyatt Muscat’s facebook page.

On the last day of the Master Chef Series, Chef Franco will host a cooking class for interested and up & coming chefs on Sunday, 12 May. The cooking class will feature unique Italian ingredients and professional cooking techniques priced at RO 18 per person. Everyone is welcome to join, cook and indulge in delicious food.

For reservations or more information, visit muscat.grand@hyatt.com, call +968 2464 1234 or email muscat.dining@hyatt.com. Check the hotels Facebook page for more updates facebook.com/GrandHyattMuscat .

If you’ve never been to Tuscanny, this is a great opportunity to check it out.  Read our review of this fine dining restaraurant from about a year and half ago.

   Yes, it’s called “i foood“.  No, that’s not a typo and I’m not sure why they’ve added that extra “o“. Maybe it stands for “O, that was a decent place” or “O, the bill’s quite low!” or “O, my! Why did we wait so long to try this place?!”  This tiny restaurant is on 18 November Street just down the road from the Sultan Center (on the same side).  I guess these digital menus make this a “digital food cafe”.  I’m not sure about their claim to be ”the Middle East’s first digital cafe” though!  (Especially since this place has only been open about 7 months.)  I guess it’s a kind of marketing gimmick as you can just as easily order from the waiter as we did!  This is the first page of the i foood menu which explains what i foood is and their “3 simple steps” of ordering: 1) Choose the dish, 2) Add ingredients, 3) Choose sauce or cooking style.  This is partly what the small restaurant looks like.  There are 4 such tables which can seat 6 people per table, making a grand seating capacity of 24.  Bread sticks and oil as you check out the menu and wait for your food. (or should I say ”foood“?! )  One of the main reasons for checking out this restaurant is that they have a page with 3 coupons for this restaurant in the 2013 Entertainer Oman.  Page 2 of the menu with Doners, “Favourites” and Frites  I really enjoyed my Mixed Doner on Pita Bread with Garlic Mayonnaise (1.9 OR).  I like how they give you extra sauce in a dish even though they already put plenty of sauce in your doner just in case you’d like more!  Page 3 of the menu containing Wraps and Grills   My wife wanted to try the i foood Platter pictured here (5.2 OR).  It’s their specialty dish and well worth a try!  We had ours with Tandoori Naan, mini yogurt and sweet chilli mayonnaise.  Needless to say, we did not finish all our food and had to take some back home with us.  Page 4 of the menu consisting of Pizzas and dishes from the Wok  (Oddly enough, we didn’t plan on ordering an item from each page of the menu, but it just worked out that way! )  Canton Noodles! Another fine choice by Mrs. Brown! Surprising that this delicious dish cost only 800 baizas!!! (500 for the noodles themselves and 300 for oyster sauce added)   The 5th and final page of the menu containing Pastas, Salads, Desserts (not “deserts”… ) and Drinks  The Mixed Berries (2.5 OR)  pictured here was SO delicious! The menu states that “At i foood we serve everything fresh” and this was definitely true of the juice!  The Chocolate Bomb (2 OR) was a great way to end our meal!  Our total bill before coupon came to 16.352 OR for all the food listed in this blogpost + 1 small water.  After using the Entertainer Oman Coupon, the bill was only 14.224 OR. (They add 12% tax to the bill.)  Not bad at all for the feast we enjoyed!  Here are the gentlemen of i foood: Dian, Philip, Nripin, Sujan and Roni.  Great service and very helpful in describing the menu and how i foood works.  Believe it or not, 2 of these men even insisted on carrying our bags and baby stroller right to the car for us.  Talk about over-the-top service!

Have any of you been to i foood?  If so, how was your experience?  They are open 12pm-3pm and then 5pm-1am.  (New timings of 8am-3pm and 5pm-12am are coming soon.)  i foood delivers within Al Khuwair, Ghubra and up to and including the Wave. (Tel: +968-24121114)  You can check them out on facebook to see delicious pics of their food at http://www.facebook.com/ifood.muscat

  PAUL is a lovely French bakery/café/restaurant on the 1st floor of Muscat Grand Mall (MGM).  They’ve been open about a month now and so we wanted to see this restaurant that everyone seems to be talking about for ourselves.  Plenty of options for bread at the front counter  These pastries look incredible! Just look at the amount of fruit heaped on top!  I’ll have to try some of these out on a future visit.  When we went to PAUL, we were thinking lunch but we were too early and had to settle for breakfast.  There are different menus for breakfast and lunch/dinner.  As the menu states on the bottom, you can find out more about PAUL by visiting www.paul-bakeries.com or you can like them on www.facebook/PAUL1889.arabia .  Plenty of seating options at PAUL. I didn’t get a photo of it, but the front of the restaurant has a good number of tables.  This pic (just above) is of the smaller room situated between the front and the back, outdoor seating area.  Not sure how much longer sitting outdoors will be an option with summer fast approaching.  The “bacon” on the menu is veal bacon which is often used as a pork-free substitude for regular bacon.  This first page of the breakfast menu contains eggs, sandwiches and crêpes.  As with any pic on this blog, you just have to click on it to get the high resolution (and larger) image.  My wife and our guest chose the Marseillaise Omelette (3.9 OR) on our first visit to PAUL while the sister-in-law had scrambled eggs (4.2 OR).  I had the Breakfast Complete (6.9 OR).  No complaints about the food!  We all enjoyed our breakfast at PAUL.  I’m still not sure if the Bread Basket comes complimentary to each table or if it was part of the Breakfast Complete.  Large 1.5 Evian (1.7 OR), Hot Chocolate (1.8 OR).  Breakfast combo choices like “Parisien”, “Continental” or “Complete breakfast”.  Viennoiseries (meaning “things of Vienna”) is a new word for me! There were moments of reading the menu where I felt like I was back in a French class!  ”Nos pains, nos gains”, haha! They might want to consider making the menu more in English (like translating “pain” into “bread” as one quick example) to avoid what I imagine must be plenty of questions regarding translation from customers.  This was a delicious pastry or “viennoiserie” (Anglaise Apple) that I chose with my continental breakfast.  My wife thought the Red Berry Mint Juice (2.4) was sour.  As you can see, PAUL is located near the front of MGM on the first floor.  Seems that PAUL in Oman is so new that they still haven’t added Oman to the list of Middle East locations on their website!    We thought it was a decent place overall and the food was good but service could be better.  Maybe it’s because they were so busy, but service was quite slow.  Our bill came to 27.032 OR which included 2.232 OR (5% municipal and 4% tourism) tax.  We are looking forward to trying out their lunch/dinner when we get a chance.  (Tel: +968-2200-9583, +968-2200-9584)   Have any of you been to PAUL? If so, how did you find it?

   This Weekend Family Buffet at Shang Thai for 8.5 OR/person sounds like a great deal.  On Thursday evenings from 6pm to 10 pm or on Fridays from 1pm to 9pm.

  Palayok is a Filipino restaurant in Al-Khuwair behind McDonald’s and the Shell Station.  The first (and still operating) Palayok is located in Ruwi which has been doing well with the Filipino community in Muscat since the 80′s.  I can’t figure out what took us so long to finally visit this restaurant.  I guess there are just too many restaurants in Muscat and not enough time to visit them all!  :-)  Of course my Filipino wife and sister-in-law were thrilled when I suggested eating there after church on Friday. The restaurant is pretty basic inside.  I was prepared for the worst as I remembered that OmaniCuisine had put up one of his worst reviews ever for this restaurant about a year ago.  That review might have been one of the reasons it has taken me so long to visit this place…I’m glad we did manage to finally check it out for ourselves as it was a decent enough restaurant and my wife was excited with the choices of so many Filipino dishes! This is a small bowl of Seafood Bisque Soup (1.5 OR).  The small bowl was quite a large serving!  Pretty good soup.  Looks like a regular cream soup but all the good seafood bits are obviously hiding on the bottom!  Here are other soups and salads available at Palayok: As often with my restaurant reviews, I have included the majority of the menu (minus the drinks) for those who like to know exactly what is available. This was my favorite dish by far – Stir Fry Beef with Mushrooms (2.8).  This was so great to eat poured over a plate of rice!  Tita Tet really enjoyed the Zizzling Mix Sea Food (6 OR).I certainly wouldn’t have thought of ordering something called “Ginataang Tilapia with Sitaw” (2.8 OR) (or even known how to pronounce it!) but this was a decent choice by the ladies.  (Fish with coconut milk basically)  I recommend ordering up a large plate of rice (.8 OR) if you order any of these dishes, especially if you are a group of 3 or more people. Tita was happy to finally try out Palayok in Al Khuwair.  She’s been to Palayok in Ruwi but this was her first visit to the one in Al Khuwair which she said is much larger.

Overall, the family thought this was a great lunch.  For all the food we ordered pictured above plus a take-away spagetti for the kids, 2 cokes and a large water (+10% service charge), our bill came to 19.25 OR.  Not bad!  When one is limited to choices for Filipino cuisine here in Muscat, we are certainly not going to be too fussy!  Try it out for yourself and feel free to share your experience below in the comments.

Palayok in Al-Khuwair is open from 10am to midnight each day.  They cater for birthdays, weddings, baptisms, anniversaries and other functions.  For home delivery, reservation and party orders, call +968 220-244-68 or 941-182-89.  Email: palayokrestaurantoman@yahoo.com

I’ve often said that Muscat could use a Korean restaurant.  Hot Pot & Grills (in Bareeq al Shatti mall) was the closest thing that you could get to Korean food until they basically removed the whole “hot pot and grill” part of their restaurant and menu! (I hope they consider putting their menu “back to normal”…or at least change the name!)  Anyway, it turns out there is not only one place that serves Korean food, but at least 3!  The only problem is…they are not really restaurants.  They are guesthouses for serving Korean food to Korean businessmen here in the Sultanate.  If you know the right people, they can be persuaded to let you eat some authentic Korean food and boy, are we glad we know the right people!

Here’s a post our friend, Tin, put up on her blog about the Korean guesthouse restaurant.  She’s fortunate to be working with Koreans and to have so many opportunities of eating such awesome food!  Here are a few pics from our 1st meal there (and hopefully not our last!): A very simple looking place, but we weren’t there for the “ambiance” or interior decorating…we were there to enjoy some authentic Korean food! Just a few of the “panchan” (sidedishes) that they brought during our feast.   Yum yum!  Great dim sum or “Mandu” as they’d say in Korea! A lot of this food brought back some great memories from my 9 1/2 years in South Korea, like this dish of pajeon (or “Korean pancakes”). Mmmm!!!Good old Japchae!  Korean noodles made from sweet potato (당면) and mixed with vegetables (and sometimes beef).Of course no Korean meal would be complete without KIMCHI!!! They even sell Kimchi at 3 OR/kilo.It’s been far too long since I’ve enjoyed such delicious Korean beulgogi!! The kimchi-chi-gae was so good!  Memories of this delicious soup have my sister-in-law constantly asking for a return trip!    Nice to see they use a high quality Korean rice at this place.

With all the dishes you see that we enjoyed pictured above, you might be surprised to know that we only paid 5 OR/person! (Or about $12.50 US)  As this is not really a restaurant out to make a profit but a guesthouse simply there to serve Korean businessmen staying with them, the money we gave is basically enough for them to cover the cost.  If you are interested in eating at one of the Korean guesthouses, ask around if you have any Korean friends.  I’m sure they’ll know all about it!  If you don’t have any Korean friends, you can get more info from Tin’s blog, Expat in Oman. Here is a map in case you are interested in finding the Korean supermarket in Ghala.  This map was also provided by Expat-in-Oman.

Have any of you been fortunate enough to try one of the Korean guesthouse restaurants in Muscat?  If so, how was your experience?

Some of the best and cheapest eating options in Muscat are these simple shwarma coffee-shop joints that you can find just about anywhere.  There are literally hundreds around town and some are better than others.  The Golden Sheep in Ghala (near Royal Hospital – across the street from the Toyota dealership and next to Pizza Hut) is one of the greats and just happens to be one of the oldest as well.The Golden Sheep opened some 30 years ago in tribute to the opening of the Good Shepherd Hall just across the road.  That nugget of info comes from former pastor of the Protestant Church in Oman, Reverend Ray Skinner (and writer of “Christians in Oman“).                                                                          (GSC stands for “Good Shepherd Hall” and BH for “Bosch Hall)This chicken and egg soup comes complimentary with anything you order and it’s great!You can never go wrong with humos (حمّص)  and pitta to start things off! This humos and pitta is 10 times better (and cheaper) than the skimpy serving you get at Nando’s!Most of the dishes on the menu come with this small salad.My friend ordered the Half Chicken + Humos (2 OR) which he said was delicious. A plate like this for 2 OR?! You can’t beat prices like that, folks!I really enjoyed the “Golden Sheep Cocktail garnished with ice cream & dried fruits” (1.2 OR).  It’s located in the “fresh juices” section but was obviously more like a tasty dessert!So in total, 3 of us enjoyed: 1 swarma sandwich, 1 hotdog sandwich, 1 half-chicken + humos, 1 plate of humos and bread, 1 Golden Sheep cocktail, and 2 Mountain Dews for only 5.2 OR!If you’re ever in the Ghala area (near the Ghala Church), stop in and see why The Golden Sheep has now become my “go to place” in the area for a quick bite to eat!  Tel: 2459-3868. Free Home Delivery.

If you find yourself in The Dubai Mall and you’re looking for a nice quiet place to enjoy some good food, Romano’s Macaroni Grill on the 1st Floor (section G1) is a great option.Romano’s Macaroni Grill is “a casually elegant Italian restaurant serving handcrafted pastas, entrees, and a diverse wine list“. (from their website)  Obviously you can scratch off the part about a diverse wine list for the locations in the UAE!Some of the restaurants in the Dubai Mall (like Cheesecake Factory) are crowded and tables are often too close to one another.  The seating in Macaroni Grill is spacious and a nice place to unwind and get a bite to eat far from the maddening crowds. They are also located in Dubai Festival City (+971 4 232 6001). My Caesar salad  w/entree was good (21 dirhams/2.1 OR/$5 US).The Lentil Soup (19 dirhams) you see pictured here was not was I was expecting at all.  It was a decent soup, I just wasn’t expecting spaghetti in it and it was closer to a brothy Minestrone than lentil soup.This was my main course: Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Flatbread with Black Olives (with caramelized onions, truffle oil and herbs) (48 dirhams).  This was good and I took half of it with me as I couldn’t finish it all.My friend enjoyed his Chicken Scaloppine (58 dirhams) (with artichokes, mushrooms, veal pancetta, lemon butter and capellini)We were glad we decided to dine at Macaroni Grill as the quiet time away from the crowds allowed us to recharge our batteries and gave us our 2nd wind.  Just in front of the restaurant are more transparent aquarium panels which give you a unique vantage point to see the aquatic animals.

In total, our bill came to 190 dirhams for everything pictured above plus 2 blackberry iced teas.  (Tel:971 4 3308089)