Taste Khasab: Top 5 Food & Drink You Need to Try

So, you’re headed to Khasab, Oman, are you? That is awesome! It’s that slice of paradise where the mountains meet the sea in a seriously dramatic fashion. Yet, apart from the incredible scenery, Khasab’s culinary scene seriously deserves some attention. We’re talking unique tastes and genuine Omani flavors that stick with you long after you’ve left. I will run you through the five food and drink experiences you just cannot miss when visiting.

1. Madrouba: A Creamy Rice Delight

First up, there’s Madrouba. Very simply put, that’s like, comfort food elevated to an art form. Imagine rice cooked down to that creamy perfection with chicken, or very occasionally fish, and a bunch of local spices. It really does sound straightforward, but the cooking is quite a patient process – it is like they let the flavors actually meld together over hours. What arrives is like, really soft and fragrant and warming. We found a tiny local place that is overlooking the port and the owner’s mother has seemingly perfected the recipe, which apparently, has been in her family seemingly forever. That initial taste? Absolutely divine!

2. Shuwa: The Ultimate Slow-Cooked Experience

Right, next on our food adventure is Shuwa. Now, if you want to experience something incredibly traditional, then very much this is it. Usually, it is prepared for celebrations and really big family gatherings. Shuwa is, often, a whole lamb or goat which gets marinated in a pretty generous mix of spices and then it gets wrapped in banana leaves, and it’s cooked in that underground oven for, oh, maybe a couple of days! The result? The meat, and it is crazy tender, just melts in that mouth, and there’s just a smoky, earthy thing going on. I got that story from one local, who shared that as a kid he helped prepare Shuwa with that whole community. I am fairly sure he said they start digging at that crack of dawn. The community element, so it’s as meaningful as the actually incredible meal. In the local markets, or even some smaller restaurants, so you’ll often find it, but do call ahead. As you can guess, that takes some serious preparation. Honestly? Worth that effort!

3. Machboos: Aromatic Rice with Meat

And now, let’s check out Machboos, which might be that new go-to rice dish! You know, it involves cooking that spiced rice with some meat – maybe chicken, or lamb – and that key is the blend of the local spices. You are looking at the likes of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and sometimes, those dried lemons add this little tangy touch, I am telling you. Anyway, very different than regular rice! Every single grain soaks in every one of the aromatic spices and it’s super flavorful and comforting. That really works well eaten as a main, and on the side? Well, you need a little yogurt or a little salad just to balance everything. This is, incidentally, one of the foods which seemingly every family apparently does differently, with their slight spice tweaks. Find one version which, very simply put, you find utterly divine.

4. Omani Coffee (Kahwa): A Ritual and a Treat

Ok, now that you’ve eaten so well, then, so you really must experience that local drink. So that would have to be Omani coffee or “Kahwa”. Is that even just about coffee, actually? Oh no, this is an institution. The coffee, often, gets flavored with some cardamom and, very often, rosewater so it is quite fragrant and served in such teeny tiny cups. What you have to know, is that usually, this is served alongside fresh dates, that is quite important. That ritual, by the way, is much more than merely sipping a coffee. Usually, it is an act of respect and an example of the hospitality thing. In many places across Khasab, Kahwa gets served to those visitors as a really great welcome sign, you see. Very simple, you take that small cup, enjoy that aromatic flavors, maybe sample that sweet date, that would be a perfect welcome to this Omani town. One place we actually visited, so it was this simple guesthouse way up that mountain, the old guy greeted us like that every morning with dates and Kahwa, that simple gesture actually set such tone for every single day.

5. Fresh Seafood: Bounty of the Sea

Of course, we need seafood, seeing as Khasab is actually coastal. Anyway, if that ocean calls out to you, you really have to try some seafood dishes over there. That grilled fish, oh, that is prepared with such zesty local spices, but it does actually celebrate such a freshness, and is actually really amazing. Or maybe you like a shrimp dish, like a curry, I am pretty sure it is an ode to the nearby India? Either way, dining is absolutely scenic because plenty of spots are actually overlooking water. As matter of fact, so there’s one waterfront restaurant which is apparently well-known, they will let you select what fish you want straight out of that day’s catch. That is about as fresh, therefore, as dining can possibly be!