Before the Pearl came to town, and before there was a Katara, La Maison Du Caviar was my favourite restaurant in the city. It was the first place I dared brave several dishes that are now staples in my eating-out repertoire, some of them much to the chagrin of my mother (I’m looking at you, foie gras). It was where I went for a night out with friends, and the first posh restaurant I went to in Doha where I didn’t feel like I should sit on my hands lest I break something – red velvet and paper tableclothes will do that. And then options started opening, I started trying old standby restaurants and different kinds of food, and somewhere La Maison Du Caviar got left behind.

So when I heard the chefs had changed the menu, completely revamping their offerings, I was intrigued. What, no more duck margret served pink? No more pan-seared foie gras? No more French onion soup? Say it’s not so! But we went along anyway one night, to see if perhaps, maybe, my old favourite restaurant could become my new favourite again.

I’m pleased to see when we arrive the restaurant is still rocking one of the reasons it fast became a favourite, back when it first opened – the very reasonable prices for funky French cuisine. It’s still not what I’d call cheap, but it still possesses that flair that made me love it back in the day – it’s still, at least based on prices alone, a good choice for a date where you’re not sure who’s going to be paying, or know the full financial status of the person with the credit card. And the servers are still as fawningly attentive when your mouth is full, and as absent when you want something as they always were – but we’re going to let that go as they’re aiming for authentic French, and being snubbed by your waiter is a rite of passage in France, isn’t it? Once we have their attention, however, they are brilliant.

But that’s where the similarities end. There is still caviar on the menu, but many of the old standbys are gone. A little disappointed, I try to capture the past and order the new foie gras. This was the place where I decided that despite the horrific way it was made and the absolute havoc something that is literally pure fat wreaks on my belt buckle, I was going to love foie gras.

This one comes served looking a bit like the egg in toast my grandma used to make – a thick piece of bread with the centre chopped out, replaced by a circle of foie gras, with a layer of mango chutney for dipping. Ominous. Despite the odd presentation, the foie gras is still meltingly good, although I do wish there was more toast and less soggy bread to smear it on. The same goes for my dining companion’s appetiser – a chicken caesar salad with sundried tomatoes. Although we’re both delighted to have discovered a new taste sensation (caesar plus sundried tomatoes equals winning), it’s all a little overwrought – just a ‘look at me being so different and edgy’ feel to it all. Frankly, I don’t want my salad trying to sit at the cool kids’ table in the lunchroom.

Next up is mains, and again, major changes at La Maison. Instead of the old slate of French favourites, this one seems focused on meat, particularly of the red variety. My friend opts for a ‘rack hung’ steak, and I go for the Wagyu. Again, we’re pleasantly surprised by the reasonable prices. When the dishes arrive they are perfectly fine, but not the best steaks we’ve ever had. The onion sauce my friend opted for is overpoweringly salty, and the meat, while tender and tasty, isn’t quite up to the stiff meat competition in Doha. Similarly, my Wagyu is good, but I’ve had better. It’s served already cut into bite-sized slices, which makes me feel almost like a toddler. But where dinner doesn’t disappoint is the sides; we go for the truffle mashed potatoes, which are amazing. Studded with truffles, they are delicious, if slightly lumpy.

For dessert we try the chocolate fondant and a tart involving bananas and avocado. While the fondant is nothing special, and could use a dash of salt, the tart is a revelation, sweet and savoury at the same time with a gorgeous texture, proving that the new menu can still make me crave things I previously refused to eat.

Overall, La Maison Du Caviar is still decent value for money, but it feels like it’s just trying too hard. It needs to relax, and remember that anyone who doesn’t like it for itself isn’t a friend worth having. Oh, and bring back my duck margret.

The bill (for two)
1x Foie gras terrine QR119
1x Chicken caesar QR45
1x Wagyu steak QR124
1x Onglet de boeuf QR119
1x Sable tart QR42
1x Chocolate fondant QR51
1x Cappuccino QR30
1x Cafe latte QR30
2x Badoit QR70
Total (incl charges) QR630