Local, global cuisines attract people to QIFF

The Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF) 2018 continues to attract a large number of residents and visitors with its myriad local, regional and international dishes, as well as delicacies, sweets and drinks, offered by more than 170 participants at the Hotel Park.
The 11-day culinary event, which will run until March 25, hosts several food stalls, food trucks and coffee stands, including 16 from hotels, nine embassies in Doha, and Qatar Foundation’s Torba Farmers Market.
Among the popular and ‘in-demand’ cuisines include those from Thailand, from the famous sticky rice with mango and Pad Thai (chicken and seafood) to beef with oyster sauce and chicken with sweet sour sauce.
“This is 100% authentic and delicious Thai food cooked and prepared by Thai nationals like us,” said an employee of a Thai restaurant participating at the festival.
Turkish kebabs and shawarma, as well as Indian biryani, samosa, pani puri and Bombay frankies, are also a big hit among different nationalities.
Italian cuisine also satisfies visitors’ taste buds with pasta and pizza, served by renowned restaurants and hotels in Doha.
A number of stalls are serving Chinese food such as sea food fried noodles, cold noodles and prawn with salt and pepper, among other dishes.
Meanwhile, American burgers, chicken sandwiches and Mexican food (tacos in particular) are also favourites at the festival.
Some Asian cuisines such Japanese and those from the Philippines satisfy Asian nationals’ (mostly Filipinos’) cravings for sushi and sashimi, turon, kuchinta, puto, and various dishes cooked with chicken and beef.
Festival-goers’ culinary journey will not be complete without trying a wide variety of sweets like banana and chocolate crepes, cheese cakes, Turkish ice cream, and Sheraton Doha’s famous Umm Ali, which has its own story to tell.
QIFF’s Coffee Zone is also attracting a large number of visitors every day since day one, offering various kinds of hot and cold drinks – with caffeine and decaffeinated, mild and strong, Arabica and Brazilian coffee beans, among others.
Two baristas from Black Dose coffee (a Qatari start up business), Jay Buan and Jovan Lantion, said they have been very busy in the past week serving hundreds, if not, thousands of coffee lovers at the festival.
“There is a huge demand for coffee in the region, especially here in Qatar. Coffee’s aroma is really appealing to almost all nationalities,” said Buan, who also worked as a barista in other GCC countries.