Last Friday, on Valentine’s Day, we visited the Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF) at Hotel Park near the Sheraton Hotel. It’s an annual event showcasing food from various countries. This year, we noticed a larger participation of both existing and new restaurants in Doha.
One thing that caught my attention was the ice cream that seemed to be a favorite among many attendees: vanilla ice cream filled with pistachio nuts on a cone. We were lucky to find a great spot next to the ice cream stall, right by the magnificent Sheraton Hotel, one of Doha’s oldest hotels.
Instead of diving straight for the ice cream, we started by sampling various foods. As starters, we tried doner and steak sandwiches with fries. Antonio, our kiddo, couldn’t resist his favorite fries. Overall, there was a wide variety of food selections. While waiting for the much-awaited fireworks, we enjoyed sipping on Saint coffee. I’m not sure what they added to their coffee, but it had a unique and soothing flavor that I really enjoyed.
Finally, we decided to try the ice cream that everyone around us was raving about: Bachir, a Lebanese Ice Cream. We even had a chance to chat briefly with the person behind Bachir, who proudly shared that it was established in 1936, a family-owned business well-known in Lebanon. The gentleman we met happens to be the great-grandson of the founder.
We opted for the Cornet Achta with Pistachio. Curious about “Achta,” I looked it up online and found that it’s traditionally made with lightly sweetened full-fat milk and lemon juice, simmered until thick, often infused with orange blossom and rose water. Whether it was the pistachio or the Achta that gave off a jasmine-like scent, we loved its mildly sweet taste and the richness of the pistachios – a definite winner for us.
Although Bachir isn’t open yet in Doha, the gentleman we spoke with mentioned that their first store will be opening soon. We’ll definitely be looking forward to that!
