“There are a lot of local concepts now,” says Dona Murad. He believes the reason the movement took so long to develop is because Bahraini cuisine is deeply rooted in families. “Each family has their own way of preparing food. This culture was very hospitable, and people didn’t feel the need to go out of their way. They wanted to bring someone into their home and feed them. .”
However, there is one exception: Bahraini tikka. “When you go out to eat, grilled meat marinated in black lime on warm bread is so delicious,” says Dona Murad. “When people come to visit, I first take them to my house to show them how I was fed and grown, but then I always take them out to eat tikka.” Although her go-to spot is Tikka & Kebab Ameen, a no-frills grill restaurant in Manama, Bashmi often takes her guests for tikka at Al Naeem Grills on Muharraq Island, then dines on fresh seafood at Tabriz in seaside Tubli. go eat.
Although it may be well-established on the island, Khaleej cuisine still has a long way to go before it is recognized beyond the region. Bashmi says that on a recent trip to London, she noticed the abundance of Middle Eastern dishes and ingredients on the menu, from labneh to za’atar. “But apart from black lime, Khaleej cuisine has not gone far enough yet,” she insists. “It hasn’t been discovered or understood yet, but that’s what I’m trying to do and what Donna’s trying to do in New York.”
She is excited to share her heritage with the world through food-related events and collaborations. “As a culinary ambassador, I want my food to be presented in its purest form before it is processed in other ways.” For now, Bashmi is happy with her job on the island. However, he is adamant that the next big step is to expand his business overseas. “Now is our time to shine.”
A version of this article was first published Condé Nast Traveler Middle East.