11/10/2026
🆕 🇧🇷 It’s a big call, but I may have found my favourite dish of 2026 🇧🇷 ⭐️
And it’s not what or where you expect.
I’ve been stalking (that’s putting it mildly)Brazilian eatery Panela de Barro for several months as they prepared to open. Through a change of venue and the rest, I was up in their business to the point of harassment.
Why? It’s daring to start a new food business in Qatar without the backing of a big name or hotel. With two Brazilian born chef brothers and their mother at the helm, it was also a bit different for Qatar.
Panela de barro is a Portuguese term that translates literally to "clay pot" or "earthenware pan”. Located in the 900 Park, the centrepiece of the small restaurant is the fogao a lena, or wood fire. Many of us really only know Brazilian food for the churasco, or grilled meats. But I learned pretty quickly yesterday, Brazilian food is rich, diverse, and heavily shaped by a mix of Indigenous, Portuguese, African, and European roots.
So there I was, like the nerd I am, on their soft opening day, ordering half the menu.
At this incarnation, the menu encompasses Brazilian favourites like Coxinha de Mandioca (QR55), a trio of cassava croquettes stuffed with shredded chicken and cream cheese. They are rich, earthy and slightly sweet.
I couldn’t pass up the Ceviche Defumado de Manga e Pêssego (QR49), smoked peach ceviche - this is seafood and meat free and a little surprise. While lacking in the heat I expected, it was bright and fresh.
For the mains, I could have stopped at the Feijoada de Costela na Brasa (QR105). On the menu this is Brazilian black bean feijoada cooked with beef ribs, served with tender charcoal-finished beef rib, seasoned Brazilian rice. The kitchen didn’t have the beef rib, instead I was treated to a hunk of medium rare picanha steak, a worthy replacement. With a spoonful of the toasted cassava flour, it was a hearty treat.
Which brings us to THE dish. Lasanha de Banana da Terra na Brasa (QR85). This translates to plantain lasagne. You read that right. Plantains. In a lasagna. Instead of traditional wheat pasta sheets, layered slices of ripe plantains are used. This version It is typically layered with spiced, shredded beef and melted mozzarella. It sits atop a small ocean of silky parmesan cream, an almost sweet tomato sauce giving some brightness.
It’s such a surprising dish, one that caught me very much off guard in a way I haven’t been for some time, but was also very comforting. The grilled plantain is deeply sweet, caramelized, and tender. This intense sweetness pairs so well with the salty, savory elements - the meat and cheese as well as the smokiness from the grill.
Dish of the year so far? Maybe. I’m certainly still thinking about it.
The kitchen sent out a pudim de coco (QR35), a traditional Brazilian coconut flan, which was a rich, silky egg custard baked over a layer of liquid caramel and infused with coconut milk. My chosen desert was Doce de Abóbora (QR39), literally sweet pumpkin. It’s pumpkin spice season right? It’s slow cooked and topped with sweet cream and Brazilian nut mix, again a combination of the comforting and unexpected.
The restaurant is small, has a bar area (non alcoholic) and a tiny stage for guitar performances (I presume at night) and there is outdoor seating. The 900 Park has plentiful parking and relatively easy to access.
It’s rare I do a review of a venue the day it opens, primarily because it’s not usually a great indictor of the overall offering. Service was clunky but cheerful and informed, the kitchen obviously finding their feet in terms of service and timings.
I do not profess to being an expert in Brazilian food, but I do know flavor and well executed food. Every dish as generous, thoughtful and genuinely delicious.
The details
📌 Panela De Barro
🗺️ 900 Park
⏱️ soft opening for lunch and dinner (link in comments)
💵 from QR80 per person
🍽️ the plantain lasagne is a standout
🍹Brazilian inspired mocktails
📝 there are some veggies dishes but this is all about meat
👩🏼💻This is exactly kind of community/neighborhood restaurant we sorely need in Doha
