With reporting from Nada Badawi

The Hyatt Plaza branch of fried chicken chain KFC and the popular family eatery Petra in Al Muntazah have been been temporarily shut down for violating Qatar’s food laws.

They are among 10 restaurants, cafeterias and takeaways that ministry officials have censured over the past eight days.

According to the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), inspectors found that the eateries were dirty, had moldy food or were storing spoiled/past expiration products.

Additionally, a mini-market in Ruwais was partially closed for having food that was unfit for consumption.

The MME posted a photograph on its website of Logic Hypermarket that showed a bag of mozzarella cheese with blue mold.

Expired foods

The KFC branch in Hyatt Plaza mall in Al Waab was shut on Tuesday, Oct. 4 for seven days for selling expired food.

The MME published images of packaged chicken in a fridge that was several days past its use-by date, according to the sticker on the plastic covering.

On the same day, Petra restaurant on Rawdat Al Khail St. in Al Muntazah (near Holiday Villa) was ordered to close for 10 days.

It had also been selling expired food and was found to have unsanitary food preparation conditions, the ministry said.

The popular Arabic restaurant has seven branches across Doha and serves shwarma, sandwiches and grilled meats.

Two other restaurants were order to shut on Oct. 4. Rokn Al Sham restaurant in al Wakrah, which serves kebabs and grilled meat, was served a seven-day closure notice for food unfit for consumption.

Meanwhile, Indian restaurant Lakbima in Najma was closed for 30 days for unhygienic conditions.

Garden Village

Another go-to for Indian food that was shut by inspectors is The Garden Village in Bin Omran, near TV roundabout.

It was closed for 30 days on Sept. 28 for having expired and spoiled foods that were unfit for consumption, the ministry said.

Four other food outlets were also shut that day:

• Royal Restaurant in Umm Ghuwailina, which was shut for two weeks for spoiled foods and unhygienic conditions;
• Indian/Chinese eatery Al Raihan Restaurant in the Old Airport area, which was also closed for 14 days for expired food;
• Three Peppers takeaway, also in Old Airport. This Chinese/Tex-Mex outlet was found to have unhygienic conditions and shut for 14 days; and
• The Bin Omran branch of Fast & Fine cafeteria, which sells budget-friendly Chinese and Filipino food. It was closed for 30 days for unhygienic conditions.

Finally, a branch of the cafeteria Tea World in Al Hilal was closed on Sept. 28 for seven days, after being found with unhygienic conditions. It has since reopened, a member of staff told Doha News.

Enforcement power

Revisions to Qatar’s food law in 2014 gave inspectors from the MME enhanced authority as tougher measures were imposed on all outlets selling or handling food.

This includes the ability to conduct spot checks on food establishments, fine them and close them for up to two months.

The MME can also “name and shame” violators on its website – although this is currently only done in Arabic.

A total of 18 outlets were closed down in September for violations of this law.

Do you frequent any of these restaurants? Thoughts?