OPA! LET’S GO GREEK…

While making her travel list for 2020, FACT’s Anushay Taimur Khan found herself craving for authentic Greek cuisine and, naturally, headed down to Santorini at JW Marriott Marquis City Centre Doha for a delicious fix…

Aflight up to the first floor of JW Marriott Marquis City Centre Doha landed me in a part of Greece that I have been dreaming of for a while now. A picturesque Santorini welcomed me with a wall depicting those cherry trees and blue windows that are so synonymous with the destination. The entire restaurant was a reflection of all those Instagram pictures I have been clicking on lately. The room gave the vibe of a part of the island that everyone is bound to fall in love with. Colourful paintings mounted on the wall, the iconic blue and white buildings in every nook and corner, and, of course, food that I was looking forward to – my palate was indeed ready for this trip!

JW Marriott Marquis City Centre Doha has its reputation for spoiling their guests rotten so when the tray of cold mezze came up, I knew I was in trouble. I was going to get the best in the lot but I needed to keep the focus on the entire meal that was going to be served. So, I chose a few classic Greek dishes; the htapodi, garides saganaki and tzatziki won the game for me as I dove into the pan-fried prawns and munched on the grilled octopus, dipped in fresh pita bread – a favourite for our table! The highlight would have to be the galatoboureko, a sinfully divine version of the thyme honey drizzled fresh and thick Greek yogurt.

If you had to pick one dish, I’d advise you to go for the grilled Mediterranean Sea bass which oozed with flavour, accompanied by the perfect mashed potatoes and vegetables on the side. Even with the souvlaki on the table, which is a favourite for me since it is a lot like Arabic cuisine, the grilled meat had nothing on the sea bass. The grilled skin with the soft meat of the fish was simply exquisite – ah, the joy of discovering the finest cuisine!

A cute little place that is an absolute must try, Santorini is an authentic concept and place in Doha that is bound to steal your heart. And just like the Greeks do, every dish will leave your taste buds blown away by fresh Mediterranean magic. ✤