Grocery Shopping

So, I have been asked to give more information about grocery shopping here in Doha.  First of all, there are many choices as far as stores go: the place with the most American products (my favorite cereal, bagels (yes, in an Arab country!), half and half, etc…) is Mega Mart; the store with the most British products is Spinneys (they also carry a lot of gourmet items like caviar or pate or whatever); the HUGE grocery store that is a “big box” store with food, clothing, hardware, carpets,etc..is CarreFourre, a French grocery store; the store that is equally as HUGE is LuLu Market, which is Arabic.  LuLu market has dazzling multicolor lights on the outside streaming down the entire front of the building.

 These stores are always packed on the weekend evenings, especially LuLu Market and CarreFourre. Seriously, it’s as busy as it is at home the day before Thanksgiving. Who shops?  Everyone, from every country imaginable: Arabs, expats, Indians, Filipinos, Africans, etc… CarrFourre and Lulu Market have the most selection of produce and meat, but not the best quality. The prices are higher at Spinneys and Mega mart, but the quality and service is better.

 Last week, we went to a new grocery store which just opened up near here and has the added attraction of a “Big Fun for Little Ones” (indoor amusement park) and restaurant inside.  The store is not as huge as Lulus or CarreFourre, or as plush as Spinneys or Mega Mart, but is a good medium, and not too crowded. We went early Saturday morning, when most people are still sleeping, so it was actually a relaxing experience. We bought shrimp, quail eggs, beef, chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, plums, bananas, Oreos, milk, orange juice, flour and sugar, popcorn (yes!), peanut butter (double yes!), honey (very popular here), dates (also popular), soup (Campbell’s but tomato soup is only found at Mega mart), napkins, Clorox wipes, pine sol, and recess peanut butter cups! All of our water is bottled. Needless to say, we have many choices with food. 

There are also MANY small grocery stores where one can buy milk or eggs or whatever…and many small bakeries where one can buy pastry or dates…carry out is very popular here and every store or restaurant delivers anywhere (pool side service for example) .  My observation has been that many people survive on carry out and dining out.  There is a small restaurant nearby where we ordered carry out shish kabob, hummus, taboulah, and pita bread for three for only about the equivalent of 5.00! and, the food was so good. Pizza is also popular here (doesn’t everyone like pizza?).

The following American chains are “here”: KFC (very popular with Arabs), Pizza Hut, Papa Johns Pizza, Baskin Robins, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, McDonalds, Burger King.  We never go to any of these place---O.K., we do go to Baskin Robins and Krispy Kreme.

There are also many local places that serve traditional Lebanese food, even as fast food.  And, in case you don’t know, alcohol is illegal here.  Strict Muslims do not drink alcohol. So, there is no alcohol in restaurants, unless they are hotel restaurants, where the rules don’t apply. Unlike Abu Dhabi, one can get a liquor license here, and purchase alcohol at certain places with your license. On the other hand, tropical nonalcoholic fruit drinks are very popular and served everywhere—very delicious!!!