Bait Al Bahr — Restaurant in Muscat Governorate

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The comments about this being the best restaurant in the Shangri La is well deserved but I want to add an important caveat here: the comparison partially benefits from quality and focus of the other restaurants in Shangri La and, second, being “the best” restaurant in an area doesn’t mean it is excellent in its own right.

BAB is a good to very good restaurant. It’s best features are it’s location, service and perhaps wine menu.

Omani tuna tartare with green apple features very fresh and beautiful looking tuna in a good dice. The tuna is fresh as you can see from the fish counter. However, the apple is overwhelmed by the over use of shallots / onions and avocado which reduces the dish to a raw tuna and guacamole dish. It could work as a ceviche but this would mean adding citrus acidity, which is missing. It’s a good dish, it’s not brilliant. 3/5

Scallops comes in their shell and then on a bed of ice. This seems misconceived as the scallops are cooked (and therefore hot) then instantly chilled due to a plant pot full of ice brining the temperature down. It is however tasty and cooked well so the centre is still “medium” so there’s technical skill in the kitchen. Some people may not like the sweeter mango salsa that it comes with but we enjoyed it. It could be seasoned a bit more but again it’s tricky because you don’t want to lose the signature sweetness of the scallops to salt or spice in what is already a busy dish 4/5

Catch of the day - main: We opted for the whole cooked catch of the day which we chose as red mullet. My wife wanted it pan fried and filleted so that is what we had. The fish was cooked exceptionally well with crunchy skin and soft fleshy meat. (4/5 - Well done). You can chose two sides and a sauce. We opted for their Boursin mash potato, steamed vegetables and we ordered an extra portion of grilled asparagus. From a presentation perspective, everything but the asparagus, was on the same dish. I suggest they bring the side dishes in actual side dishes but that’s a small point. The potato was silky smooth and creamy (4/5), the steamed vegetables are inconsequential and the portion is very small (2/5) but the asparagus with Parmesan is delicious, crunchy and grilled with a nice charred under taste (4/5). The lemon butter sauce was very well balanced so it was not overly fatty, it was light and a sweet delicate lemon taste - not too acidic (5/5).

Those dishes with high praise but only 4/5 get knocked down 1 because the seasoning is too light. The kitchen should be a little braver with using salt and pepper / cayenne.

Service is super attentive without being smothering.

The wine list is vast - we ordered a Riesling which was very good and stood up to the various flavours in the main course.

Price - look, let’s get real. There are too many reviews here complaining about the price of a 1) seafood restaurant 2) in the Shangri La 3) that serves alcohol 4) facing the sea 5) in Oman which is 6) in the Middle East. If you come from Europe, the US etc, you will pass out at the prices but, guess what, Oman is pricey, seafood is pricey, the Shangri La is not a budget or mid-range hotel. I’ve lived in Dubai for 3+ years at the time of this review and I can confirm the prices here are way more reasonable is this restaurant was in Dubai.

Overall I would come back here again (especially when faced with other restaurants in Shangri La).

#seafood #fish...

Disappointed from service mind !! We always come here every month for this restaurant

But this time you gotta do something We booked a table and we are not hotel guest yes but we are guest ! Stil we asked for BUGGIE car from restaurant reservation to pick us up from lobby at Al husn they denied they said we have to drive down by ourself and walk as we are not hotel guest ! How can you don’t provide when your restaurant is far to walked from many nearest parking for a person who has injured on foot !

On top of that food is general but service mind from your staff is 0 everyone is just ok and the place is not busy only 2 table left for whole restaurants and we are 4 with

They don’t know how to served from main course when we wanted to share food and table is small to put all food we had to give them idea of how to do things which unprofessional and untrained staff to be such as a high dinning restaurant they all stuck and some food splash out from plate during being served.

One small Tall Tan Indian is really impolite the way he put food the way he said ! That the table has really big space ! What kind of sarcasm! And when we asked for bill he brought a bill just we asked for discount and try to show him we are membership of Club mataam he said No discount

You have to pay not even ask what discount or what member you are ! Just pushed the bill straight away

We are thought we were in Shawama shop that the way we deal with him

I don’t feel comfortable with his behavior in every gesture you have to really consider this as we are regular and we are not happy from 0 service mind and the way staff talk for food and atmosphere is always there same but we mind of this staff last one I asked him so what Does a membership card here do !!! We insisted for him that we are eligible on discounts

Really...

If you're in Muscat and looking for an exceptional seafood experience, look no further than Bait Al Bahr at the Shangri-La Oman. From the moment we arrived, we were captivated by the stunning beachfront location, offering breathtaking views of the Arabian Sea.

The ambiance is elegant yet relaxed, with a perfect blend of traditional Omani charm and modern sophistication. The staff were incredibly welcoming and attentive, ensuring our dining experience was nothing short of perfect.

Now, onto the star of the show—the food! The seafood here is incredibly fresh and expertly prepared. We started with the seafood platter, which was a delightful assortment of the freshest oysters, prawns, and mussels. Each bite was a testament to the quality and skill of the chefs.

For the main course, the grilled local Omani fish was a standout—perfectly cooked, tender, and bursting with flavour. Paired with a glass of crisp white wine, it was pure perfection.

To top it all off, the dessert selection was exquisite, with the tropical fruit sorbet being the perfect palate cleanser after a seafood feast.

Overall, Bait Al Bahr offers not just a meal, but an experience. Whether you're a seafood lover or simply looking for a memorable dining experience in Muscat, this is the place to be. We can't wait to return on our next...