Qatar is an amazing vacation destination with a spectacular gastronomic scene. But, even the best places for grand dining experiences have their own mishaps--such as one restaurant which closed down after a rodent was found cooked alongside their dishes.
According to The Peninsula Qatar, an anonymous tipper sent photos to the Al-Rayan Ministry of Municipality and Environment of the Colombo Restaurant located in Meisaimeer what appears to be a "small animal" cooked with a deep-fried dish. The animal closely resembles a small mouse, which the photograph could not make clearer.
The Ministry said the Sri Lankan and South Indian food restaurant would be closed for two months for "serving unhygienic food" to customers. The Ministry's announcement had circulated in social media with Qatar's Twitter crying for a complete shutdown and possibly imprisoning the owners instead of just a 60-day suspension. People have also praised the Ministry for their quick response.
According to Doha News, many reviewers from popular restaurant booking sites noted the Colombo's lack of cleanliness. The news website cited Zomato reviewers giving the restaurant a score of 2.7/5.
The Ministry intends to close down Colombo and 15 other restaurants temporarily for food violations last February with most having only 15-30 days for having expired food, hygiene violations and a disregard for conventions in food defrosting and cleaning -- such as the Hot Pot Restaurant in Umm Salal for using cooking trays to defrost their chicken.
Despite the setbacks of these violators, Qatar's culinary scene is exemplary -- just look at these top 10 restaurants recommended by The Telegraph UK. This includes the French Mediterranean haute cuisine using Arabic spices in Idam, and steakhouse Anvil Rooms.
