A large number of residents and visitors thronged the Hotel Park to try the different dishes offered by hundreds of participating stalls at the 11-day Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF) 2018 which opened yesterday.
From Thailand’s Pad Thai to India’s pani puri and samosa, festival-goers also enjoyed Turkish kebabs and shawarma, as well as sweets and delicacies.
Food stalls will be open from 4pm to 12midnight on weekdays (Saturday – Wednesday) and extends to 1am on weekends (Thursday and Friday).
Families have also been encouraged to try a variety of gastronomic experiences, including a fresh farmers’ market, garden picnics and special festival menus at participating restaurants around Qatar.
According to Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), QIFF will also feature a series of cultural and entertainment shows from countries across the globe. 
Kuwaiti singer Abdulaziz Louis and Lebanese band Wahdon will perform at the QIFF entertainment stage for free live performances on March 23 and March 24.
Organisers noted that the QIFF menu, which rolled out earlier this month, will also continue to allow residents and visitors to enjoy mouth-watering food groupings of three menu items at a pre-set price of QR49 at more than 60 stand-alone cafes and restaurants, and QR99 at hotels.
Select five-star restaurants across Doha also offer festival-goers a unique opportunity to join internationally-acclaimed chefs for an interactive cooking and tasting experience. 
According to QTA, spaces are limited from 10 to 40 persons per class and bookings can be made through the restaurant or hotels’ reservation platforms.