16 Broccoli and seafood soup at Porcini: The official name of this soup is long and Italian, but you don’t have to parla Italiano to enjoy it. Fresh prawn, sea scallop and fasolari clam swim in a briny soup of broccoli, shallots and garlic. Light and refreshing, it tastes like a seaside garden.
Ritz-Carlton Doha (484 8000).

17 Lobster Thermidor at Fish Market: This isn’t a dish, it’s a time warp – a taste from an bygone era of French cuisine classique that’s all but disappeared from contemporary restaurants in the Western world. Sinfully rich and loaded with butter and cream, this is luxury that will take your breath away — literally, if you have a heart condition. The original version predates the 1900s, evolved slightly, and survives Doha.
InterContinental Hotel (484 4444).

18 Country squab at La Mer: The competitors’ Lobster Thermidor is old school as it gets, but this appetiser from La Mer is positively nouvelle. Four morsels of prettiness dot the plate, combining light, delicate French technique with the Asian flavours of pickled red cabbage, shiitake, sweet soy glaze and a touch of green chilli.
Ritz-Carlton Doha (484 8000).

19 Fish and chips at Spike’s Lounge: The chips are middling, but the fish more than absolves that sin. The batter crackles with crispness and the meat inside is delightfully soft, moist and flaky.
Doha Golf Club (496 0777).

20 South Indian thali plate at Barath Vegetarian Restaurant: Northern Indian food gets all the attention, leaving its southern counterpart criminally overlooked. This thali gives you nine little bursts of South Indian flavour, plus rice and a pappad. The curries are thinner, lighter and hotter than those of the north and are spiced differently too. Order a flaky Kerala parota to go with it.
Airport Road (443 2211).

21 Sautéed mussels at Rocca: These mussels are so soft they practically evaporate into the velvety, garlicky sauce. You’ll probably melt into your chair after a bite, so thankfully there’s a gentle kick of hot chilli waiting in the finish.
Grand Hyatt Hotel Doha (435 1234).

22 Muhamara at Al Tawash: Take a departure from the ubiquitous hummus with this nutty, tart and sweet mezze. Pomegranate and walnut just work so darned well together.
Souq Waqif (443 3693).

23 Angus filet mignon at Restaurant 29: The starting point to any good dish is having good ingredients. Restaurant 29’s filet is textbook tender and juicy, and sandwiched between fried onions on top and garlic mashed potatoes and Portobello mushroom underneath. It’s a thick baseball cut, so consider asking for a longer cook time unless you like the centre bloody.
Beverley Hills Tower, West Bay (412 2500).

24 Umm Ali at Al Liwan: Umm Ali is literally translated as ‘Ali’s mother’. She must have been fine cook, because the bread pudding dessert named after her is heavenly. Al Liwan’s take on the dish is drowning in rich, buttery goodness.
Sharq Village (425 6666).

25 Felchlin Swiss chocolate at Biscotti: Felchlin, a low-volume, specialty chocolatier from Switzerland makes some of the world’s finest and rarest chocolates from single-source cocoa harvesters. The Venezuelan-sourced Grand Cru Maracaibo Clasificado 65 per cent bars are fruity and outrageously smooth. Try the bars on their own before moving onto Biscotti’s chocolate pastries, which feature it.
Grand Hyatt Hotel Doha (435 1234).