All pictures by Abdul Basit / The Peninsula
Hidden Gems is an effort to unearth affordable restaurants in Qatar, which are known for their food.
A flavoursome fish with right amount of spices is what a restaurant in Doha has been dishing out for foodies for decades. Serving some real authentic Pakistani food, Shaheen Restaurant is almost 50 years old and is nested in the heart of Doha at Umm Ghuwailina and has opened a branch recently in Msheireb.
The restaurant was originally based at Al Asmakh before shifting to the current location behind Jarir Bookstore at Jaidah Square in Umm Ghuwailina.
The Umm Ghuwailina branch is small with friendly and welcoming staff and might not be ideal setup for a family dine out but is perfect for takeaway. Finding parking is a fight due to all the construction happening around it, but a lucky few tend to find one right opposite the restaurant.
We decided to order take-away recently from the Umm Ghuwailina branch to try their two signature dishes – fried fish and minced kebab.
The fried fish, made with Hamour - favourite fish of Qatar, marinated in traditional spices and bursting with flavours, is priced at QR14 per plate or QR75 per kg. It is as fresh as possible as they fry the fish only after the order is placed. And so, expect a longer wait time once order is placed.
With a crispy outside, fleshy inside and lots of flavours packed in, the fried fish can give competition to any fish and chips around Qatar.
Minced Kebab, also known as Seekh Kebab, is another most recommended dish to try at Shaheen and it costs only QR2 for a stick. One bite and you will become a fan as it is tender, full of flavour - not just spices the meat also stand out in this delicate dish. Along with this they also offer a special tamarind sauce, which overall enhances the taste of the kebab.
We also got some nice freshly made naan, freshly made in a tandoor.
The menu options are decent and the dishes are excellent value for money as portion sizes are generous. They have a very basic menu, more like a rate card, and food prices range from a minimum of QR2 for kebab to a maximum of QR75 for a KG of fried fish.
Other dishes available there are paya, biryani, dal makhni and kheer (rice pudding), which is another must-try if you have a sweet tooth.
The other branch in Msheireb known as New Shaheen is a bigger restaurant, serves a full menu, and has seating arrangements for families. Though we didn’t get an opportunity to try out their offerings, online reviews are quite positive.
