'Anar'- A Lovely Little Cafe opens up at The Wave, Muscat

Word of mouth is one of the most powerful testimonials and I'm firmly convinced that it works beautifully in the food business. Which is exactly why I found myself driving all the way to The Wave, Muscat this morning  because a lady I know had told me about this "great little place" that had just opened up there and since I love to check out new places, this had to be a 'must do' on my list.She was right- it was and I loved it! 

Located just ahead of Costa Coffee  and Shang Thai, it looks cool and pleasant and is done up in the shabby chic style.  The fabrics are primarily in  cottons and linens, with linen being particularly popular. Pure whites, as well as ecrus and worn or bleached pastel colours have been used.The overall appearance 'looks' as well as 'feels' right for a perfect morning out. There are tables as well as sofas and looking around at the customers already seated there, I could see that it's already well on the way to becoming a hot spot for all those who live on that side of town. Currently open from 0900 -1800 hours, the plan is to be able to stay open for longer once all the staff and other misc requirements are in place.

I was lucky to have an opportunity to meet and interact with the cheerful team there and learnt a lot by a little chit chat. Aberrahim Zouda ( centre in pic below) is the Operations in charge, Thomas Mocock is the Head Stand in Chef, while Roland is Pastry chef.

All Smiles- Some of the team members at Anar

My first question was- why 'Anar'? The answer was clear and simple- Anar meaning pomegranate has been chosen as the name of this cafe after a great deal of deliberation.In almost every religion the pomegranate has been used as a symbol of humanity's most fundamental beliefs and desires, life and death, birth and eternal life, fertility and marriage, abundance and prosperity. To the Jews, the pomegranate represents righteousness, to the Christians, it means life and hope of eternal life and to the Chinese, wealth and many sons.

Taking on from that Anar in the context of the restaurant means an abundance-of everything. They encourage all customers to give them feedback, their suggestions for items on the menu with Abderrahim going so far as to tell me that any recipes given by the customers  and approved after a taste test by the team would be put up on their menu with great pride. That's a real opportunity for all aspiring chefs if there ever was one!

A Super Display

On the menu at present is a range of hot and cold beverages, freshly baked breads, tarts, pastries, cookies. They have recently introduced sandwiches and will continue to add items to the menu on a regular basis. 

Just some of the freshly baked goodies

My 'Danish' with a Cappuccino- I loved both!

I hope to make another visit in the near future and have an opportunity to see the chefs at work in the kitchen, so do watch this space for more ..

Cheers!

In the meantime, do yourself and your friends a favour- head to The Wave and check out Anar for yourselves...