Halima Al Abdul Salam*, entrepreneur, and founder and managing director of ‘Socialize’, a hub for social media influencers in the country, has had an up close and personal experience of dining in most restaurants – both fine dining and casual – in the country as a food connoisseur. She has been a witness to the growing food trends and has been candid about her dining experiences, presenting her followers with suggestions and guidelines to check out the fare in different eateries through her social media handles and her lifestyle blogs.
She is the first Omani Insta-Blogger who started sharing personal experiences along with reviews of products and services on Instagram, where the account’s main focus is movies and foods with personalised hashtags #halima_movies and #halima_dineout. She has won two prestigious awards in her social media conquests for her company Socialize.
In the following interview, she presents her perspective on local cuisines as a food connoisseur and throws the spotlight on the vibrancy that the food industry is currently enjoying.
What sparked your interest in food?
The passion to experience everything new, and also the fact that most of my time was spent out of the house. This meant having my meals on-the-go or dining in, while carrying on with my work schedules.
Would you say social media portals like Instagram have helped popularise the dining out concept? Are diners today more savvy and demanding?
Yes, indeed, and I’m a huge example of that! I am being always invited and requested by restaurants to try them out and share my experience on my social media account, knowing that my followers are always eager to know what’s new in town, specially that my hashtag #halima_dineout is considered as a reference by many when choosing where to eat!
Do people rely on apps and social media while opting to eat out?
Yes, they do. A lot of my Instagram family rely on #halima_dineout when they feel like dining out or ordering something in. By the way, under that hashtag, I not only share my personal reviews on restaurants but also on those home businesses that are specialised in catering food – either desserts, snacks or main courses.
Recent times have seen a big growth in the local food and beverage industry. Do you as a food connoisseur think this is because people are more aware of what is trending in the international market?
Yes, we could say that. Nowadays people love dining out and a lot of locals have been travelling, thus seeing and experiencing international restaurants and cafes. They then decide to bring those concepts to Oman or create their own – either from scratch or look for something that is inspired by the ones they tried.
Omani cuisine, both traditional as well as fusion, is gaining popularity. Is this because more Omanis are getting into the food industry – as chefs, waiters and even as proprietors?
Yes, you are absolutely right. We are currently experiencing a rise of many Omani cuisine concepts, either traditional or fusion ones. I would go so far as to say that since the Omani culture is rich in terms of food and since people are into dining out, why not put our rich food culture on the map too? We deserve to show off what we are amazing at. I personally love, every once in a while, to dine at these Omani restaurants and also invite my foreign friends to it when they visit Oman.
As a food blogger and a food connoisseur, what would you recommend for people wanting to try Omani cuisine?
With no doubt, the Shuwaa and Ursia; and for the desserts, the Omani halwa.
According to you, what are the important factors that most diners consider while selecting a place to eat?
Taste is their top priority. No matter how cool the place is and how friendly the staff are, people would never come back and waste their money on tasteless food.
Any significant dining out experience you would want to share?
The most significant dining experience I have ever had was having breakfast on a helipad – but this wasn’t in Oman; it was in Doha, during the invitation I received to be a guest at the Qatar International Food Festival 2019. But if you want something in Oman, then I would say, I enjoy dining at places that have live bands. It just gives a wonderful atmosphere.
As a food connoisseur any tips and guidelines for diners to maximize their dining our experience?
Never be afraid to try out new restaurants or new dishes. You would never know, you might just fall in love with what you try. Also, you may check other people’s reviews, of those whose taste buds are kind of different from you or the others. But if majority says it’s bad, then I don’t think you should go for it. Also, check reviews on trip advisor, Google or, perhaps, my hashtag on Instagram #halima_dineout.
* Halima Al Abdul Salam’s lifestyle blog is www.HalimaSays.com; Instagram: @halima.alabdulsalam; Twitter: @halima_oman; SnapChat: @halima.oman
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