Eat Out Karachi

The first among the first as far as Chinese restaurant’s are concerned. Jade Garden opened its doors to us Karachites about 15 years ago. Recently though it has been renovated from top to bottom and has reopened to much acclaim.The ambiance is very under the sea with wall to wall built in aquariums and a dim interior. It has an excellent menu of many Chinese varieties with some signature dishes as well. Last time i was there we started off with hot prawn crackers and Thai soup, which is basically a watery blend of lemon and herbs with delicious chunks of chicken mixed in. The owner recommended the schezuan chicken for the main course and he was not far off the mark, it was crunchy it was sizzling and it was gorgeous to look at as well as eat. We also tried the chicken veggy rolls and Mongolian beef with fried rice which were both quite delicious. However to me the best dish was still the old “Manchurian chicken” a fan favorite with Chinese restaurants here in Karachi, no one does this dish better than Jade Garden. As soon as i bit into the first spoonful i was transported back to the days of my teenage hood when we used to pool our money to be able to eat here.

When visiting Karachi or just going out here, do not forget to stop here from time to time, your wallet and taste buds will thank you.

JADE GARDEN
Sea Breeze Heights,

 Fl-2 Khayaban-e-Saadi Block 2,

 Clifton Karachi

 Tel: (92-21) 586-5650, 583-1126

Review by Faisal Kapadia

Chat: call it mix plate, channa papri or dahi bara… Pani puri or the meethi puri or gol gappay- It’s hard to imagine any one  in the city missing on these. They can make any food lover drool!

And if you are one person who’s concerned about hygiene then Chatkharay is the place to be. Located in the well known Khadda Market, near greenwhich stadium, this place is the best for munching on bhel puris, channa papri, dahi baray etc etc. The menu has alo qeema, biryani, haleem, samosa, bolied rice, roti, paratha & the Gulab jamuns that gives one a homely feeling.

Although I only prefer having chat, gol gappay or bhel puri from the place with a couple of hot gulab jamuns, I know people who are fond of its aloo Qeema at lunch and Halwa poori on Sunday mornings (which have recently been started).

Tastefully done interior that will make you feel at home and easy on pocket food served within minutes. A nice place to hangout with friends at evenings.

Located in Clifton, near the beach, I remember it as one of teh oldest Chinese restaurants in the city.There was a time when China Town was also one of the best. But gradually it has failed to keep up with the quality of food it used to offer and lost the trust of food lovers.They must have been steady and served well, unfortunately, no more.

My most recent visit to China Town was a mixed experience. There was a long wait before being seated, although we already had reservations  since we were a group of 30-40 people (an official dinner) and we were early. Finally after getting a place to seat our-self, the food was ordered. There was a variety of soups (Chicken corn, hot and sour and some clear soup), Chicken chill, Vegetable fried rice, and Fried prawns (that tasted too desi!). The food was a local version of Chinese food, that I have been eating at almost all Chinese eat-outs in the town and hence have forgotten how Chinese food really tastes.

Not to forget the time chefs took in desi-sizing the menu of the dishes making us wait long before we saw the glimpse of it on the table. And yes the bill! It was a good amount for all the wait, the not-so-good food and teh not at all satisfying service. I think this is what you have to pay for an over rated place.

Not recommended!

Opened about 6 months ago right next to the Expresso coffee house on Khabane Shahbaz. This Thai restaurant has its own special blend of Thai recipes which are both inspiring and sating to even the hardened Karachite Pallete.

True there are other Thai restaurants in town like Ban Thai and Royal Elephant but what lacks in them is originality. People seem to think that putting a few jade elephant figurines gives the place a Thai look. Well this is the real deal, where you will not only get the Thai atmosphere but original Thai food.

First of all the dishes come in one flavor only “HOT” then the assortment ranges beyond the normal “red curry” “green curry”. There is obviously a reason behind the actual originality. The restaurant is owned by a young couple comprising of “Hina and Abbas” Hina is partially of Thai decent and has literally released every recipe from her mums cookbook in this eatery’s menu.

The last time i was there we started out with “Meing Kham” This do-it-yourself starter requires the diner to stuff salad leaves with a range of condiments including peanut, chilly, onion, dried shrimp and roasted coconut. Then we had some Chicken Satay and the chicken melts in your mouth i kid you not. For our main course we had Thai Red Snapper in a delicious signature sauce. If i was to describe the combination of a fish done to perfection and the herbs and sauces along with it as mind blowing i would be making the understatement of this year.

All this was nothing though compared to the quality of “Thai” beverages available, my personal favorite is the coconut inspired Thai tea, a milky cold brew that has a heady aroma and a soothing effect on your stomach. Perhaps this is why i have about 3 of them every time i go there. Add to this the fact that they have a decent lemon grass sling, prawns wrapped in little sarongs of wanton shells and the end result is really a pallet satisfying Thai eatery to die for and that too at a price below the other two Thai restaurants in town.

Verdict 4.5/5 stars, the extra 0.5 is for the orignality

Location : 29 C Khaban e Shahbaz
Phase 6 D.H.A
Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: (92-21) 535 0771-2

Posted by Faisal Kapadia

The first time I went to T2F, I felt so good I can’t even express the feeling perfectly. They provide you WIFI for free. If you are not with your laptop, you can use Mac-book placed on one of the shelves of the library. Yes, finally a cafe with a library where you can read and even buy books. The walls feature great MEANINGFUL art of youngsters mostly is a great treat. The place has a very modern yet warm feeling. What I love about this cafe is that there is some activity going on, even if there is no event then you have books, internet, people and board games on the tables. Thankfully no couches or sofas to get on the lazy mode because the activities itself are so relaxing. The best thing about the place is that there is nothing artificial or elite about it. It is so intellectually stimulating. By the way, I went there for Mehreen Jabbar’s short film cum feature film promo screening and I had a great time. Met some new people and had a great interaction.

Now coming to the real part, yes the food! It is awesome. I tried Mocha Coffee which was prefect to my taste, not that expensive and very good serving portion in Rs. 80. Then I had a peach cheesecake which was really yummy though it could have been a little sweeter, still Rs. 120 was well spent on it because it was big slice. After having those two items, I was like so much full that I didn’t feel the urge to have anything else.They also have sandwiches, pastas, diverse range of hot and cold coffees, deserts and beverages. The service will get around 3.5 out of 5 and the food 4.5 out of 5. Everything else rocks on 5 out of 5.

Do try this place, especially when some event is going place. Be there at least half an hour before so you can have something and also get a seat because it is so popular that it gets houseful at events.

A good dine-out experience is more than a just a good meal.

The ambiance, the service, the menu and yes, the taste, all put together can either make the experience worth remembering, or it can straight-away strike out the eatery.

There are many cafe’s and restaurants that offer good food and menu, however, there’s got to be that ’special’ experience that will want you keep coming back and recommending the place to others.

Cafe’ Mediterranean offers such a package in an all-appropriate price. Although a bit top of the lot price structure, the cafe’ offers excellent ambiance, nice music, quick and attentive service and a filling meal that you’re sure to remember. Located at Zamzama amidst many a dine-out options, the cafe’ will quickly win your vote as being one of the upcoming best around!

I went there on our 1.5th anniversary and we had a memorable candle-lit dinner which will definitely be remembered.

A must recommended place to visit for good food, generous helpings and attentive service.

(from Farrukh Ahmed)

by Jamal Ashiqain

Cluttered between the narrow streets of Zamzama, are countless cafés so finding a cupper or a snack shouldn’t be too difficult but reality is a bit darker. Not every face situated in the posh locality can boast about it’s quality servings, actually they all do but in reality only some deliver quality they make their climes for.

Café Ciao is one of such coffee shops which delivers not only a perfect cupper every time but their rest of the menu items too are testaments of their high standards in quality. The environment of the café, the décor and the their friendly staff adds to the present experience of being at ciao. Their Cookies, cheeses cake and coffee latté are the best of their kind you will find in the whole of Karachi.

So the next time if you are anywhere in near Clifton and craving for a fine cupper or something to snack on you know café Ciao will be there to serve you the finest coffee and snakes to satisfy your cravings.

If you love steaks then Arizona Grill is a place you must check out.

There are two outlets of Arizona Grill. One of main Zamzama Blvd and other on main Shaheed-e-Millat Road. There is no difference of quality between the two outlets (unlike other restaurants where one branch serves better food than other).

Like I said, the place is famous for steaks. There is ample choice of chicken and beef steaks, with flavour to match your taste. Mix it up with the steak sauce and other dressings, and you will not forget the treat.

But if you are into steaks, you still can have sandwiches, pasta, mexican and so on. They have a good selection of deserts as well. Starters included chicken wings and chicken stripes, which almost fills up your belly. So whatever your taste is, you will enjoy the food at Arizona Grill.

The main course is around 400 rupees, add starters and drinks and you are looking at 600 rupees per person. But even at that price you will not be disappointed because their serving size is big enough to satisfy a horse.

Gellato Affair is one of the best places for desert in Karachi. The two outlets, one at Karsaz Road and other off 26th Street DHA, serve a verity of ice-cream sundaes, cakes, waffles, shakes, coffee, juices and cocktails. There is so much variety in each category that you can try something new every-time and still have a plenty of options after several visits. Now that’s what I call choice!

But it’s not only about options and choices. They maintain quality as well. First off, they have same standard no matter which outlet you are eating at. Unlike other eating places, the quality of food doesn’t degrade if you happen to go to a outlet outside defence/zamzama/clifton area.

Next, the staff is as friendly in Defence as in Karsaz. Matter of fact, I have seen same faces at both branches which kind of makes me wonder how do they manage to have same staff at both locations, I know it’s a dumb question as the answer lies in shifting the staff between the two locations. Nevertheless, I was quite intrigued by the similarity in service level at both its locations, which is a rare thing in Karachi.

Talking about food, I have tried at least one item from each category, and they are all great. From Sundaes to Cocktails, everything is worth trying. You are bound to find something in the menu that would suit your sweet tooth, and make you come back again and again.

Rating: 5/5

By Umar Siddiqi

Located off main Mohammad Ali Society food street, more reknowned as where Kaybees is, Paneera Fast Food is a delightful experience in itself. Set all alone, with no other restaurants surrounding it and very low foot traffic, one wonders how this restaurant even does business here?! Yet, its been around for almost two years and has created quite a bit of a following in the city. The restaurant hosts two seating areas, one inside and one outside, featuring metal frame furniture which makes the atmosphere seem almost official. The walls are done in light reddish tone, with yellow lighting which make the experience all the more cozy.
So whats so special about paneera then? What every restaurant hopes to have, yet few can master! Good food! The menu hosts a variety of cuisines from Pizza’s to English, Italian, Chineese and our very own desi continental. The standard serving size is for two people, and when the food arrives, it can usually serve upto 3 people easily. To date, i’ve sampled almost 3/4th of their huge menu, and apart from one experience, i have’nt regretted a single choice. The food is absolutely to DIE for!!! every dish is prepared right then and there, which accounts for a *long* wait time. They usually take about half hour to serve even the smallest order, but when it does finally arrive.. the wait seems worth it. Oh! and one thing to start up with, which is my favourite item there! Green fries!!! Its something of a cross between a pakora and a fry with the result being too good for words!!Definately a must try!

SB-2, Shop#4, KDA Scheme#1
Mirran Shah Road, M.Ali Society,
4384743, 4383661-2

Outdoor Services available
Guaranteed Delivery on Time.

Guest Post By Mansoor Adenwalla.
Picture by Unaiza Nasim