Newsletter Issue 33

The devil is in the detail...

Dear foodies,

Last week I received a promotional SMS (the text deluge is intense right now!) for a high profile venue's Friday brunch. But something was off about it. Firstly, it was long. Secondly, it was wordy. Thirdly, well, I'm pretty sure it was not written by a human.

How did I know this? Well, it was so very generic. Also, phrases like "craft unforgettable memories" and "mesmerizing tunes" also set my Spidey senses on edge.

AI generated content?is everywhere and yes, as a professional writer I am more than a little sensitive about it for obvious reasons.?

After this SMS landed, I had a lazy scroll through my Instagram feed and discovered that several hotels and outlets were, in fact, almost certainly using AI to write their captions.

It's cost effective and fast. Even news sites like?Buzzfeed, faced with slashed budget, have said they will be using AI for some content.

But there is a big difference between a caption, or a quiz about?what kind of taco you are.

What about AI restaurant reviews? This is an activity that by definition is meant to be a reflection of subjective human taste, opinion and and, of course, expression.

As The Guardian's restaurant reviewer, the?great Jay Rayner notes,?ChatGPT can't taste the food nor can it experience the setting and the service.?

And, still being under development, ChatGPT and similar technologies have limitations. It can only draw on data points upon which it was trained which at the moment stop around mid-2021. As a result, it’s not always accurate. Another media outlet's?food reviewer asked an AI bot to write a review of a famed restaurant?and resulted in a review containing dishes that aren't even on the menu.

So what is the way forward? As always, the devil is in the detail.

Cheers, Rachel

Most Overused (and Annoying) Foodie Words?

Now I know you all love food. If you have spent any time on social media in the last few years I also know your feeds?are dominated by an avalanche food posts (and for me, also racoons and dogs in sweaters) from Qatar and beyond. And because of this love of food, we seem to have developed a slightly cringey social media lingo, especially prevalent since the dawn of?ChatGPT.?So what are the most annoying and overused foodie words and phrases in Qatar? Here's my list (and I know, I am guilty of using and abusing these words too) of words and hyperbolic crutches?I'd love to see consigned to history:

Refined?- like sugar? Or Downton Abbey?

Authentic?- is it tho? Is it?

Elegant?- again is it?

Delicious?- rendered meaningless?

Elevated?- like shoes?

Curated?- like a museum?

Sharing concept?- Rachel doesn’t share food?

Artisanal?- is it pottery?

Premium?- you can’t afford it?

Bespoke?- aka expensive and small servings...also?you can't afford it.?

Reimagined?- sequels are never as good as the original (see:?Speed 2;?Jaws, The Revenge)?

Delectable:?the word someone uses when they don't want to write "delicious" again.

Cooked to perfection:?Perfect doesn't mean anything.?

Trendy:?hello, 1977 called and wants its vocabulary back?

Flavor bomb:?stop it. Now.?

Deconstructed:?leave that to?Ashghal

Crafted:?like scrapbooking?

Epicurean: Used by people who don't know what it means. Fight me

Farm to Table: It's Qatar guys.

Sinful:?Food isn't a sin. I'm a lapsed Catholic. I know this stuff.

Guilty pleasure:?See above. I know ALL about guilt and food shouldn't cause it.

Crack:?Crack?is an actual drug. Stop it. Same for addictive. It trivializes addiction.

Rustic:?Ugly.

Scrumptious: went out of fashion with chitty chitty bang bang (IYKYK)

Hand selected: well I’m glad you didn’t use your foot?

Appetising: what are you on about?

Superfood: Don’t make me say it

Droolworthy: gross

Me on a plate: that visual is…

Oven roasted: Correct me if I’m wrong, isn’t that what ovens do?

Cocktail Nights at Ambar, Mandarin Oriental

Foodies, I kind of want to gate keep?Ambar at the Mandarin Oriental,?it’s one of my favorite bars in Doha. But if a place is great, I feel compelled to share. It’s stylish, quiet and discrete and has some of the best bar food in the city.

It also has seriously good cocktails - from the classics through to the more innovative styles. Speaking of classics, their Cocktail nights, which run Sunday to Wednesday are perfect for a catch up with friends or to take the edge off the week.

It’s QR150 for three cocktails plus four very substantial tapas/snacks. The menu of seven cocktails includes a Negroni, a?Vesper martini?(shaken or stirred) and an old fashioned among others.

I’m at the age where the bar snacks are just as important as the drinks so the next part plays to that bias.

The tapas - head straight for the sourdough with Manchego (the lobster croquettes were not available the night we went) but also don’t count out the bowl of piquant padron peppers - charred and almost sweet and nutty.

Ambar is very underrated - perhaps not on everyone’s radar because of the Msheireb location. However, it should be on your rotation - it’s very relaxed, the service excellent and the food five star.

Cocktail Nights at Ambar at Mandarin Oriental

• ?Sunday to Wednesday
• Three Cocktails and four tapas per person for QR150
• From 530pm
• The Negroni is always a winner but also try the Old Fashioned
• remember to bring your QID/Passport for entry

Le Deli Robuchon Opens at Four Seasons Doha

The space on the ground floor of the Four Seasons Doha may have finally found a?permanent concept.?Le Deli Robuchon?has opened in the bright and airy location which opens out to the gardens (which are being revamped). With the deli counter "in the round", the spot has already proven popular. The soft opening menu includes the Instafamous?Le Cube Robuchon?(the vanilla custard filled version was lush) as well sandwiches and pastries (I stan the chorizo and mozzarella stuffed croissant).

When fully launched the menu will include salads and other items. Legendary French chef Jo?l Robuchon, named “Chef of the Century” by?Gault Millau and at one time the holder of the most Michelin stars (an astonishing 32) of any restaurateur in the world, passed away in 2018, but his legacy lives on?with his global empire of restaurants. Prices for the Doha venture are as you would expect for a five star hotel, but this is great for a quick snack or a sweet treat. Get there early as this place is a scene (in the best possible way).