DOHA DIARY
THE BEST EATERIES OF 2010 QATAR TODAY RESTAURANT AWARDS 2010 ANNOUNCED ON JUNE 20, 2010
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fter being under the gastronomic scrutiny for six months, the popular eateries in Qatar finally earned themselves top spots in the Qatar Today Restaurant Awards 2010, announced on June 20, 2010. The voting process culminated with the final counting of votes and restaurants securing the maximum votes were awarded the 'Best of category' awards. Qatar Today Restaurant Awards 2010 is the ultimate recognition of the best and most popular eateries in town with readers invited to vote for their favourite restaurant under 12 different categories. The continued success of the Qatar Today Restaurant Awards (QTRA) has been underlined with a record number of restaurants nominating themselves for the fourth edition of the Awards. Doha Bank was the presenting sponsor this year for the country's most prestigious and popular awards.
History of the Awards
It was in 2004, that the Qatar Today Restaurant Awards was first launched by Qatar Today, the country's first News & Business monthly. This unique event invited readers and food aficionados to vote for their favourite restaurants. The voting forms were carried within the magazine and made available online too. The participating restaurants, shopping malls and other popular joints handed out these forms as well. Starting with 90 restaurants nominating themselves under 12 categories and polling over 35,000 votes in the first year, the Awards has seen immense growth in these six years. The last edition had 170 restaurants nominating themselves, with
over 75,000 votes polled. In his opening address, Doha Bank, Head of Retail Banking, Louis Scotto said, “Doha Bank is pleased to support such an initiative which honours the best restaurants in Qatar voted directly by customers. Recognising and rewarding excellence in any field is a proactive measure which Doha Bank fully endorses and believes in”. In a presentation at the Ceremony, Nabil Tabbara, of Doha Bank said, “Doha Bank's sponsorship of the awards is enhanced by Dream Cards' Dream Points which can be redeemed at restaurants. The Dream Card has a 'Free-For-Life or no annual charges' feature plus other amazing offers including an unprecedented 25 percent cash back reward summer promotion for the first time in Qatar. This exciting reward package is the first of its kind in Qatar and the whole region and is being offered to all potential new Dream, Green and Dream Platinum card members and all its existing card members. The cash back will be credited to the card members' accounts at the end of the promotional period. This means that card members will be getting 25 percent discount on all travel related purchases – airlines, tickets on any airline company, holiday packages, hotels and motels, car rentals, and duty free. “For us Qatar Today Restaurant Awards is an opportunity to acknowledge the best in the business, all of the finalists are brand leaders who have created award winning restaurants,” said Ravi Raman, Vice President, Oryx Advertising Company WLL. The awards were presented to 12 category winners by Louis Scotto and Nabil Tabbara from Doha Bank.
WINNERS BEST ARAB CUISINE Layali BEST ORIENTAL/ FAR EASTERN CUISINE Chopsticks – Grand Regency BEST CONTINENTAL CUISINE ll Teatro – Fourseasons Hotel
BEST INDIAN CUISINE Chingari – Ramada Plaza BEST CASUAL DINING Applebees BEST LOUNGE BAR Habanos – The Ritz Carlton BEST COFFEE SHOP Costa Coffee BEST VEGETARIAN CUISINE Aryaas BEST AMBIENCE Italian job – Ramada Plaza BEST LIVE ENTERTAINMENT Paloma – Intercontinental Doha BEST FAST FOOD Mc Donald's BEST PATISSERIE Maya La Choclaterie JULY 10
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AND THE WINNERS ARE...
THE WINNERS POSE
BEST CONTINENTAL CUISINE ll Teatro – Four Seasons Hotel
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Qatar Today JULY 10
BEST CASUAL DINING Applebees
BEST PATISSERIE Maya La Choclaterie
BEST LIVE ENTERTAINMENT Paloma-Intercontinental Doha
BEST Coffee Shop Costa Coffee
BEST FAR TAL/ ORIEN N CUISINE R E EAST ticks - Grand Chops egency R
BEST FAST F Mc DOOD onald 's
B VEGE EST T CUISARIAN IN Arya E as
Louis Scotto, Head of Retail Banking, Doha Bank, Nabil Tabbara, Executive Manager, Retail Banking, Doha Bank, and Ravi Raman, Vice President, Oryx Advertising
JULY 10
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