Foodie Findss
$$$ - Expensive, but worth it. $$ - Reasonably priced $ - Budget friendly
Manama, Bahrain
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When craving ribs, steaks or surf & turf I head to The Meat Co. in Adliya's boho chic restaurant district. An upscale, fine dining restaurant with a rooftop lounge that is buzzing during weekends. Relax in the restaurants leather couches, sip on excellent wine paired with generous portions of juicy ribs & fresh caught prawns. Characterized by a relaxing ambience, excellent food and wine & attentive service this steakhouse is sure to satisfy even the most discerning of tastes.
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The menu is varied, & extensive offering seafood, steak, ribs, chargrilled chicken along with vegetarian alternatives. The dishes are excellent in terms of both quantity and flavor.
My favorite items on the menu are the bbq beef ribs, marinated in a special bbq sauce and flame grilled to perfection. The ribs are fall off the bone tender, smoked & crispy. I also recommend the farmhouse chicken topped with cheese sauce, sautéed mushrooms, beef bacon and served on a bed of sautéed spinach. The chicken is tender, & the mushrooms lend sweetness to the dish while the spinach cuts through the heaviness of the cheese. My seafood recommendation is the baked ricotta cheese crusted salmon fillet(top right) with avocado, tomato salsa & tomato chili jam.
I would also suggest the following dishes :-
Entrees
Red Chili Prawns(Succulent gulf prawns pan-fried with garlic, ginger, red chili, lemongrass and cream.)
Salads
Rocket, Apple and Walnut Salad(Fresh rocket leaves drizzled with balsamic dressing, and finished with shavings of aged parmesan, sliced apple and spiced walnuts.)
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Super Aged Meat
American Certified Angus Beef - Petit Fillet
Prime Australian Beef 70 days Grain Fed - Petit Fillet
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Sauces
Blue-Cheese & Vodka
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Seafood
Grilled Giant Prawns(Succulent giant gulf prawns marinated and grilled with garlic, thyme and lemon. Served with coriander lemon rice & chive butter.)
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Calexico First Impressions
Manama, Bahrain
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In paid partnership with Calexico
Calexico is an award winning Mexican street food restaurant, that recently opened in Adliya. The restaurant serves up authentic taco's, quick bites & creative cocktails. Calexico attracts a trendy millennial crowd, & its brightly lit terrace overlooks Adliya's buzzing restaurant scene. Characterized by a vibrating ambience, superior food & wine & friendly service this weekend hangout comes highly recommended.
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The menu is varied, & creative offering Mexican takes on classic cocktails & modern takes on traditional Mexican tacos & tortillas. Though small in quantity, the dishes are bursting with flavor & are reasonably priced.
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Menu highlights include the Baja fish, & crispy chicken tacos(bottom right). The baja fish comes with battered fish, slaw, mango salsa & crack sauce. The chicken taco includes crispy fried chicken, ranch, crack sauce & shredded lettuce in a flour tortilla. Other menu highlights include the Gringo taco with ancho chili beef, lettuce, jack & cheddar, sour cream, pico & crispy tortilla. Also recommended is their Big Kahuna tortilla pizza with slow cooked chipotle lamb, red pepper sauce, pineapple salsa, serrano chili, jack & cheddar & coriander.
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Their white wines are crisp, with floral & citrus notes(pinot grigio top right) that perfectly complement their fish tacos. Cocktail recommendations include their watermelon martini, & their tequila negroni.
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I would also suggest the following dishes:
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Chips, & Dips
Fresh tortilla chips with green salsa.
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Small plates
Elote(Grilled corn, cotija, lime mayo, coriander, chili)
Chicken Wigs(Chipotle glaze, chipotle sauce, pickled veg)
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Tacos
Chipotle Shrimp(slaw, corn & black bean salsa, chipotle dressing)
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Rolled Quesadillas
Chipotle Lamb(Lamb, pickled red onion)
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Manama, Bahrain
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La Vinoteca is home to authentic Catalonian tapas, paellas & some of the best Torres & Chilean wines on the Island. The restaurant has cemented itself as one of the finest, & most popular fine dining destinations in Adliya since its opening in 2015. La Vinoteca attracts a crowd of expats, & Bahraini millennials creating a melting pot of culture over its dinner tables & weekend wine tastings.
The restaurant also hosts an outdoor garden, which is home to La Vinoteca's famous weekend brunch. The ambience is elegant, but casual. The staff is attentive, & super friendly. The food is consistently excellent, & their wines are some of the best I have had in Bahrain.
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The menu features modern Catalonian, & Spanish tapas & paellas. Their wine list is refined, & ranges from Chilean affordable wines to pricey but impeccable Spanish picks. La Vinoteca's
sangria's are rumored to be the best in town. Popular Items on the menu include their patatas bravas tapa(top right). Other tapa recommendations include their home made chorizo(right), & their octopus samosas(right). The restaurant's paellas are created by Executive Chef Joan Gomez, who uses imported Spanish Bomba rice, in-house fish stock with sherry vinegar & an authentic Spanish paella pan to re-create a highly recommended seafood paella. Chef Gomez also hosts occasional Spanish masterclasses in which he discloses his secrets for authentic Catalonian paella's.
From their A' La Carte signature dishes I recommend the corn-fed chicken(bottom right). Perfectly tender chicken is stuffed with pistachios and goats cheese, & served on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. This dish is a perfect medley of sweet & savory, & is reminiscent of Persian & Moroccan cuisines which are famous for fusing saffron, roses, feta & dried fruits into their traditional savory dishes. If that isn't enough motive, La Vinoteca is the only place on the Island that cooks buttered mashed potatoes to perfection A' La Le Codon Bleu.
From their dessert menu I recommend Pa Amb Xocolata', which Chef Gomez will also teach you how to make during his Spanish masterclass(surprisingly easy). Thin slices of crispy bread are served with extra virgin olive oil , dark chocolate mousse & rock salt flakes. The olive oil adds an earthy flavor, & smooth texture to the dish while the salt flakes lend the mousse an elevating kick.
New menu suggestions:
Cold Tapas
Manchebo cheese lollipops.
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Spanish cheese board with pumpkin jam.
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Hot Tapas
Chicken croquettes
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A La Carte Signature Dishes
Polenta crusted safi with hollandaise sauce, and sweet potato puree.
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Salt baked fish
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Desserts
Chocolate hazelut indulgence with orange jelly.
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Also try their newly introduced wine flights.
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Cantina Kahlo First Impressions
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Cantina Kahlo is The Ritz Carlton Hotel's newest restaurant opening offering fine Mexican dining in a colorful, & candlelit ambience. The restaurant's outdoor terrace overlooks the Ritz's private beach, & is the ideal setting for breezy summer night dinners.
Cantina's food is among the best of Mexican offerings on the Island, & so are Cantina's creative takes on classic margarita cocktails. Their service is fast, but could be more attentive & friendly.
For a varied taste of what the restaurant has to offer go for their Antojitos Clientes(bottom right). The dish is served on a butchers board, & offers a variation of beef, chicken & cheese sliders. The latter dish is typically found in traditional street food markets in Mexico.
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Also recommended are their Carnes A La Prrilla(Mexican style grills). I recommend the black tiger prawns served with Mexican rice, scallions, chiles tornados, green salsa, corn esquite & corn tortillas.
Dessert recommendations include their
caramel flan with pecans, & dulce de leche.
As for cocktail recommendations their Cinnamon Margarita(top right)
is innovative, & impeccable.
I would also suggest the following dishes:
Ceviche
Ceviche de cameron(pink shrimp, habanero chili, lime tomato, mango)
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Platos Fuertes(Entrees)
Cabra Enchilada(braised goat shoulder, dried chili sauce lentils, plantain, goat cheese)
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Dessert
Churros(cinnamon churros, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, guava sauce)
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Asia De Cuba First Impressions
Manama, Bahrain
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An eccentric, & refreshingly new addition to Adliya's restaurant scene Asia De Cuba offers up Cuban classic cocktails, ceviches, small platters, oriental salads & woks in a luxurious setting. Though recently opened the restaurant exudes a calm vibe, & the staff are accommodating & knowledgeable. The entrees, & cocktails are expertly prepared & the restaurant is popular among locals of all age groups. Reasonably priced, & offering everything from classic cuban mains to Latin nibbles Asia De Cuba is a new personal favorite for a light, & refreshing weeknight dinner.
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Menu recommendations include their Hamachi(Thai mango salad, rocoto miso vinaigrette), & Tuna(seared foie gras, orange, asian pear, malanga chips, red onion) ceviches. As for cocktails, classic heritage cuban works best. Sip on a Cuba Libre(coke, Cuban rum, lime), or a mojito(Cuban rum, lime, mint, fresh cane sugar). For non-drinkers I recommend the Mariposa Rosa cleanser(hibiscus, watermelon, raspberry), which is pictured above right. From the small platters I recommend the Casabe cakes( guava bbq veal, onion mojo, fresno pepper). As for salads the fire, & ice salad(middle right) is a refreshing mix of watermelon, cucumber, Napa cabbage, sesame, crispy wonton). Another salad that caught my eye is the king crab & Asian pear salad, which is served with toasted coriander vinaigrette, orange & ancho chili.
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From the wok I recommend the spicy coconut lobster sofrito(udon noodles, Thai chili, Asian greens). As for dessert, their best is the tres leches de chocolate with chocolate Szechuan peppercorn ice cream(below right).
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Attic First Impressions
Manama, Bahrain
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Attic opened a month ago in Adliya's block 338 restaurant district, & is the sister restaurant of infamous Meat Co.(best surf, & turf on the island). Attic specializes in premium authentic Greek cuisine. The ambience is classy, but relaxed. The menu is an excellent fusion of premium Greek street food, classic comfort Greek, trendy & creative mezze's along with elaborate mains. The service is fast, & efficient. Though new on the restaurant scene Attic is already a popular pick among expats, & locals alike. Start your three hour dinner with a glass of red from their unique, & extensive collection. Mix, & match their cold & hot Greek mezze's to your liking. I personally recommend their trendy cold octopus carpaccio(thin slices of cooked octopus with caper fruits & yuzu dressing). As for hot mezze's, I recommend the Greek meatballs to the right(cumin spiced beef, & lamb served with tomato salsa & feta cheese). The feta cheese is authentically herbed, sour & salted(reminiscent of the freshly made cheese one would pick up in Greek village markets). Lamb being a sweeter meat lends sweetness to the meatballs, which works perfectly with the sweetened marinara. Greek meatballs differ from their more popular, & pungent Italian rivals. My palette being a lover of sweet, & savory certainly enjoyed them better. My second hot mezze recommendation is the Greek feta cheese pie(with honey, chili & coriander sauce). The pastry is light, & flaky. The honey is of a lighter, & sweeter variety which contrasts the pungent feta well. The chilis are de-seeded, which lends the dish a proportion of spice without overpowering it.
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From the classic Greek menu I recommend the Chicken Gyros. Premium street food is done right with the addition of thinly sliced chicken, pita bread, potato wedges and tzatziki. Attic's Greek moussaka is the epitome of comfort food(layers of potatoes, eggplant, minced meat & béchamel sauce).
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From their luxurious, & elaborate seafood mains I recommend the gnocchi prawns saganaki(prawns cooked in tomato sauce, served with gnocchi and feta cheese). Linguini is my timeless pick on a seafood menu, & Attics Greek lobster linguini is sure to impress. Their linguini is cooked in a tomato flavored lobster bisque, & served with pan seared lobster meat.
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No dinner is complete without dessert, & to finish off these satisfyingly comforting & pleasantly surprising menu recommendations I propose the chocolate fondant with toffee ice cream, & star anise crumble. An indulgent ending to a superb menu. Attic is now cemented among my best fine dining finds on the Island ;)
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Ruka
Manama, Bahrain
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In paid partnership with Ruka
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Ruka is a contemporary Japanese restaurant situated on the 24th floor of Ramee Grand hotel and spa. The restaurant is inspired by world renowned Zuma, and offers a selection of sushi, robata, teppanyaki and ramen accompanied by spectacular views of Manama. Ruka provides both a reasonably priced business lunch, happy hour nibbles and classic cocktails along with my favorite, an elaborate dinner menu with an impressive signature cocktail selection to match.
What distinguishes Ruka from other modern Japanese restaurants is its creative cocktail selection(the best mojitos on the island), along with its unique starters and mains. Take your pick from their extensive signature cocktails, or my favorite.. their mojitos. Ruka mixes up mango, and rosemary mojitos, pineapple and lemongrass mojitos, lychee and ginger all of which are exclusive to Ruka and cannot be found elsewhere on the Island. The restaurant also boasts a bubbles selection, and an elaborate wine cellar with extensive white's and rose's to complement their classic sushi, sashimi and maki selections.
For starters try their mushroom, and chestnut soup or their truffle dumplings. Both of the latter are characteristic of Japanese restaurants in Dubai(like Toko and Zuma), but are new to Bahrain. Classic starter favorites include their salt, and pepper squid with green chili and lime along with their crab soup with spicy miso and soybeans. For mains head for their 5 hour oriental spiced short ribs: braised wagyu beef ribs, chili ketchup and scallions. The latter dish is executed perfectly. The ribs melt in your mouth while simultaneously bursting with flavors of oriental spices, honey, chili and ketchup. The scallions add a welcomed freshness, and crunch to the ribs. Also recommended are their pan seared scallops with Yuzu Kosho Vinaigrette. Recommended desserts include their chocolate, and hazelnut fondant.
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If you are looking for a relaxed, quiet ambience with beautiful skyline views and exceptional, creative Japanese cuisine head to Ruka. Whether you prefer lighter classic Japanese fare, or more adventurous dish creations the restaurant does impress either way while also offering an extensive wine and cocktail selection to satisfy the most discerning of tastes. Ruka is the Island's exceptionally well hidden secret, which makes for the perfect post-work unwinding hotspot.
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Rasoi, Ramee Grand
Manama, Bahrain
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In paid partnership with Rasoi
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Rasoi serves up traditional Indian flavors with a unique, & modern fusion. It is the sister restaurant of Ruka, and displays the same creativity on its menu with dishes to be found nowhere else on the Island. With a live cooking station, ghazal band and emphasis on freshness of ingredients Rasoi offers a unique Indian dining experience.
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Take your pick from their extensive selection of kebabs to start off your meal. Recommended kebabs include the Murgh Malai tikka, perfect for non-spice lovers, the chicken is tender, marinated with cream, yogurt and spices and cooked in a charcoal oven. Also recommended is the Lahsooni Murgh tikka(chicken cubes marinated with greek yogurt and finished with burnt garlic). For fusion lovers head for the sandalwood chicken(chicken breast stuffed with cheese, marinated with fenugreek, rose water and aromatic sandalwood.) Seafood lovers should head for the lobster tandoori, or the crab tikki.
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For mains head straight for the Hariyali murgh makhani(green butter chicken). The restaurant displays creativity on its menu through the latter dish. The makhani is sweetened with honey, and is rich with both butter and cream. It tastes exceptional, and is made different by the use of green as opposed to red tomatoes. With incorporated additions of green onions, capsicum and an ever so mild hint of green chili detectable only as an after taste in your throat this butter chicken is sure to please. Other recommendations for mains include the Dhaniyawala murgh(grilled chicken cooked in a coriander and mint paste).
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For desserts head for the gulab jamun. The chef uses fresh not powdered milk substitutes(khoya), and the gulab jamun is stuffed with noticeably detectable rose petals which elevate the flavor of this traditional dessert far above the rest. For a unique dessert you won't find elsewhere on the island head for the chikoo kulfi. Their kesar rasmalai is delicious, and is perfectly cooling following a spicy meal. If you are visiting the restaurant in winter try the Gajjar Halwa(grated carrot pudding with cardamom, and cloves), which by contrast to the rasmalai is perfectly warming.
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For an authentic, and superior Indian dining experience and a delightfully creative menu head to Rasoi at the Ramee Grand hotel, and spa. Like its sister restaurant Ruka, it is one of Bahrain's best hidden Indian restaurants. With a low-key, and intimate ambience and an exceptionally delicious menu Rasoi is definitely my new favorite Indian find.
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Primavera, The Ritz-Carlton
Manama, Bahrain
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Primavera, also know as 'Trattoria Moderna', offers up traditional, & simple Italian cuisine with focus on fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. The restaurant offers Italian specialities like home-made pasta, ice creams and a Northern Italian white truffle menu not to be missed in October. Primavera also boasts a selection barolo, and barbaresco wines from Alba in Northern Italy, along with a selection of Tuscan and Southern Italian Sangiovese, syrah and merlot. With its changing business lunch menu, friendly service, sunny terrace and its Italian hand painted plates Primavera makes for a sophisticated summer lunch venue.
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The business lunch menu rotates everyday, and offers a variety of cold cuts and home made pastas to start. For mains sea bream, baby chicken, beef steaks and lamb shanks are on offer depending on the day. Italian dessert specialities like tiramisu, home-made ice creams and torta caprese make for the perfect ending to a delicious lunch. The business lunch menu(9.5++) is both reasonably priced, and healthy.
To start try the Vitello Tonnato. Smoked Veal is served with Tuna mayonnaise, and finished with capers. The smoked veal, and tuna mayo make for a delightfully creamy duo that is brightened by the addition of capers. Other starters include the Penne Sorrentina. Penne pasta is made in house, and tossed in tomato sauce, olive oil and salt. The tomatoes are ripe, and pungent and the penne is topped with smoked cheese and fresh basil which makes for a simple but flavorful dish.
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For mains try the tender chicken breast served with buttered mash potatoes, and dressed with veal and beef jus. Also available is the sea bream seasoned with salt, black pepper and pan seared in olive oil. Sea bream is served at its best here with minimal additions, and a squeeze of lemon. The latter dish is a classic example of Mediterranean cuisine, a diet considered by nutritionist to be among the healthiest in the world.
To end try the torta caprese. Moist chocolate, and almond cake is topped with home made vanilla ice cream. The almonds elevate this simple dessert, and the freshly made ice cream gives it a creamy and cooling after taste.
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For traditional, simple and healthy Italian cuisine served in a sunny and sophisticated setting head to Primavera at The Ritz-Carlton. The restaurant makes for the perfect escape from a busy work day, and their healthy dishes, calming ambiance and delicious selection of fine Italian wines will slow you down and leave you feeling rejuvenated.
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Imari, The Domain
Manama, Bahrain
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Imari offers up delicate, and authentic Japanese cuisine in an intimate setting. The restaurant is situated on the 35th floor of The Domain Hotel, and displays bright sea views of the Manama sky line. The restaurant is split into three main areas, a lounge, a bar and a dining area. Imari is the name for Japanese porcelain wares produced in the town of Arita. The porcelains where exported to Europe through the port of Imari during the 17th, and 18th centuries hence the restaurant's name.
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Imari offers both a (very) reasonably priced business lunch, and an extensive dinner menu. We sampled the sushi bento box from the business lunch menu, which includes a small salad, appetizer, hosomaki and nigiri sushi, tempura, sashimi, grilled fish, chicken cutlet, steamed rice, miso soup, pickles and fruits. The business lunch menu also displays the Imari bento box, & the steak bento box(BD 13). Grilled fish, beef, chicken, and sashimi sets are also on offer and include a small salad, sea weed, grilled fish/chicken/beef, small appetizer, steamed rice, miso soup, fruits and pickles(BD 7). Less classic appearances include the Chirashi sushi set, Natto fermented soybeans set and the sashimi tuna and grated Japanese yam rice bowl(BD 9). We also tried the chicken teriyaki set, and for the vegetarians out there Imari also offers a vegetarian set(BD 7). Chicken curry udon noodles, and Soba noodle sets are also on offer(BD 6).
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Imari is an ideal setting for a quick summer lunch. With its bright Manama sea views, & its delicate and healthy Japanese offerings you will find yourself returning to the office feeling light and refreshed.
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