Iftar of the day: Moka Cafe, Rimal Rotana

So many venues go over-the-top with variety and quantity of food on offer in iftar buffets, but the sight of all the untouched leftovers always makes me feel uncomfortable.

This was not the case in Rimal, which has a comparatively small yet substantial buffet.

The harira soup was a perfect start of the meal and it certainly didn't disappoint. After that we tried the starters, where the fattoush was especially tasty and fresh.

For mains, a few Arabic dishes were on offer, like the kebbe bil laban and samkeh harra (spicy fish) and lamb ouzi in addition to kebabs, shish tawouk and chicken Alfredo pasta for those who want a non-Arabic flavour.

The desserts menu was more extensive, with Arabic sweets like baklawa and eish al saraya in addition to a selection of cakes and mousse.

Sometimes smaller is better.