Oman Restaurants

1. Kurkum

Steps away from the Mutrah souk, overlooking the sea, this fine-dining restaurant stands in sharp contrast to the cheap tourist-trap cafés that otherwise line Al Bahri Road. The interior is filled with crisp white banquets, though the scattering of outdoor tables offer the best vantage point for watching an interesting mix of tourists and the elderly Omani locals who still reside in the maze-like neighborhood just behind the shops. You will pay top dollar for the excellent service at this quiet oasis, which is owned by a member of the royal family, but you'll also get a welcome reprieve from the hustle and bustle of old Muscat. The food is "Omanized" Indian, meaning that it is much less piquant, and incorporates rich coconut milk into many of the curries. The seafood is excellent, from the grilled hamour tikka (grilled fish) to the luxurious prawn curry, but it is the attentive touches, like complimentary welcome mocktails and amuse-bouche, that really set the experience apart.