idam by alain ducasse - ادام

once again the most amazing, dinning experience. 
i came back to doha, which is now my must do transit stop on the way from australia to europe, just to experience this divine restaurant again and see if i had not been dreaming the firsttimearound…..no.. everything about idam’s is still quite simply…. perfection…. 
the exquisite food, presentation, service, setting, decor, and atmosphere are all in a class one seldom finds. combining french and arabic influences the ramadan iftar set menu selection could not be faulted but i can hardly wait to find out what their a la carte menu will be like. 
         presented with imagination and flair there are so many tempting morsels which continually surprise and delight, such unexpected combinations and flavours, each one a tribute to the creativity of the chef and then when you think you have finally come to the end of this symphony there are two unbelievable dessert trolleys ….and no one does sweet temptations like the arabs…
        it’s set in the islamic art museum so naturally it is not licensed but to accompany each course there were several light, fresh fruit juice concoctions. this was not just a meal it was a taste of heaven.

have had the pleasure of dining 3 times now at idam by alain ducasse; twice for lunch and once for a sohour last ramadan and each occasion has been a delight!
the restaurant is located in the beautiful museum of islamic art here in doha, with the fabulous interior designed by world-renowned french designer, philippe starck. guests can avail of fantastic views of the doha skyline through the floor to ceiling windows, while they dine.
the firsttimei dined at idam was to sample the ramadan sohour menu that commenced with a selection of 3 mezze; saffron cromesquis, baby leave and green samboussek, fattouche salad, rabbit and foie gras pate, summer flower and vegetable salad and french snails.
the starter consisted of delicate "harira" soup or chilled tomato "consomme" minestrone. i chose the consomme and it was was very good.
a crockpot of lightly spiced vegetables or a cumin zucchini crockpot, flower and sage followed. i chose the first option and again, it was excellent.
our mains consisted of free range chicken, coco-curry and basmati rice or roasted wild hammour with soft and crunchy egyptian rice. i had the chicken, which was perfectly cooked.
a plate-cleanser of poached peach with redcurrant granite or roasted apricots and iran pistachio followed and then our dessert of date souffle with laban sorbet (which was fantastic and a stand-out dish for me!). idam always follows their meals by offering guests a great selection of chocolates, meringues and other sweets (and arabic pastries in ramadan) and offers a great selection of fresh juices and mocktails.
on my second visit to idam, i had lunch there, which consisted of: mrouzia lamb risolles, winter white vegetable and black truffle salad, marinated bonite fish from the arabian gulf with lemon gold caviar, kabssa free range chicken with cereals and lemon and soft, crunchy and iced iranian pistachio to finish. again, it was a great experience.
on my last visit, we partook in a healthy lunch as part of a healthy eating initiative at qiff 2016. chef alain ducasse was in attendance too, which made the meal even more special. we started with chickpeas and lentils in harira vinegrette, vegetable and flower salad with a black truffle condiment, marinated wild red prawns with gold caviar, crockpot of tiny spelt, seasonal vegetables and herb pesto and roasted and confit citrus. the meal was very light, fresh and tasty (and healthy!).
in summary, the food at idam is always innovative, fresh and extremely tasty. staff are very well trained and knowledgeable and the location is fantastic. prices are high, but the food is of extremely high quality. they do, however, offer a 3 course business lunch on wed, thurs and sat from 12.30-3pm for qr 200, which would be a great way to check out this great restaurant, but not break the bank.

absolutely fantastic experience everytimei go to this place. great service, 2 star michelin level food, pleasant environment. and affordable prices compared to same level restaurants abroad.

i had the pleasure to dine a secondtimein idam, thistimeduring ramadan. the restaurant itself is very beautiful veyr relaxing and luxury ambiance with amazing views of westbay. the food as always was excellent and very special. each dish is presented differently in fancy plates. the best part was definitely the dessert trolley, so many choices, all very delicious especially the signature chocolate dessert that looks like the top of the museum. the non alcoholic drinks were perfectly matched with each course and presented in beautiful glasses. the staff was very attentive and friendly making sure all our wishes are fulfilled. the waiter pay attention to every little detail.  another definite highlight is the visit to the kitchen. a special nice touch that you get to meet the chefs who are creating these great dishes.
another nice touch is the valet parking who leaves a bottle of water in your car for the journey home.
it was a wonderful evening and i definitely recommend everybody to go and try it for themselves.

this is by far and large the best dining experience i've ever had in doha, and that includes dining in the recently closed qusine by guy savoy. alain duccasse truely did this region justice with his artful use of fresh local ingredients in truly explosive ways! now, i've been eating almost everything on the menu since i was a kid (yes, that also includes camel meat which is usually served for special occasions such as weddings and eid in our culture), and even with that it was definitely a spectacular journey to my palette.

a few notes:
- this place is crazy expensive even compared to other fine dining venues around the world, better save up for a special occasion.

- i remember i came here for a friend's birthday once and i took my family out here when i graduated. both times i got the experience menu which was 700+qr each and both times i was not disappointed!

- did i mention i spotted football legend raul dining here with his wife once?

- sometimes they have live music which was a wonderful addition to an already spectacular venue (the i.m. pei designed museum of islamic art is also my favorite building in qatar)

- make sure you reserve your table in advance. they will receive you like royalty from the moment you hop off your car right by the museum's door until the (surprise which i won't spoil) at the end.

- get the camel! even if you think it would taste strange and you want to play it safe. i assure you it's the star of the restaurant and you will not be disappointed! also get alain's signature cookpot!

- they don't serve alcohol. but wait! while i know many many many expats would consider this a deal breaker i've actually heard from a couple of my alcohol drinking colleagues that they were not disappointed with the creative ways in which this challenge pushed alain to create some of the finest drinks they've had!

my one (and only) criticism of this place is that at times it can be quite empty. onetimewe were actually the only table at the whole restaurant! felt like we rented the whole place to ourselves. but that is understandable due to the nature of this restaurant and their prices.

lastly, they do have a reasonably priced lunch menu but i haven't tried it yet so i won't comment on that.

do note that the whole museum is closed on tuesdays and some holidays, so again, do book before you go! (tel: 44224488)

i adore this restaurant❤️ .... starting with the staff which they are very welcoming, presentable and knowledgeable about what they are serving. the decor it's definitely reflect qatar and the elegant islamic art. the food is delicious but the most i like in this restaurant is their drinks🍸! it's unforgettable taste. normally i don't eat and drink in the sametimebut i couldn't resist the flavours they have. i will go anytime just to enjoy another drink and relax. if you are looking for unique taste then you should visit idam 😉👍🏻.

firsttimeto dine here, it is truly a five star dinning experience in all senses from food, atmosphere and service..you will not be disappointed