The Top 5 Places to visit for Chocolate in Doha!

By: Rachel Charlie

Many nations seem to have a fondness for sugary snacks and it seems that the Middle East is no exception. I discovered recently that the English word Sugar actually derives from the Arabic word Sukkar. The English word Candy also comes from the Arabic Quandi
I have put together a list of the top 5 places in Doha to visit for the best chocolate treats! The five were chosen with regard to pricing, location and most importantly the quality and taste of the goods offered…It was a difficult job but someone had to do it!

1. Maya La Chocolaterie, Landmark Mall and Villagio Mall, Doha
   
   
   
   So soothing! Maya's Speciality Hot Chocolate Pot, Landmark Mall, Doha.
   
   
   The first thing that you notice when you walk in to Maya is the sweet chocolaty smell of good times. Secondly you notice the industrial sized “chocolate filled” tubes that connect large drums of swirling chocolate to the back of the service counter.
   
   At the risk of upsetting some of my younger readers, and the naïve, I must tell you that the chocolate tubes at Maya are not really filled with liquid chocolate - Sorry! However the chocolate that you see churning around in the drums is real and it gets replenished a few times each year.
   
   There is plenty of fun to be had at La Chocolaterie with the various drinks, fondues and dipping options available. I love the speciality hot chocolate which is served in Maya’s distinctive, round, candle lit pot. The milk and chocolate drops come separately and you mix them to taste in pot’s well of warm milk. You then use the small silver spoon-straw provided to drink the delicious mixture.
   
   The chocolate drops need to be added to the milk quickly because the quality of the chocolate is such that everyone at your table will be tempted to eat the little drops as they are, leaving you with a less than exciting well of warm milk. Maya’s chocolate is deliciously rich, the fondue is heavenly and real chocolate connoisseurs appreciate the quality and depth of flavour in the goods here.



2. Alison Nelson’s Chocolate Bar, The Pearl, Doha
   
   
   
   American style Chocolate Brownie at Alison Nelson's Chocolate Box, The Pearl, Doha
   
   
   The Chocolate Bar café is a bright and breezy American import, situated on the harbour side of Porto Arabia at the Pearl in Doha. This place offers an impressive array of merchandise and the interior is stylish in a modernist sort of a way. The Chocolate Bar offers an appealing, affordably priced breakfast and lunch menu but best of all are the uber chocolaty, ice cold shakes and sumptuous desserts that they serve. The home-made slightly salted chocolate brownie and ice cream is a must eat! This dessert is big enough to share but good enough that you won’t want to!
   
   One good thing about eating out at the Pearl is that you can have a long walk around the harbour afterwards. I find that this helps to lessen the guilt of my indulgency.



3. Red Velvet Cupcakery, Katara Cultural Village, Doha
   
   
   
   Sci-Fi sweet! Red Velvet Cupcakery Interior, Katara Cultural Village, Doha.
   
   
   The interior of the Red Velvet Cupcakery is best described as a cross between Tim Burton’s, Charlie and the Chocolate factory and Stanley Kubrick’s, 2001 a space odyssey.
   
   Most visitors, including myself are lured in by the cute cupcake shaped arm chairs outside the establishment, but those in the know come for the delicious and sumptuous Cupcakes on offer. Red Velvet offers a whole host of flavours from Peanut butter to Lemon and back again but personally I’m interested in the cupcakes which feature the world renowned Valrhona chocolate from France.
   
   The devil’s food cupcake is undoubtedly the chocolatiest of them all, the sponge is fine and moist and the bittersweet chocolate ganache topped with gold leaf is intense! The Southern belle and Black velvet creations are two other cupcakes which make for a lighter yet just as delicious chocolate experience at this eatery.



4. Jeff de Bruges, Lagoona Mall and Almana Towers, Doha
   
   
   
   Jeff de Bruges Chocolate Hands Poster, Lagoona Mall, Doha.
   
   
   This chain of Belgian chocolate stores was founded by a Frenchman named Philippe Jambon. The range reportedly has all the quality of great Belgian chocolate with an added twist of French chic but to be honest what most people seem to be enamoured with is the taste! These chocolates are creamy, rich and definitely luxurious. Top favourites include the Sevillana- a blend of Dark chocolate ganache with candied orange pieces and the Jeff- an old fashioned soft caramel. (Caramel was invented by the Arabs!)
   
   Apparently the Cornet style chocolates are the best seller at Jeff de Bruges in Doha, they come beautifully foil wrapped and are seriously rich! The fortunate thing about these chocolates, depending on your point of view, is that a good sized bag of them is priced just high enough to make them a monthly rather than daily treat.



5. La Cigale Hotel, C Ring Road, Doha
   
   
   
   Beautiful delicatessen Chocolates at La Cigale Hotel, Doha.
   
   
   La Cigale Hotel is set on the C-Ring road in Doha. It is home to a number of high class bars and restaurants and it has an attractive and stylish outdoor seating area set just off the main road. Chocoholics are truly spoilt by the number of amazing chocolate sweets available here. The delicatessen style counters on the ground floor host row upon row of beautifully hand crafted deserts and patisseries, ice creams and fresh chocolates to eat in or take away. The Tiramisu is perfect and the Toblerone ice cream should be experienced by all fans of the famous triangular Swiss chocolate; at 14QR it really is a great scoop!
   
   The quality of the goods at La Cigale is certainly fine and the small touches make all the difference.

I hope that you have enjoyed this list and that it will help you to seek out some Chocolate revelry in Doha for yourself!
Obviously there are plenty of great places in Qatar that chocolate lovers enjoy but detailing more than five places might have become a little sickly. If you have your own favourites please let me know…