Opposite the Fish Souq (still under renovation) in Mutrah is a restored old house. On the upper floor is the Bait Al Luban Restaurant (Bait Al Luban is Arabic for Frankincense House ).
Bait Al Luban Restaurant Room
Its decor is re-imagined traditional Omani and sets the atmosphere nicely. The restaurant has only just opened in Mutrah so diners were outnumbered by staff, however rather than Continue reading “Bait Al Luban Restaurant Muttrah”
An intense 2 or 3 hour downpour was enough to create a river of brown sludge, which diverted even the most massive trucks on their route through Ruwi. The flow lifted away cars and more, and left behind a fine silt to dry in the sun. With the rain came a drop in temperature to an unseasonable 20c and far less at night, winter has arrived.
We arrived after Iftar for a meal at The Cave, Muscat’s newish restaurant complex (intended to have numerous themed dining choices). Currently there are two choices of venue, one with a buffet that seemed to have been cleared – so we had no choice but to walk to the single option open, which was Rumba Lattina.
Though centrally located in Muscat it was a struggle to find Al Mandoos, the Omani themed restaurant in Ghubrah. It was found on the parallel side-road to Shell, just behind a small bakery. The menu had a reasonable selection that allowed choice without overwhelming the decision process.
a stand out on the food scene in Muscat – for lots of reasons
Ubhar is one of the more distinctive restaurants in Muscat (unusual addition of an ‘h’ into what is more usually spelt Ubar). Its in a central location in Qurm with a discrete appearance from the outside. Inside however it’s a fusion with dark wood, shocking fuchsia cushions and clear Perspex chairs – almost 1960s retro.
Ubhars metal covered menu
The restaurant opened a few months ago and is probably suffering from the economic slump and a focus by the affluent local population on coffee shops and fast food . They are missing a unique experience . Standouts were the Appetizers, Soup, and Crème Caramel – the very personable service by the maître d’hôtel and his 100% Omani staff.
we enjoyed some wonderful meals on a tour through northern Oman
In a vast swing from Muscat, over the mountains, through the desert, along the coast and back to Muscat we enjoyed some wonderful meals.
Local Meal in Oman
Some in ‘local restaurants’ others in hotels along the way and finally in Al Bustan Palace.
Al Bustans China Mood
Fish was certainly the highlight of most meals and Squid featured in a couple. While Oman doesn’t have what seems to be a vast choice of dining options – sometimes it can turn out wonderful meals.
It has been a week of contrasts with meals for me. In the rarefied atmosphere up on the 2000meter high plateau of Jabal Akhdar I took clients on a walk through the flowering Peach, Apricot and Almond gardens where fragile flowers bloom in a rugged landscape. We then enjoyed a wonderful lunch of rice and chicken in the home of a local family – the chicken, flavoured with spices was the most tasty chicken I had eaten in a long time .
Several hundred kilometres away near Masirah Island & 2000meters lower down from my mountain lunch I shared a night-time meal of rice and locally caught fish a few meters from the Arabian Sea. We joined local fisher folk for dinner by the light of an old lantern with the sound of the surf in a very atmospheric meal
The section of coast we enjoyed has a scattering of small fishing villages who use the beach or boat to travel from one to the other.
During the winter, the beaches are full of gulls snacking off discarded fish from the anglers’ nets. Other sea bird passing including chains of undulating cormorants as they flew from their roost to feeding grounds farther along the coast.
By way of contrast back in Muscat I was delighted to have a couple of dinners at The Chedi with Timothy Burrill just before his film ‘La vie en Rose’ won a couple of Oscars. With classic Italian food, a delightful restaurant and sparkling conversation from Timothy and Petra it rounded off a week of special meals.
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