Al Admadiyah Iraqi Restaurant at Souq Waqif, Doha Qatar

    At Souq Waqif

The most famous Souq or market in Doha is the Souq Waqif, it is by the promenade and just opposite the Islamic Religious Center of Doha. As Qatar was once an English colony, and was once poor, it pays homage to its colonial past by putting up a Pearl structure at the start of the Corniche or old fort.  See below.

Currently it exports a large amount of Natural Gas (or LNG) worldwide and the GDP per capita income, Qatar is the highest in the world, meaning, that the gross domestic product per citizen is an astounding US$ 98,000 per citizen or how much it makes per citizen is equivalent to US$ 98,000.  

  

                       Downtown Doha (Banks mainly) with gleaming shiny Buildings 

There are only about 0.5 million Qataris in the kingdom of Qatar. Ruled by an emir or king and his prince. The remainder of the 3 million population are made up of foreign workers and expatriates. There is a developed 'downtown' of banks with Islamic banking at the forefront. Industry is centered mainly in the traditional Oil and Gas, Liquified Natural Gas, and now Sports Medicine.

2 years ago, Qatar secured a coup in the sporting world by winning the bid for the 2022 World Cup. Hence at least 24 world class teams and their supporters will come to this modern kingdom in the desert and watch the only winter time World Cup held in December of 2022. 

The Restaurant is at one end of the Souq. Watch out for the flies while dining outside though

The Souq Waqif is meant for the tourists like myself. After 2 days of work at the Aspire Hospital, I had some time to myself and ventured to walk and look for souvenirs and knick-knacks to bring back home. My stomach was rumbling and I decided to try something I had never eaten before. Iraqi food. Boy I was so pleasantly surprised. I ordered the lamb Kulwa which is something very much to our Mutton Briyani back home. The lamb is grilled on a stainless steel stake over a coalpit and the end product of the lamb with 3 types of Basmati rice was served to me.

Iraqi Tea 

Best Tasting Lamb Kulwa I have eaten 

I took one bite of the lamb and was in Briyani heaven. The meat was tender, practically falling off the bone, and 'sweet'. After removing the fat, I thoroughly enjoyed the meal served with some dalcha or vegetable soup and topped off with some Naan like Leaventhine bread.

The tea to top off the lunch was also something else, the Swedish couple at the next table were exclaiming it was the best tasting tea they had tasted, and coming from Sweden, I think they do not know their teas !

However, the tea was exceptional, strong to the taste with cinnamon flavour and sugarred accordingly.

This meal will go down as the best meal in the Middle East for me since I have bee coming to Qatar since 2016 !