Craig Ferriman took a Mediterranean journey to sample a new theme night.

The Westin Doha’s international dining restaurant, Seasonal Tastes, always ensures a warm and welcoming atmosphere and that was exactly what we found on our recent visit to check out the new Thursday theme night that aims to kick off the weekend with a flavour-filled evening. The Italian chef Massimiliano played to his strengths, cooking up a storm for this Italian-themed feast that transported us to his homeland on the east coast of the old country.

A plethora of fresh salads, such as the standout classic caprese, proved a great starting point with green leaves and crunchy vegetables in abundance. In the interests of research (of course) we tried a little of each and all were superbly fresh, tangy and healthy too! The live pasta station was especially exciting as we selected the type of pasta we preferred (penne in my case) and the sauces and supplements to accompany it, then watched our dishes being prepared in front of us, at lightning speed. I went for a creamy carbonara with beef bacon and basil added plus plenty of Parmesan sprinkled over. The pasta was the perfect al dente texture and the sauce was well blended with the cheese adding a sharp twist to the comforting creaminess.

There were three pizzas to choose from, allowing us to mix and match our slices rather than only choosing one. This is a great idea if you want a piece of pie but also want to save space for a main course. The cheese pizza was probably my favourite but the Margherita and pepperoni were also good, their crispy crusts hitting the exact spot to complement the plentiful toppings. There was a wide variety of main courses to choose from too, such as a hearty lamb stew, chicken in spices and a fabulous seafood stew – one of the chef’s specials.

So, certainly no shortage of either choice or inspiration. Though more than sated, a plentiful array of beautifully presented, bite-sized Italian desserts was on full display behind glass in the buffet counter, and we simply could not resist. The tiramisu hit the right note. It was in such a tiny pot that I took the liberty of having another – you see, the old saying is true, there really is always room for dessert. There is a choice of both indoor and outdoor seating at the restaurant.

We observed that there was a family-friendly feel to the place with children comfortably able to roam around and parents taking the chance to find an unstuffy and relaxed place to spend quality family time. And, with an incredible array of dishes on offer, the price of QR169 was great value for money making the start to the weekend affordable as well as fun and satisfying. ✤

GO: CALL 3359 8514 FOR RESERVATIONS AND MORE INFORMATION.