Arsan Café, the former Al Ruwais Old Police Station, is turning out to be an increasingly popular destination for residents and travellers seeking to visit the north of Qatar.
Located 110kms Msheireb Downtown Doha and in front of the Ruwais beach area, the café, also listed as a heritage site under Qatar Museums, offers a respite for those who want to spend the weekend with friends and families.
Arsan was opened in 2019 and its name was inspired by horses, meaning “a bridle, which is a strap or rope that riders use to guide and control the horse”, Arsan Café owner Shaikha Alsada told Gulf Times.
“It is a wonderful feeling that the residents of Qatar come to us in the city of Ruwais to try the café and to know the place. I am very proud of this thing,” she said.
She noted the weekend, particularly every Friday, serves as a peak period where many customers from various parts of the country visit the place, including residents of Ruwais and nearby areas.
What makes Arsan unique is the high quality of the speciality coffee beans and the desserts that it serves are made by Qatari chefs, according to Alsada.
“Also, what makes it unique is that you can drink your coffee while admiring the beauty of nature,” she said, adding that ‘Mango Pina colada’ is their bestselling drink this season.
Apart from Americano, cappuccino, espresso, Cortado, and Flat White, Arsan’s other offerings include Mojito iced tea, Raspberry milkshake, Mango passionfruit, and Blue Ocean while coffee drinks include V60, Chemex, Spanish latte, Saffron latte, Rose latte, and Vanilla latte, among others.
While the café serves an array of sweets, she said some items may not be included in the menu since they often change them according to the day.
As the peak season – from November to February – is fast approaching, Alsada noted that they plan to put up private sitting areas, and a new menu is also in the pipeline.
She is also mulls opening a Facebook page and creating a website for Arsan to further promote the café.
Alsada said she hopes the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic will end soon “so we can work on our plans”.
Arsan has been allowed to reopen by Qatari authorities on July 1 and continues to welcome customers with all the precautionary measures in place to ensure the safety of both staff and visitors, she added.
“We have placed a visitor guide poster for Covid-19 instructions, and we always make sure to do periodical (Covid-19) tests on our employees,” Alsada said.
