Category: Food & Drinks

Download the app and get ready because Deliveroo is planning to soft launch in Kuwait next week. Deliveroo is the British equivalent to Carriage and they operate in over two hundred cities including Dubai. Behind the scenes, Deliveroo has been offering restaurants super competitive rates trying to woo them away from Carriage. I also heard that for the first 6 to 12 months, Deliveroo will be offering customers free delivery to get them to stop using Carriage as well.

Carriage has already started fighting back, they launched their unlimited free deliveries service last week and probably have a few more tricks up their sleeve.

Over the weekend I finally got to pass by Oak and Smoke and try the place out. Previously they only had delivery, but last month they opened up a new location in Shuwaikh and I’ve been meaning to pass by ever since.

For those of you that have been to the original RAW sushi place in industrial Shuwaikh, you’ll recognize the Oak and Smoke location since they took over the old RAW. BUT, they also took over the whole basement and that’s where the main restaurant is located. Getting down there is an experience which I think adds a lot to the place. The entrance to Oak and Smoke is through an alleyway which was softly lit with a red glow. Once we walked into the alleyway we started following a guy until we got into a large industrial elevator. With a press of a button we started going down and it felt like we were about to enter a club. The fact they were able to turn a simple thing as entering the restaurant into a very instagrammable moment is super smart and something a lot of their customers will share. After the short ride down the lift we walked into the restaurant which I think looks amazing. The ceiling had vintage metal ceiling tiles, the walls looked aged, there were two fake backlit windows and also beautiful chandeliers. I think it’s one of the coolest looking spots in Kuwait.

Oak and Smoke’s menu is pretty small with six starters and two mains. We ordered Tri-Tip for starters which is composed of thinly sliced beef and arugula over a horseradish cream, as well as some Vietnamese hot wings and then beef ribs and brisket for our mains. I didn’t have the wings but the Tri-Tip was good and kept us patient until our main dishes arrived. I’ll make this quick, just go there and order the ribs. Seriously, maybe with some soda but you’ll be more than satisfied with just ribs. It was just too good, super juicy and flaked off the bone so easily. We were 5 and we downed nearly 3KG of ribs in just a few minutes, and that was right after going through three orders of brisket!

The only thing I’d avoid at Oak and Smoke is their dessert which was a dish that combined of what looked like canned fruit served over white cream. They’d have a better dessert if they just served a jar of Nutella with a spoon. Other than the dessert there really isn’t anything to complain about. Pricewise, we were five people and ended up paying around KD18 each but that included 4 orders of brisket, 2.7KG of ribs, 2 plates of hot wings, 2 plates of tri-tip, fries, dessert, and drinks. If you’re looking for a new restaurant to try out I’d highly recommend experiencing Oak and Smoke. They take reservations so better call ahead just to be safe. They’re on instagram @oakandsmoke and you’ll find their number and link to their location there.

Earlier in the week I posted about the new dumpling place Wu Fu Dumpling Bar but, the day I posted about them they closed down for some reason. But, they just reopened again today so if you wanted to try them out they’re now back online on Carriage.

On Saturday while at Qout Market, I got to try a new dumpling place called Wu Fu Dumpling Bar and it was delicious. It was so good I actually had it again last night at their restaurant. Well technically not their restaurant, they operate out of the kitchen of another restaurant that’s located inside Shuwaikh Market called Zoi. If you’ve never been to Shuwaikh Market, it’s a fairly gloomy looking place and pretty much dead all of the time. When I was there last night there was nobody else at the restaurant so the atmosphere was non existent. Also, if you’re expecting a Chinese theme of a sort then you’re also out of luck since Zoi is actually a Greek Restaurant with an interior that looks like an inside of old cottage with other parts looking like an outdoor garden. Not a nice place to sit, but I was there for the dumplings so didn’t really care.

Wu Fu are also on Carriage so you don’t have to visit the restaurant if you don’t want to, but I like my dumplings fresh out of the pot which is why I chose to go to them instead of have the food come to me. Last night Wu Fu were super busy with Carriage orders and I ended up waiting around 40 minutes for my two dumpling dishes. I actually had a third order but they had to cancel it for me since they ran out of it before it was my turn, in fact, they were pretty much out of everything on their menu last night. The food took forever to come and I was pretty frustrated, but when the food finally did arrive it was so good it made everything better. They were very apologetic about the delay, they just had a ton of Carriage orders and were trying their best to keep up.

I should mention that other than the fact their dumplings are delicious, they’re also reasonably priced. An order of dumplings which consists of 10 pieces costs around KD2.800. They have around ten different kinds of dumplings they make using either lamb, beef or chicken, as well as having vegetarian and vegan options available as well. But if yesterday was a regular day for them then it looks like they sell out from most of their stuff by around 7 or 8PM.

If you want to have the dumplings fresh then you can visit Wu Fu at Zoi in Shuwaikh Market or else find them on Carriage and maybe the next Qout Market. Check them out on instagram @wufu_kwt

Over the weekend Carriage launched an amazing new membership service called Carriage Black where for just KD3.5 a month you’ll get unlimited free deliveries. For someone like me who basically uses their service every day, and sometimes multiple times a day, this is a pretty incredible deal. But, I think I know why they’re doing this.

From what I’ve heard, when Deliveroo launches in Kuwait (any day now) they will be offering free delivery to customers for at least the first 6 months. That would pretty much kill Carriage so this is a way for them to compete with Deliveroo.

If you want to sign up to Carriage Black then make sure you have the latest updated version of their app since the service only became available with their most recent update.

Pattaya Beach which many people consider to be the best Thai restaurant in Kuwait is opening a second location. Their new store is going to be in Salmiya, right next to Al Bustan Mall [Google Maps]. I think their current location in Kuwait City in the old travel agency complex along with the shop design helped make the place feel unique (along with the food of course), so I’m curious to see how the old charm translates into a new location.

No idea when its opening but you could follow them on instagram to stay posted on their progress @sahil_pattayaq8

On Friday I had lunch at Chili’s next to the Kuwait Towers since it was meant to be their last day before closing down for good. Chili’s lost the bid for their Kuwait Towers location and so they were having a goodbye week of a sort. When Chili’s opened up on the Gulf Road 20 years ago, there really weren’t that many restaurant options which is why it was an extremely popular place with a long waiting list on weekends.

On Friday Chili’s posted on their instagram account that they would extend their operations for one more day to give more people time to come by for one last time. Something must have happened though since a few moments ago, Chili’s posted on their instagram account that due to a decision by the Ministry, they’re going to remain open until further notice.

Not sure what Ministry decision they’re talking about but if you didn’t have a chance to pass by and say goodbye, you’ve got a bit more time now.

When I posted about Japanese Cheesecakes last month, a friend made me aware of another kind of popular cheesecake called the San Sebastian. From what I gathered online, the San Sebastian cheesecake is actually a burnt basque cheesecake that was made popular by a bakery restaurant in San Sebastian called La Viña (I could be wrong so don’t quote me).

I ended up trying the cake from two places, and although they were both really good, I don’t think I’ll be having it again since it’s just too sweet for my taste.

Bread Talk
I heard their Japanese cheesecake was good but I ended up picking up a San Sebastian cake instead. They’ve got a lot of branches around so it’s super convinient to pick one up before heading to a dinner for example. Their cheesecake had an extremely creamy center and was super sweet but delicious.

Price: KD11.250

Burn
Burn is an online bakery that makes only one thing, San Sebastian cheesecakes. They’re not available on Carriage or anywhere else though so the only way to get a cake would be to WhatsApp them. This is not the most practical option. Their cheesecake also had a creamy center albeit not as creamy as the Bread Talk one.

Price: KD13

If you have a favorite San Sebastian cheesecake place let us know in the comments!

Looks like the next big thing foodwise in Kuwait could be pizzas! This past year a number of local pizza concepts have popped up and I think more and more places will be popping up soon as well. I’m trying to compile a list of these local concepts (not franchises) similar to how I did with my coffee list and below is what I’ve come up with so far:

BARBA.
Brooklyn
Doppio
Feynman’s
Flame
Ovenly
Piccola Milano
Pinocchio’s Pizza
SOLO Pizza
Super Slice
Table Otto
The Tiny Table
Trapani
YELO!

I’m sure I’ve missed out on a bunch so if you know of any that should be on this list, let me know in the comments below!

Picture on top taken from @solopn

I think I’m going to start a new series of what to order posts where I list down my favorite dishes at different restaurants around Kuwait. I’m going to start off with Peko Peko since its a new place and worth checking out. Here are my favorite dishes:

Baby Gem Salad
Charred Baby Gem Lettuce, Mandarin Segments, Apple Ginger Dressing, Crumble
KD2.750

Cali-Wearing Orange
Seared Salmon, Spicy Tuna Tartare, Avocado, Seaweed, Sesame Ginger Dressing
KD5.950

Prawn Gyoza
Shrimp, Cream Lobster Stock, Parmesan
KD3.250

Koji Chicken
Koji-Fermented Chicken Skewers, Sweet Potato Puree, Red Chili Salsa
KD3.950

Rump Yakaitori
Rump Carpaccio Skewers, White Shimiji Mushrooms, Sweet Teriyaki Glaze
KD4.250

If you haven’t heard of Peko Peko, it’s a new Japanese eatery but with East Asian influences. For more information click [Here]

Not sure why, but it looks like the latest dessert trend in Kuwait is Japanese cheesecakes. I’m a fan of Japanese cheesecakes and if you like them as well, here are my favorite three places to get cheesecakes from:

The Cheezery
I’ve been getting Japanese cheesecakes from them for over a year now and they’re really good and the sizes of the cakes are fairly large so perfect for gatherings. They also have a location in Sharq for pick up across the street from Arraya.

Medium: KD14
Large: KD16

Here is their location on [Google Maps] and they’re on Carriage [Here].

Kotton
This is a new place that opened up recently and other than the fact their cakes are really good, they also come in a variety of sizes including mini ones. Their packaging is great and their cakes are the densest of the three here. They also opened up their physical location last week and you can pass by and have a mini cake with coffee if you don’t want it delivered.

Mini Cake (3pcs): KD4.5
Medium Cake: KD9
Large Cake: KD16

This is their location on [Google Maps] and they’re on Carriage [Here]

Japan Bakery
Finally, Japan Bakery is the most recent place I tried. Their cakes look the cutest and are fluffy but also are less cheesy tasting than the other two. They sell their cheesecakes on Carriage under the brand “Makers” which is a place that carries a bunch of different smaller locally created dessert brands. You can also pick up a cake from Hamra since there is a Makers kiosk there.

Medium Cake: KD8.5

Available in Hamra Tower or on Carriage [Here]

If you have another favorite place let me know in the comments below.

If you’re looking for clams then there is a company in Kuwait that sells clams imported from New Zealand. They sell various sizes of clams as well as mussels all from the Cloudy Bay Clams brand. Prices start from KD6 for 1/2kg and you can find out more by clicking [Here]

What I’m curious to know is what the story is with local clams. I’ve heard they’re not allowed to be sold, I’ve heard they’re banned, and I’ve also heard they can be sold just hard to get. Does anyone know anything about this?

PEKO PEKO is a new restaurant that opened up this past weekend and it’s one I had been waiting to open for a few months now. That’s because PEKO PEKO used to be called RAW before they closed down this past Ramadan for renovations. RAW was one of my favorite sushi places and so I was disappointed they had closed down but also curious to see what they were going to open up instead. The chef is the very talented Abdullah AlYaqout so I knew whatever he was cooking up was going to be interesting.

While RAW was a purely Japanese eatery, PEKO PEKO is a Japanese eatery but with East Asian influences. What this means is you’ll find more than just your typical sushi on the menu. With so many sushi places in Kuwait and some really good ones, they probably realized that they had to do something different to stick out and I think they did a pretty good job based on what I tried. The menu I had was the tasting menu and so was fairly limited and didn’t include the prices, but I pretty much liked 8 out of the 10 or so dishes I tried.

I’ll be heading back there this week again to try their full menu and maybe post about the place properly, but for now, if you’re looking for a new restaurant to try then check them out. They’re in their soft launch phase so they’re currently open only from 6PM to 10PM (but daily). For pictures and a link to their location, check out their instagram @eatpekopeko

I don’t know why it took so long but we finally have a dedicated cheese shop in Kuwait! La Maison Du Fromage is a new store that just opened up and specializes in everything cheese. Right now they have over 60 different kinds of cheeses but they’re expecting 40 more kinds to arrive soon with the majority not available in supermarkets.

The store is pretty cute but they’re still in their soft launch stage so they’re still stocking up on their products. They will soon have cold cuts, caviar, truffle and truffle oils as well as kitchen tools for cheese. Basically, they’ll be carrying everything you expect a cheese store to carry except for the wine.

La Maison Du Fromage is located in Salmiya near Gia. Their instagram account is @lmdfkw and will be active soon. If you want to check the place out they’re open from 10AM to 10PM and here is their location on [Google Maps]

Not sure if you know this or not, but like watching people play video games is a huge thing, watching people eat is also a pretty huge, at least in Asia. The actual term for it is mukbang which is a combination of the Korean words for eating and broadcasting.

The first time I came across a video of someone eating was back in 2012 when I posted about Emmy who was sent a box filled with sweets and snacks from Kuwait to try. Nowadays though the videos I tend to watch don’t have any talking, they’re usually just of someone sitting in front of their phones and broadcasting themselves eating something. The only sound you’ll hear come from any crunching or slurping that’s taking place. An example is the video above which has 24 million views and is just of a guy eating some crispy fried chicken.

I’ve always found this fascinating so when a friend of mine called Fajer started doing something similar here in Kuwait I got super excited. I’ve known Fajer for years, she’s always been a big foodie and I always love going out to eat with her. Recently she started gaining popularity with her food eating videos. At first, she started posting them on her personal instagram account, but then she got invited by the popular local food account @q8food to do live broadcasts of herself eating there. That’s when she really started blowing up and now even has her own account @fajereats.

I honestly think its a brilliant idea and I’m not only saying that because she’s a friend. With every girl in Kuwait left and right trying to be a fashionista, I love how Fajer is having fun by just being herself in front of the camera, stuffing down a 5 patty burger because she feels like it.

So if you’re into mukbang or curious to check it out, she does a live broadcast a few times a week on @q8food and you can also check out some videos on her own account @fajereats.