Ipanema serves up Brazil right here in West Bay, at Marriott Marquis City Center Doha Hotel. Sirine Errammach headed there for sights, scents, flavours and a crowd that never stops buzzing.

Ready to swap Qatar for a taste of South America? Step into Ipanema and the illusion is instant. Warm timber floors and low leather chairs anchor us in, while cascades of greenery spill from above, softening the edges. Our eyes catch the walls first: murals streaked in bold colours, graffiti flashing against polished wood, the whole space pulsing with energy.

We also spot carnival flourishes in the corners: feathered headpieces, bright masks, little nudges that remind us this is celebration, even midweek. Then our ears take over. A small stage lights up as the trio of musicians step forward, voices rolling out in harmonies that weave through the room, a soft soundtrack to the night.

We’re swept up in it. Servers weave past our chairs, glasses are clinking, laughter spilling around us. And then it hits: the smell. Smoke, fat, spice. Skewers of beef, chicken, even pineapple turn slowly over flame, fire licking their edges. West Bay already feels a world away.

Curtain Up

Starters, sides and desserts line the buffet, a spread as colourful as it is tempting. The Acarajé is the first mouthful to jolt us awake. These golden fritters arrive crisp and proud, the crust giving way to a soft, almost creamy centre. There’s a rustic weight to them, earthy and filling. And just as we think we’ve had enough of crunchy temptation, along comes the Coxinha de Frango. Tear-shaped parcels of dough, fried until they crackle, open to reveal shredded chicken bound with cream cheese. They’re rich, indulgent, the sort of snack you mean to resist but keep reaching for anyway. 

Beyond the nibbles, the buffet dives straight into Brazil’s soul food. The Escondidinho de Carne Seca is pure comfort: salty strands of dried beef hidden under a manioc (cassava) purée so silky it could outdo mashed potato. It’s rustic and hearty, warming us from the inside out, and we can’t help but go back for another spoonful.

Craving seafood instead? The chef’s got you covered with the Bobó de Camarão. Prawns as plump as thumbs, sweet and tender, swim in a sauce of cassava and coconut milk so thick and velvety it borders on decadent.

Fire On The Table

And yet, that was just the warm-up. The real show kicks off when the grill’s bounty makes its entrance. One by one, the passadores sweep through the room, long steel spits still humming with heat. They weave between diners like dancers in a choreographed routine, knives glinting, curls of smoke rising in their wake. The pace is ours to set. On the table lies a small round card, green on one side, red on the other. The rule couldn’t be clearer: green means ‘bring it on’, red means ‘I am done’. We flip ours to green and, almost instantly, the parade swings our way. 

A towering ribeye (contrafilé) arrives first. The server leans the skewer, blade poised, and carves directly in front of us. The cut drops onto our plates, still sizzling from the grill. Smoky, robust, edged with char, it holds the perfect juiciness at the centre.

Then comes the picanha, Brazil’s undisputed champion. A golden cap of fat crowns the beef, crackling as it falls in slices. The meat yields softly under the knife, the fat dissolving like butter and leaving behind a lush, almost mellow finish. This is churrasco at its best: elemental, primal, completely addictive.

To balance it all, pineapple. Spinning over flame, dusted with cinnamon, it lands steaming and dripping onto the plate. Pure, and utterly irresistible.

The rhythm doesn’t let up and plates keep refilling… Until at last we flip the card. After all, how could we not save room for dessert?

A Sweet Carnival

Past the skewers, the buffet opens up into a riot of colour. Trays of churros still warm from the fryer sit beside bowls of glossy dulce de leche and molten chocolate. Cakes lean temptingly under their caramelised crusts: tres leches dripping with cream, pineapple upside-down still sticky from the pan, torta alemã with its swirls of whipped frosting. Everywhere we look, it’s a whole carnival, only this time for anyone with a sweet tooth.

We don’t even know where to start, so we let instinct lead. First stop: Brigadeiros, the country’s favourite treat. Little chocolate truffles rolled in rainbow sprinkles, bright as confetti. They look playful, almost like something from a children’s party, but the first bite tells another story: dense, fudgy, a little chewy, with all the richness of condensed milk.

Next up, passion fruit steals the show in Mousse de Maracujá: tiny glasses glowing yellow under the lights, capped with a soft layer of cream and the odd berry for contrast. The spoon sinks in with barely any resistance, and the taste lifts straight off the tongue: airy yet sharp, tropical without tipping into syrupy. A good one to reset the palate after all that grill smoke.

Last but far from least, the local take on flan: Pudim de Leite Condensado, wobbling on the plate like it owns the room. Silky yet weighty, dripping caramel, it melts into velvet indulgence, carried by condensed milk’s creamy depth. One spoonful too many, and still we want more. Brazil has us hooked, Ipanema made sure of that. D

GO: CALL 4419 5510 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A BOOKING.