There is a delicious little restaurant here in MQ that I've come to realize most people do not know about. The restaurant is Asmahan, and it is a shame that more people don't know about it. Asmahan serves a variety of food with the focus being Arabic cuisine.
People will make reference to "the restaurant by al Fair." This is Asmahan. It is in MQ, my little corner of Muscat. It is tucked back near al Fair and the mosque. It is situated on a little triangle of land near the Tanzanian Embassy. In true Oman fashion, they don't have a website, but they do have a
Facebook page.
The outside entrance gives you a hint to the colorful and quirky interior. They have unique, caged lights hanging from the ceiling. They have walls of keys, candles, and Omani doors. They have a wall dedicated to framed old movie posters. And they have some large portraits that I do hope are painted by local artists. They have the cutest chairs. I would love to acquire 4 to take back to the States.
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| Entrance to Asmahan |
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| Lovely back of a chair |
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| An inside view... Notice the lights, tables, and chairs |
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| A close up shot of a booth |
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| The wall of framed movie posters |
Their food is delicious and reasonably priced. We typically order the mixed grill plus a salad for 2 adults. It is a plenty of food! Maybe too much for some people. Our boys usually opt for a pepperoni pizza to share. The meal starts with a selection of breads brought to the table. I'm not sure how my boys have room for their pizza after they gorge on the bread. The mixed grill comes with 4 kebabs (I think), a lamb chop, rice or french fries, hummus, garlic paste, a couple of grilled veggies, and an item we call an Arabic quesadilla. We keep forgetting when we take others that we want to try the shwarma platter. Maybe some day...
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| This is the goat cheese and strawberry salad. I love it, and I'm always a little sad to share it. Think "Joey doesn't share food!" |
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| Just some of our typical spread of food. The salads are gone, the bread is practically gone, and the pizza is half eaten. |
They also have a sweets shop that I have never visited. And they serve breakfast. We have gone once, but I have no pictorial evidence. They serve a full English breakfast, Arabic breakfast options, eggs of all sorts, pancakes, waffles, French toast, and coffee. I also recently went to experience their Iftar buffet for the breaking of a day of fasting during Ramadan. I went with a group of ladies to say goodbye to a friend who is leaving. It was a lovely time. The soups served on the buffet line (lentil and vegetable) were the highlight, though all the food was good.
Asmahan is one of our favorite restaurants in Muscat. Probably a must eat at when you visit.
