With so many Arabic eateries and shisha cafés dominating Souk Waqif’s ‘eat street’, the opening of a glossy new Italian restaurant, Cinque Sensi, (which means ‘five senses’ in Italian) may have furrowed some brows. Certainly, the place wasn’t packed when Time Out Doha wandered in – but couples should try it out as it’s very romantic, with sheer white curtains draping to the floor and formal tables garnished by a single red rose. Not being on a romantic date, we escaped to one of the tables on the terrace outside.

The waiters seemed friendly enough, and we had two serving us thanks to the lack of business. We chose an asparagus starter; the crunchy green stalks served in a tempura-like crust of cheese, daintily arranged with boiled egg and salad. Mains on the menu sounded interesting and modern, revolving around pasta, seafood and Mediterranean salads – but the shrimp ravioli, despite being fairly tasty, was on the wrong side of al dente. Another seafood dish, however, was delicious – the chunky prawns served on a bed of caramelised onions showed off the quality of seafood in Qatar.

As for desserts, we were eager to try the nougat gelato (which came in an epically proportioned slab of three thick slices), but were disappointed with its overtly creamy taste. As to be expected with any start-up restaurant, there will always be a few creases to iron out. It’s worth keeping an eye on Cinque Sensi, though, especially because, according to the manager, a new menu will soon be launched, featuring pizza by the metre – just how it’s served in Italy.