“We hate it when people complain about the lack of restaurants in Oman – there are loads and loads of amazing places in town that people just do not know about, cannot be bothered to check out, or are too uncomfortable to try,” reads the Omani Cuisine’s* website (www.omanicuisine.com), which goes on to assure that it will do the needful in assisting readers on which restaurants to patronise and which to avoid.
The website was originally founded by A Al-Yahyai and R Al-Balushi in December 2006; it is currently written by Yasmeen Al Alawi, a food enthusiast and the creator and owner of Sprout, a health-focused business selling delicious food made with healthy ingredients in Oman.
Following are her tips, suggestions, guidelines and her perspective on topics ranging from where to eat to the general dining out scene in the country.
On Oman’s F & B Horizon
Although the local food and beverage scene in Oman might be deemed by some as trailing the rest of the GCC, I feel that it is continuously evolving in Oman, with new cuisines, new concepts and new restaurants appearing every month. Although there are many big international corporations and franchises that have established themselves as strong players within the industry, we can see that there are many Omani brands that have enjoyed a great amount of success and have established a loyal customer base and following.
On People’s Eating-Out Habits
I would definitely say that there has been growth, and this could be attributed to the increase in disposable income in Oman. Although the downturn in the economy may prompt customers to pursue more affordable options, eating out will grow steadily, in my opinion. Also the emphasis on tourism will lead, in my view, to increasing the number of cuisines and restaurants in the food and beverage industry to satisfy demand. I believe there has also been a gradual shift in the tastes of Omani consumers for healthier food options, as they are becoming more aware of the health benefits of wholesome and organic foods. I have recently launched my own brand, Sprout (Instagram: sprout_oman), serving healthy and wholesome food.
On Savvy and Demanding Diners
I believe the typical Omani customer is savvier and more demanding today in terms of speed of service and delivery options, which may include applications to order food. They prefer quick service and a convenient way of delivery to their homes and businesses. In some cases, they may chose restaurants based on these factors alone.
On Factors Guiding the Selection of a Restaurant
In my opinion, the most important factors that diners consider are food quality and taste, trendiness, which includes having Instagram-worthy food; and food reviews which include recommendations by friends, family and food reviewers.
On Apps and Social Media Reliance
People continuously rely on social media to choose their restaurants, whether it is through friends’ recommendations on various social media platforms, posts via Instagram, local food review websites such as Omani Cuisine, local Facebook food review groups or apps such as Tripadvisor, which ranks Oman’s restaurants and is especially popular with tourists.
On Personal Food Experience
On Personal Food Experience I have tried many of the cuisines Oman has to offer including, but not limited to, Thai, Chinese, Mexican, American, Indian, Omani, Italian, Japanese, Greek, Lebanese, Turkish, Korean, Moroccan, French and Persian cuisines. I’ve been very impressed with the experience I’ve had at many of the restaurants, but I feel that there are clear stand-out restaurants for each cuisine and you really need to know which one to go to in order to enjoy that particular cuisine the most.
On Availability of Choices for Foodies
I would say that people have access to a good variety of different cuisines to enjoy. However, I do wish for a few changes to complete the picture. I lived in Japan for two years when completing my master’s degree. During my time there, I really enjoyed the Japanese restaurants – from the ingredients to the service. When I went to Japanese restaurants in Oman, there wasn’t the same attention to ingredients, freshness, and authentic taste. I wish there were more authentic Japanese restaurants in Oman. In addition, I hope that there are Spanish and Vietnamese restaurants here too.
On Coffee Shops and International Restaurants
I think the best thing about having small coffee shops and top restaurants existing in the same space is that you can have really fresh and delicious food in either venue and be satisfied with your meal and experience. I have had food for one Rial from a coffee shop that is just as delicious as food from any of our top restaurants for ten Rials. This makes great food affordable to all foodies no matter your budget.
*Omani Cuisine is on Instagram @Omanicuisine and account on Facebook under Omani Cuisine