Category: Food & Drinks

Prolife has launched a new line of chips called ProGrills, bringing a bold, smoky crunch to their protein snack lineup. Each chip is packed with protein, maximum flavor and come in four flavors:

• ProGrills Cheese
• ProGrills Sweet Chili
• ProGrills Lemon Cumin
• ProGrills Sour Spice

Each pack has 13g of protein and great macros, making it a great healthy snack option.

That’s not all, Prolife also announced they’re now the first Kuwaiti salty snacks manufacturer to get certified by the NSF (National Sanitation Foundation), a globally recognized organization that sets public health and safety standards. They’ve earned NSF Vegan and NSF Cruelty-Free certifications.

In total, they’ve received five certifications this year:

• NSF Non-GMO
• NSF Gluten-Free
• NSF Vegan
• NSF Cruelty-Free
• Nut-Free

To find out more, check out @prolifesnacks or head over to their website prolifesnacks.com

This past weekend Al Andalus revealed The Petal Pavilion, their new pop-up kiosk located at the center of their plaza. I’m currently halfway across the world on vacation, but they sent over photos of the project for me to share.

The Petal Pavilion was originally designed as a functional oyster bar by the Copenhagen-based studio @lasovskyjohansson for an art fair in Denmark a few years ago. The design won many awards and a version of that pavilion stands at the Design Museum Denmark, serving as a permanent café installation.

What’s cool is that this isn’t a copy of that design, Al Andalus actually worked with the original architects to reinterpret their award-winning concept to meet their specific requirements and adapt it to our unique weather. The result is this new 6.5-meter-tall kiosk where the petal folds open and blooms during the day, casting shadows below, but as daylight fades, the pavilion’s surfaces come alive with colored linear lighting.

The Petal will be hosting different pop-ups throughout the year with the first being @boostcafe from November 6 to December 31 followed by @kello.kw in January.

Nobu Hospitality just announced that they’ll be opening Nobu Residences and Restaurant at Hessah Plaza, inside the Hessah District Project.

Nobu is a global luxury brand known for its restaurants, hotels, and residences around the world. It was founded back in 1994 by chef Nobu Matsuhisa along with actor Robert De Niro and film producer Meir Teper.

No opening date was mentioned in the press release. Source

Thanks Khalid!

This tiny spot is a new Japanese concept opening in Jabriya next week. It’s an omakase conveyor belt experience with a French influence and a design that looks way too nice for what’s essentially a hole in the wall.

I found out about Bar Frés and its chef through a friend of mine. When she sent me the chef’s Instagram account, I thought she’d sent me the wrong one because he looked like he’d just graduated high school. I wasn’t far off, Fahad Al-Zaid is only 22 and moved back to Kuwait just six months ago after finishing university in the US. His Instagram is @fahadthefoodie_, which makes sense since that’s how he describes himself. He’s always loved food and cooking, so when the opportunity came along to run his own concept, he took it.

The first thing that caught my attention when I got there was how the place didn’t fit the environment at all. Bar Frés looked way too fancy for the neighborhood, and it was right next door to a baqala. The contrast between the two is actually pretty amazing, and I think it adds to the experience, which itself isn’t typical. Bar Frés won’t have a traditional menu. Instead, the chef will decide what goes out on the conveyor belt depending on various factors like who the guests are, what produce was available that day, or even just the chef’s mood. Fahad meets the guests when they arrive and asks a few questions. If, for example, the guests are into raw dishes, then he’ll serve more raw items than usual. That’s why he calls it an omakase conveyor belt because he wants to decide what to serve.

The interior looks amazing. The small kitchen filled with chefs is located in the back, while the main dining area is just one long bar with 14 chairs. It all looks very upscale, but Fahad assured me the prices will be very reasonable. While I was taking photos, Fahad started sending out dishes for me to try on the conveyor belt, mostly raw items since that’s what I like, but also a few others he thought I’d enjoy, and he was right.

Bar Frés is set to open this coming Sunday and will only be open in the evenings. To stay posted on the opening and bookings, follow @bardefres

JŌN, the seaside experience that launched last year near Kuwait Towers, is back for a new season. The project is by Gastronomica, the same group behind many of our favorite food spots like OFK, Burger Boutique, Cocoa Room, Lazy Cat, and Slider Station. This year, the project has expanded to become four times bigger and now includes two dining experiences instead of one.

There are now two entrances to JŌN. Last year’s entrance is now exclusively for OFK, while the second entrance takes you to the newly expanded area called Seef AlJŌN. The new area features retail partners like JADEBOTANICS, Atyab AlMarshoud, Hamsa, and Velvet Desert, along with the return of BRW, their coffee concept, which has a new look this season. There’s also a lot more seating now, with benches incorporated into the landscape and spread throughout the project. But the biggest surprise for me was finding out they’re bringing back their Pan-Asian concept, RÉPUBLIQUE, for this season of JŌN.

RÉPUBLIQUE was my favorite part of the tour and I think it’s going to be a huge hit this winter. Walking in felt like being back on vacation in Marrakesh. The open roof courtyard has a garden-like area in the middle, giving it the feel of a riad with colors, furniture, and materials that are beautifully curated. Even the main dining room was covered in beautiful wallpaper, and had large floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the water. Both areas are literally by the sea. If you’re sitting outside on the patio, you’re just a few feet from the sand and water. There isn’t anything like it in Kuwait.

Here are some important details:

OFK: Similar to last year, they’ll continue offering their signature dining experience, with pricing that varies depending on the scheduled events under JŌN Theatre.

RÉPUBLIQUE: Reservations are required, there is a KD 15 reservation fee per table. updated

Seef AlJŌN: Entry is free, so you could go in, explore, shop and grab a coffee if you want.

JŌN is opening this Saturday, November 1st. To stay posted on their activities as well as the booking links, head to @jon.kuwait. To check out more photos, click here.

Go Greek Yogurt, the popular LA-based brand known for its authentic Greek yogurt, opened in Kuwait earlier this year. They’re a favorite among celebrities in LA, and you’ve probably seen paparazzi shots of your favorite stars holding a cup of Go Greek Yogurt.

They recently launched a new product called the Greek Essentials Box. It’s basically a gathering box that includes nine frozen yogurt cups with eighteen toppings on the side.

Because of the richness of Greek yogurt, they can’t use dry ice to keep everything cold since it ruins the taste and texture. So they had to find a better way to insulate the yogurt while keeping things also eco-friendly (so no styrofoam either). Eventually, they came up with an insulated cardboard box that uses bags of ice to keep the yogurt frozen and fresh during delivery. The inside of the box is lined with a reflective material that helps slow how quickly the ice and yogurt melts by reflecting heat away and keeping the temperature inside stable.

Go Greek Yogurt has a physical location on the ground floor of Arraya Complex, but if you want to order delivery, head to gogreekyogurtkw.com or check out their instagram @gogreekyogurt.kw

Two people contacted me asking me if it’s true the Cake Picnic Tour is coming to Kuwait. There is a website and account promoting the event for November but it seems to be based off Dubai Cake Picnic, which is different from the official Cake Picnic Tour (@cakepicnictour).

According to the official Cake Picnic Tour website, Dubai is a potential future stop, but there are zero details at the moment, no dates, times or locations. Kuwait isn’t even listed as a potential future stop.

If you want to stay updated on Cake Picnic Tour’s future stops, here is the link to their website. cakepicnictour.com

With winter approaching, it’s finally cool enough to take your pets outdoors without worrying about the heat. That’s why I put together a guide of pet-friendly spots, from coffee shops to parks, with the help of @mocha.i.am, who inspired me to make this post. If you know of more pet-friendly spots, mention them in the comments.

Cafes & Restaurants – Indoors
Masaha 13
Sluggish

Cafess & Restaurants – Outdoors
Back Burner – SVN
Baked
Barasti
BBT – The Hilltop and Shamiya Park
Brick Pizza
Broskis
Da Gusto
Earth Roastery – Bida’a
Edo
Gia – Salmiya (Temporarily Closed)
Joe & the Juice – Salmiya
Masaha 13
Okan Coffee House
Seoulian
Speak Coffee Roaster
The Sandwich Shop

Parks
Shuwaikh Park – Popular on Friday & Saturday Mornings

Hotels
Four Seasons Hotel (under 11.5KG)
Grand Hyatt Residences (2 pets max)
The K Hotel

Joe & The Juice is opening a new spot at Al Shaheed Park tomorrow (Tuesday, October 7). It’s right by the big lake in Phase 2 and feels like the perfect stop for a juice or a light meal if you’re walking around the park, out for a jog, or just hanging out with family or friends.

I passed by earlier today around sunset and the place looked great, with warm light coming in through the large glass windows designed to connect the indoors with the surrounding greenery. The interior seating is cozy, but since it’s in the park there’s also plenty of outdoor seating. You can sit overlooking the lake or catch the sunset from the other side.

The new location will be open daily from 5AM to midnight, making it perfect for early morning joggers. To stay up to date on their new menu items or locations, head over to @joeandthejuicekuwait

I usually post about brands and their products, but this one’s a bit different since it’s about the company behind the brands. You’ve probably never heard of SocialEats, but you’ve definitely heard of their concepts. SocialEats is a creative hospitality group that started in Kuwait in 2016 with its first brand, Chocomelt, and has since grown to multiple brands and over 30 branches across the GCC. Some of their brands include:

Chocomelt
A flagship dessert spot that’s been serving handcrafted creations for over 10 years across the GCC.

Chutney & Co
An Indian tapas concept bringing elevated Indian cuisine to Kuwait and soon Qatar.

B.Social
A creativity-driven brand for custom cakes and desserts made for every kind of celebration (including allergen-free).

The Neighbourhood
A nostalgic space built around good vibes and balanced food, and home to their award-winning matcha.

MoG
A specialty coffee concept known for its signature menu and attention to detail in every cup.

From Kuwait to the world, SocialEats is growing fast and going global with plans to expand beyond the GCC into the UK, Turkey, India, and Iraq. What started as a shared passion for hospitality has turned into a diverse portfolio of brands, from award-winning desserts and elevated Indian cuisine to specialty coffee and custom cakes. Check them out socialeats.com

Back in 2019, a small Bhutanese spot called Momo Zaa opened in Salmiya and quickly became popular for their delicious momos (steamed dumplings). Sadly, the pandemic hit the following year and they ended up closing. The good news is they’re now back, this time with a new name and a new location.

Lepo & Lemo opened this past August in a new location in Salmiya. I actually prefer this new location because it’s walking distance from my place, like literally a 10 minute walk which is great. The restaurant is small but cute, with a good amount of seating for the space, including some seating outdoors.

We were a total of three so we ordered a bunch of things to try:

Crispy Chili Potato KD 1.850
Veg Juma (Vegetarian Sausage) KD 1.850
Chicken Momo (Dumpling) KD 1.850
Beef Momo (Dumpling) KD 1.950
Kewa Datshi (Potato Chili Cheese Stew) KD 1.750
Norsha Pat (Stir-fried beef) KD 2.650
Steamed Rice KD 0.750
L&L Signature Fried Ice Cream KD 2.650

For some reason my food photography skills seem to get worse with age, but trust me, everything looked great and tasted even better. Like, unexpectedly delicious. It’s been a while since I last had their food, so I’d forgotten how good it was. Everything was full of flavor and by the end I couldn’t decide what I liked most. The sausage I think really surprised me with how good it was, but I’d say the beef dumplings were my favorite dish. The cheese stew was my least favorite but even that wasn’t bad, it’s just everything else was much better.

I try not to post about food unless it’s something special, and L&L is definitely special. Even if you’ve never had Bhutanese food before, their dishes feel approachable and not at all intimidating. They had some unusual items like noodles with laban, which I’m saving for my next visit, but the dishes I mentioned above are all pretty beginner friendly.

We were three people and the bill came out to KD 13.650. They gave us the dessert on the house.

If you want to check them out, Lepo & Lemo open from 3PM to 11:30PM and are located in Salmiya right behind the 4th Ring Road fire station (Google Maps). They’re also on Instagram @lepo.lemo

Deliveroo just did something pretty cool and fun. They took four of Kuwait’s favorite chefs and sent them abroad to cook, learn and trade recipes with some of the world’s top chefs.

The Kuwaiti chefs that took part in this program were:

Faisal Al Nashmi (Table Otto, San Ristorante, and more)
Ghalia Hayat (Oh G!)
Khaled AlBaker (Little Ruby’s, Young Po, and more)
Sawsan Daana (Matbakhi by Sawsan)

The idea? Bring back the secrets behind viral global dishes while sharing Kuwait’s own flavors with the world. They sent Faisal to Rome, Ghalia to London, Khaled to Seoul and Sawsan to Athens. Think of it as a culinary exchange program and going by the videos Deliveroo have been publishing, it looked pretty fun.

The chefs are now back in Kuwait and they’re each working on creating a dish based on their experience abroad. These 4 new dishes are going to be exclusive to Deliveroo, so you won’t find them anywhere else. To find out when they drop, make sure you are following @deliveroo_kw

Frankie’s was one of my favorite breakfast spots in the city before they went on hiatus 3 years ago. Now they’re back after finding a new home in Cantina. Previously, Frankie’s would pop up in the mornings at Little Ruby’s, and now they’ll be popping up at Cantina in the mornings.

Some of the original signatures will still be on the menu, like their French toast and breakfast tacos, but I’m looking forward to the new items specially the Steak & Eggs which look amazing in the photo. Chef Basmah also mentioned the new menu will feature Palestinian za’atar and family heirloom recipes.

If you’re looking for a new breakfast spot to try, Frankie’s will be serving breakfast from 8AM to 12PM starting this Friday and Saturday. @cantina_kw

It’s been a few months since Jar’s, the pizza spot, opened and today marks the start of their next chapter.

I’ve posted about the owner of Jar’s, Abdullah AlJarallah twice so far (here and here). Initially when he was making and delivering pizzas out of a commercial kitchen as a side hobby, and then again when he eventually opened his spot in Hawalli. It was a small cozy hole-in-the-wall that just made pizzas and had a set menu. Now Jar’s is expanding with more seating, a larger menu and they’re making a few other changes as well.

In addition to pizzas, Jar’s is now introducing two highly requested items, steaks and pastas. With these new additions, they’re moving away from the set menu, so you can now order freely without limitations. Like with their pizzas, they’re using top quality ingredients and making as much as possible in house. So fresh tomatoes, and plenty of good aged cheeses. All your favorite pizzas are still there as well.

The second biggest change is the addition of more chairs and tables. Jar’s outgrew the small space, so what used to be indoor seating is now a larger kitchen with a small gourmet merch section, while a new seating area was built outside. With the addition of more seating, you no longer need a reservation, you can just walk in.

Since I’ve been posting about Abdullah and his pizzas from the very start, it feels like I’ve become his official documentarian along the way, and it’s been fun watching Jar’s grow. Swipe left to check out some photos of the new items and then make sure you head over to his Instagram account @atjars

I’m a fan of Jimmy’s smashburgers, but I was never into their old location. It reminded me too much of Supernova’s interior in London and it was also tiny. Their new spot, on the other hand, is hot.

Jimmy’s just opened a much larger branch in Shuwaikh and it was designed by TWENTYONE Architects. TWENTYONE gave the brand a completely new look that is an elevated take on the American diner. The heart of the space is the open bar where you can watch them smash and cook the burgers for you. Part of the reason for the open bar is also for the sounds and smells, they want the customers to hear the sound of the grill and smell the meat as part of the experience

I love the checkered flooring and the warm walnut wood, and I think the space finally matches the quality of their burgers. If you want to check out more photos of the interior, click here.

Photos were taken by Sarah Jamaan.