When envisioning a new restaurant, experts say you should focus on a few key concepts such as
thinking like a guest and creating an experience that is beyond expectation.
Nestled at the lip of a quaint yacht marina in a manmade island oasis in Qatar is a restaurant
that can only be described as a tribute to days past.
Intricate Arab and Andalucían motifs traverse the venue which is a bigger than life ode to the
Arabian Middle Ages and true to its name, Yasmine Palace, the restaurant beckons visitors with
the soft scent of jasmine wafting throughout.
The concept, developed by a London-based luxury design firm, took two years to research and
design and the result is an enchanting journey served on a big plater of mixed architecture.
“We wanted to create a sensory experience that goes with a proposed menu of middle eastern
culinary fusion. It couldn’t be just about the food, or just about the interiors. It had to be about
having a grand time, feeling spoiled, and feeling like you are actually dining in a palace where
the walls whisper soft tales and the food interjects courteously every so often to let you take in
the grandiosity of it all,” the firm’s executive director, says, conspicuously being very keen to
stay inconspicuous in the daily operations.
“There are inspirations from all over. Some from personal history, some from travels, some just
from lesser-known parts of history. The walls have stories to tell, if you just ask,” he said.
Sprawling across two floors, with everything including a kids play area, dedicated childcare staff
and a special kids menu, this palace is designed to let the adults relish their experience. The
menu offered to the adults is extensive and covers a whole swathe of the middle east with one
stroke and some long-forgotten interpretations of Andalusia.
And it makes sense. The food is designed for the venue. And nothing says it better than the
quaint murmuring water fountain situated in the heart of the restaurant, or the imposing glass-
sheltered dining patio that overlooks the country’s biggest private yacht marina.
It’s quite the experience and, positively, a destination worth visiting, according to Tripadvisor
who named Yasmine Palace on its 2021 Travelers’ Choice list of top destinations. The
management is so confident they can please every customer that they even offer a virtual trip
to Qatar to see the restaurant. Check it out here

Photo captions

 Private rooms on the upper level Sherfa (balcony in Arabic) are discreet and opulent
 The view from the patio is sumptuous
 No visit is complete without a trip to the washrooms – we never expected to say that!