Souq Waqif, a large marketplace in the center of Doha, is a popular place to spend an evening in Doha. Filled with shops, cafes, sit down restaurants, shisha spots, street vendors and general fun in the evenings, Souq Waqif is home to what must be Doha’s most beautiful restaurant – Parisa Persian Restaurant! Parisa is located on one of Souq Waqif’s main drafts. Guests enter through an arch way and are admitted inside the actual restaurant, which spans two floors, only when a table is ready. I suggest reservations in advance, as this restaurant is popular with tourists and locals.
Parisa.
A friend recommend Parisa and we decided to go last minute, meaning that did not make a reservation. We luckily got a table after waiting just a few minutes. Once inside, we were blown away by the decor. Parisa is colorful and sparkly and feels you are stepping into a luxury home. Inside are hand-painted, Persian artworks of myths and legends, intricate mosaics, ornate chandeliers and thousands of tiny mirrors that were handpicked from Iran. Its really beautiful.
The entrance to Parisa.
Parisa’s ceiling.
The elaborate dining roms.
A cute table in a little alcove.
Once seated, we were quickly brought out menus. We started with traditional Arabic tea, which was served with the cutest sugar stick. We were also served bread and a plate cheese, vegetables and olives to start the meal.
Arabic tea – I loved the plates!
Persian bread.
Vegetable plate.
We ordered mains pretty quickly, as we were very tired from our early morning departure from the Maldives. I opted for a lamb dish Khoresht Bademjan, which was lamb served in a tomato sauce with fried eggplant. It also came with a choice of rice – I went saffron. My dish was quite good, and reminded me a bit of an Indian dish (but less spicy). Dan ordered another lamb based dish that was served with two types of life, including dill rice!
Lamb with saffron and dill rice.
Khoresht Bademjan.
Saffron rice.
The food at Parisa was really great, and the setting was fantastic. The service was also fast, but we didn’t feel rushed. I recommend Parisa to anyone visiting Doha looking for a fun dinner experience.
STEAL OUR TRIP
Souq Waqif: Al Souq Street. Tel: +974 4441 1494. Open daily 1:00 PM to 10:30 PM. Reservations recommended. There is a second location at Al Messila, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa. No alcohol.