W Doha Hotel & Residences W ドーハ ホテル＆ レジデンス

W Doha Exterior of the Hotel Entrance (left) and the W logo at outside the Residence (right) 

  

W Doha was open in 2009 with 291 hotel guest rooms, including 31 suites and 154 residences.

At the moment, W Doha is the only W property in the Meddle East and North Africa, though there are several properties currently in development for the UAE.

  

W Doha, Living Room

W Doha is located in the West Bay of Doha on the Qatar peninsula. Standing right across from the popular City Center mall and it is only a 15-minutes drive from the airport.

Doha's beautiful Corniche, as well as beach and water sports facilities are just 5 minutes away by car, while the challenging greens of the Doha Gold Club are a quick 10 minutes drive.

- See more at: http://www.whoteldoha.com & http://www.sleepermagazine.com

 

W Doha, Living Room

 

 



W Doha has 3 restaurants. One of them is "Market by Jean-Georges".

[Sleek and sophisticated. Savor fresh, local ingredients with international flare in a chic setting at our second restaurant by Chef Vongerichten. Candle lights flicker, and spice jars line the walls of this contemporary take on a traditional souq]

 

 - See more at: http://www.marketdoha.com

 

 

 Market by Jean-Georges | Signature Restaurant by Jean-Georges in Doha  

Seafood display for Brunch (left, -the time I was there, they had Brunch on every Fridays-)  



Market by Jean-Georges | Signature Restaurant by Jean-Georges in Doha  

Other than the restaurants, W Doha also has 2 lounges, Wahm lounge & Crystal lounge,  and a cafe in the hotel.
In Doha, you can not get any alcohol either from stores or restaurants in the city, except those 5 star hotels with the special permit. So, those 3 restaurants and 2 lounges are packed with people, especially over the weekends. Not only for the tourist and business travelers from other countries, but also for the Arabs. W Doha is truly the Oasis for the people in the desert Qatar.

W Café

Light bites. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and maybe a pastry or two at the warm, welcoming W Café. Whatever you’re craving, we have a selection of delicious baked goods, cupcakes and

treats to satisfy your appetite.

Task Force Doha, Qatar ドーハ出張 -2-

While I was in Doha, I could take a day off to discover a tiny part of the city.

I am not sure about the other cities in the Middle East, but I can say, it was very different from any other countries I have visited before...  

 

Fanar - Qatar Islamic Cultural Center 

 

There are many new & fancy shopping malls in the city. You can buy everything and eat any kind of food over there (except pork and alcohol). Those places are, of course, with air-conditioning which is very nice but luck of character...  

 

One of my friends who used to work in W Guangzhou, now works in the kitchen of W Doha, took me to a place called "Souq Waqif".

 

Souq Waqif 

 

 

 

Souq Waqif 

 

 They also sell Falcons!

 

In this place, you can find everything in here from clothes, spices, paintings, souvenirs, accessories and jewelries to food. It's not as big as Istanbul's Grand Bazaar but nice thing about this place was nobody push you to buy stuff. I could just relax, take my time and walk around window shopping.

Also, because I was there at the best time of the year (in Jan) and best time of the day (6-8pm), I had no problem walking around the place.

There are many nice restaurants and cafe at the Souq, but I have tried their traditional food from the street vendors and the small tiny restaurant inside the Souq.
The BBQ grilled lamb & chicken with green leaf salad and some bread (?? something like Indian Naan bread but thinner). It was good. Much better than I have imagined, though the meat was bit too dry for my taste.

Street vendors come out and selling food at the evening

 Souq Waqif

 

Traditional Middle Eastern food

 

Many nice luxury 5star hotels in the city of Doha. Didn't have enough time to visit those hotels but I know for sure, W Doha was extremely busy. Not only for the rooms, but also their restaurants and the bars were crazy everyday. They don't have a big banquet space but busy with outside catering. They told my they are the busiest B&F operation in all W hotels in the world!!

 

Kempinski (top left), Marriott Marquis City Center (top right),

W Doha (bottom)

 

 

View of Doha at night. Office buildings and shopping malls.

 

 

Task Force Doha, Qatar ドーハ出張 -1-

First time in Middle East.

Beautiful view of CBD Doha


I have been in W Doha, from January 21st to 31st on a Task Force assignment.
To oversee and train the staff in their sushi and sashimi section of their restaurants by Jean-Georges, all day dining restaurant "Market" and Asian restaurant "Spice Market".

In this time of the year, the weather in Doha is perfect.
Not hot at all. During the daytime, I could walk around outside with T-shirt, and after sunset, just with light jacket over the T-shirt.

Doha is an exciting city. A capital city of Qatar, with fast-paced economy growth, it has been hosting major international events and building many skyscrapers for residences, shopping malls, hotels and offices. Also a national museum of Qatar, located at south Doha, has been under construction.
Getting ready for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar!

The time I was there, they had "Handball World Championship" in the town

View from the car, on the way to work

  

Because W Doha was fully booked during the time I was there, I had to stay in the staff dormitory....
It was actually a great experience though. I could feel how the life in Doha is like!

Outside of the apartment building I have stayed 

(very dark during the night time and looks bit scary...)

My room

Special welcome amenity delivered by W Doha team (left), living room (right)

Bed room (left), kitchen (right)
 





 Kitchen (left), Bathroom (right)

 

 

 

 

"Unagi" Freshwater Eel, 鳗鱼, うなぎ

In Japan, people are accustomed to eating eel during the summer. Eel contains a lot of protein and easy to be digested. So, that's why Japanese people believe it is good to eat eel during the hot summer time when they lose their appetite and easily get tired from the heat.  

 

 

In Japan, there are many small restaurants which specialized in eel. They mainly serve eel dishes and only few non-eel related items. 

And the Japanese people even have a special "Eel Day"(in Japanese "do yo no ushi no hi") for eating eel in the midsummer day of OX. In this year, 2014, it will be on July 29.

 

 

"Unagi Kaba-yaki" Grilled Eel with special Tare sauce 

 

Live eel in fish tank (left), how to cut eel (right) 

 

 

Freshwater eel has a distinctive muddy taste. In order to get rid of that muddy flavor, live eel must have been kept in the fish tank with clean freshwater for a couple of days.

 

There are few differences in how to prepare the eel between "Kanto" region (Eastern Japan) and "Kansai" region (Western Japan).

Usually open up the eel from the back side of the eel in "Kanto" and from the belly side of the eel in "Kansai" because the time when eel dish became popular in Edo period, there were more Samurai in "Kanto" than "Kansai" and the way cutting eel from belly side reminds them of "Hara-kiri", that's why the eel are cut from back side in "Kanto" region. 

 

How to cut eel

 

 

Also, cooking methods are different between "Kanto" and "Kansai".
In "Kanto" region, after cut and cleaned the eel, it will be lightly grilled, steamed and then grilled again with "Tare" special sauce (*Every eel restaurants has their own recipe for "Tare" sauce and usually it's been kept for decades, as same age as the history of the restaurants).
In "Kansai" region, after cut and cleaned the eel, it will be simply just grilled with "Tare" sauce.
So, the taste of eel in "Kanto" is said to be less fatty and texture is tenderer. In "Kansai", taste is richer and texture is tougher

The eel grilled with the sauce is call "Kaba-yaki"(蒲烧) and without sauce is called "Shira-yaki"(白烧) . "Shira-yaki" goes well with grated fresh wasabi. And "Sansho" pepper (山椒粉) for both "Kaba-yaki" and "Shira-yaki"

Let's eat eels in the summer!!

Filleted eel (left), Grill the eel (right)

 

 

 

 

"Sakura" Spring break in Tokyo '14, 東京にて春休み

"Sakura" -Cherry Blossom- in Nokano, Tokyo

 

 

In Tokyo, Sakura trees blossom in between the end of March and the beginning of April.

I haven't been back to Tokyo in this time of the year for long time until this spring... it was so beautiful and very nice to see those Sakura blossoming everywhere in Tokyo, including my hometown, Nakano. Mild weather in Tokyo those days while I was there, almost like being in Guangzhou, though it can be much colder.

  

 

Sakura on the street of Nakano

Sakura on the street of Nakano

Sakura in the garden of temple in Nakano

 

Sakura in a small park in Nakano 

 

This time, I went to see the new symbol of Tokyo, "Tokyo Skytree" in Sumida.

Skytree has opened 2 years ago in May 2012 as the tallest tower in the world, 2nd tallest structure in the world and the tallest structure in Japan.

It was on a weekday in the afternoon, not too many people were there but I still had to queue up for about an hour to buy a ticket of the observation deck.



Tokyo SkyTree

 View from the observation deck (left top), inside observation deck (left bottom),

"See-through" glass floor (right)

New "Kabukiza" theatre, East Ginza

 

 

Around the JR Nakano Station, there are so many restaurants to choose from.... Ramen noodle shops, Sushi restaurant, Chinese, Asian, Italian and more!

Among those restaurants, there is one place consider to be a formal fine dining which is quite rare in Nakano, is in the top floor of  "Nakano Sunplaza ".

Nakano Sunplaza was built in 1973 as a cultural complex center. It has a hotel, banquet halls, offices, a concert hall, restaurants, swimming pool, a bowling alley, fitness center, tennis courts...

 

 

 Symbol of Nakano "Nakano Sunplaza" (white building on the right)

 

 

On the 20th floow of the building, you can choose Japanese cuisine in "Nakano", or Western cuisine in "121 Dining". Both restaurants have got a great view ("Nakano" is facing North -Nerima, Ikebukuro side- and "121 Dining" is facing South -Suginami, Shinjuku side).

This time, I chose Japanese cuisine in "Nakano". It is not too fancy as dining in the 5 star hotels or some expensive restaurants in Ginza. It was just perfect for my family lunch. And, of course, the food and serves were very good as usual.

 

 

Seasonal Lunch Set

 

Lunch Bento Box Set

 

Pork Cutlet Lunch Set

 

 

 

Happy Lunar New Year!! -Year of Hourse- 2014, 旧正月、甲午(きのえうま)

A Happy Lunar New Year!! January 31, 2014, the first day of the year of horse.

In Asia, many countries still keep the traditional custom to cerebrate the Lunar New Years.
Though, Japan has lost the custom long time ago but people in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines still keep the tradition.

"Gong Xi Fa Cai" ("Kung Hei Fat Choy" in Cantonese) is a way to say "Happy New Year" in Chinese. It literally means, "Gong Xi" = congratulations or a way to wish someone joy, "Fa Cai" = become rich / make money.
During the New Year's, "Red Envelop" with money are distributed. From the parents to their children, from the married couples to their parents, from the bosses to their workers... actually, this custom still remains in Japan as "Otoshi-dama" to be distributed during the Christian era New Year's period.
 
In Guangzhou or any other cities in China become very quite during Lunar New Year's because most of the people in the cities go back to their home town in the country side and spend the New Year's with their families. Most of the offices, shops and restaurants are closed, only few cars and people are on the street, constructions are stopped, less pollution which is very nice!
Let's cerebrate the new year of horse!!

 

 

 

Huangsha -Seafood Market, Guangzhou- 黄沙、広州の海鮮市場

Huangsha Seafood Market (or Aquatic Product Trading Market) is located in Liwan District, Guangzhou city. It's said to be the biggest aquatic product trading center in Southern China.

Huangsha Seafood Market

 

 

It wasn't as bad as I expected... I mean, the conditions and cleanliness of the market. Of course, you don't want to go there with high-heel shoes or leather shoes. The ground there is covered with dirty water but as far as I know, almost every seafood market is like that.

So, I would say it wasn't the best but quite organized.

Many varieties of live seafood

 

 

In the market, I could find whole bunch of seasonal fresh, live seafood, like, lobster, abalone, clam, shrimp, crab, octopus, cuttlefish and so on...

You can purchase the seafood you like, bring it to the restaurants upstairs of the market and ask them to cook it the way you like. Though you still have to pay for both the ingredients and the cooking, at least you can eat the things you like in the way you like and it's very fresh for sure!

 

"Kuruma Ebi" tiger prawn (left), "Koh Ika" Cuttlefish

 

"Tako" octopus (left), variety of fresh sea fish (right)

 

 

Besides the seafood, I also found many different types of "weird stuff" in the market...

Alligators (or Crocodiles?), Turtles, Diving Beetles, Snakes, Worms and Scorpions!!

 

There is an old saying, mentioning about the food in Guangzhou (食在广州). There are several different ways to interpret it, however, people in Guangzhou told me that the saying means people of Guangzhou love to eat. That I strongly agree.

They say Guangzhou people eat everything in the sky except air plane, everything on the ground with four legs except tables and chairs, everything with two legs except human!

 

Turtle (left), Caddis worm (right)

 

Scorpion (left), Yellow Mealworm (right)

 

 

You can access to the market by taking Guangzhou subway -line 1- and 10 minutes walk from the Huangsha station.

 

 

Guangzhou Life 広州生活

January 2013, I started new life in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province, the third biggest city in China after Beijing and Shanghai.

Zhujiang New Town (珠江新城) in Tianhe district (天河区)

 

 

Guangzhou (as known as "City of Flowers"), the city which Pearl River flows through, is located in Southeast China, about 180km -2 hours train ride- away from Hong Kong.

Most of the people here speak Canton direct, same as in Hong Kong (even though, there is a slight difference).

 

Zhujiang New Town, the area where I live, is a very new town, as you can see from it's name.

Many (not just one or two!) super high skyscrapers are already there and more are under construction. The area with 5star hotels, shopping malls, sophisticated restaurants (Cantonese, Japanese, Mediterranean's and more), Japanese brand super market (JUSCO/AEON).

You can get most of the things you want, but it can be expensive... (e.g. price of cloth in ZARA, H&M or UNIQLO can be as same as in Hong Kong but it's in RMB, 1 RMB = 1.25 HKD)  

 

People talk about China's economy deterioration but I don't see it here, at least on the surface level...

Can't wait to see what it will look like after all those construction are finished after 3-5years!

 

 

Zhujiang New Town (珠江新城) in Tianhe district (天河区)

 

 

Canton Tower

 

 Please also see the post in August 24, 2012 →Guangzhou, 広州