Chae Lovers take a notice !!!

Last night we have visited a small but unique place for chaye is F7 Islamabad. Yes we are talking about “TANDOORI CHAYE”. Tandoori chaye has become a center of gravity for the chaye lovers of Islamabad. Right middle of F7 which is said to be a very posh area of Islamabad three young boys started making tea with a very unique idea. They prepared the tea in a normal pan and served it in a matki that was heated in a tandoor.

The sitting arrangements are also very unique they placed old stile stools known as “Murha” in Punjabi to sit-in. It was a very nicely presented open air Chaye dhaba which is a fusion of our desi culture and a unique Chaye. It’s a must visit place especially for chaye lovers.

F7 Markaz is a very popular shopping market of Islamabad. People from every sector of Islamabad come here for shopping and they enjoy that special tea. We also witnessed some foreigners sitting over there and enjoying the tea in a desi style. Everybody was enjoying the tea and specially praising the desi theme in a westernized populated area.     

   

Nothing can beat the Swat Shinwari hotel when it comes to the 'Dumba Karahi' (Lamb Karahi). They simply are the best! Swat Shinwari is located on murree road near Murree Express way. The place itself is so comfy surrounded by mountains. Their staff is so welcoming and hospitable. They came 3-4 times to ask if the food is good or not.

When it comes to dhabas you might have this stigma that some dhabas don't offer family dine in or in general are not good for families. Swat Shinwari is here to change that. They have special huts reserved for only families. The dining areas has a very rustic vibe to it due to these special huts.

Best thing about them is that they do live cooking, cut lamb and cook it in front of you according to your taste. Live cooking is bit time consuming. But this delicious food is worth the wait. So if you want to go go their you should have enough time.

Beside ‘Dumba karahi’ We tried their grilled fish & literally it was scrumptious. Perfectly grilled and had no smell at all. Best in the town! Fish was served with Vinegar & chilli sauce making it a perfect combo.

After lamb and fish who can ignore that special 'Peshawari Qeshwa' particularly in these winter nights. Qehwa was served in their traditional pots  with lemon and brown sugar.

Can't wait to try their grilled rack of Lamb 'Dampukhat' on my next visit. Highly Recommended! 

 Dodai Khoray? Wallah many of us, being a semi Desi-Burger generation now a days in this republic nation have not a clue about this word! As it is not in use these days or very seldom.

But let me introduce you with this term. Dodai Khoray is a pure Pashto word which translates into,”Wanna Eat Food?”

Yes! A restaurant in the main heart of Bahria Town Rawalpindi Phase 7 has owned this name. It is located in the food street of Phase7, which is always packed with crowds of people enjoying their quality time having Breakfast dinners, lunch, snacks and what not. Doday Khoray is very next to McDonalds there, where it is easily viewable and accessible for the ones visiting McDonalds as well as visiting the grocery store there in front, “Green Valley”.

Doday Khoray Restaurant s purely based on the culture and food varieties and specialties of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, which holds the north of Pakistan. One will find every kind of Pakhtoon dishes with full exquisite and lavish varieties of food. The interior is packed with Peshawari cultural based handicrafts, designing, sitting area, cutlery and many more.

They serve all kinds of KPK’s special, famous, exquisite, and legendary dishes which range from the tempting Karahi to Special food items all prepared in their traditional processes which includes their key ingredient and flavor that is, Namkeen(Salty).  Most of their dishes are all Namkeen based which adds a wonderful texture and flavor to their savory dishes. In terms, this creates a full imagination and will of enjoying their culture, traditions and at most, their food.

Now let’s venture into their food items in detail,

When it comes to their tempting Karahis, they have Namkeen Lamb, Mutton and chicken karahi, as each of the dishes gives a unique flavor, which hardly any of us can forget. They also serve in simple Lamb, Mutton and Chicken Karahi. For the ones who love less salty food. Why not? So that every one of us can have it with full expectations, esteem and valor.

Now let’s hop into their Prime Shinwari. Shinwari is the main course food in most of the northern regions of Pakistan. Shinwari is almost all based on Lamb and Mutton food dishes. This gives a unique, new and craving flavor to every individual.  The food they offer under this category are Namkeeen Tikka, Juicy Lamb Chops, one of the very few, but flavorsome and excellent dishes up till yet, “Dumpukht”, and a new style of Patta Tikka. Many of you would be wondering that what on earth if this Patta Tikka?

Patta Tikka is actually a dish which comprises of Lamb’s Liver which is coated all around with fat and salt which in turn is roasted on hot burning coal coiled trays. This dish is very tasty as well as a new addition to my food bucket list for sure from now on after having tried it once!.

Well, let’s give a last look, down towards its ending food category which is only based on Specials. In this category of theirs, there are only 3 dishes. One is the most famous dish ever, the legendary Kabuli Pulao. The second dish they offer is the sizzling and juicy Chapli Kebabs.  And the most third most special dish they provide is the most famous dish of Bannu Region, Sohbat. This dish is nearly the same as Kabuli Pulao but having few differences in ingredients except the rest.

Their prices are also somewhat economical, which every family can afford to eat and enjoy.

So if you’re tired of having Burgers, Fries, Biryani, Paratha Rolls, Pizzas etc, and are looking for something new to give an addition to your taste buds, you can find Doday Khoray always warmly welcoming you with its uniqueness and giving a tour of the food culture of our republic’s north! They await you! Just give it a chance and you’ll crave for more next time! Till then, Bye!

Rehan Zaffar

Monal and Islamabad complement each other. Tourists from all across Pakistan go through Islamabad the capital city of Pakistan. Considering the 5th beautiful capital of the world Islamabad has its own significance for the local and international tourists and every tourist that came to Islamabad must visit Monal.

Monal is located at a top of lush green Margalla hills of Islamabad which is known for their beauty, greenery and pleasant weather. Open air sitting arrangement and immaculate view of Islamabad from the top of the peak makes this restaurant more attractive for the people. You can enjoy a pleasant whether, and beautiful view of the city while eating your food. Clean and green environment with pure air filtered through pine trees make you feel like heaven on the earth. The road that goes to Monal gives you a pleasant views of Margalla hills, Faisal mosque and a well-known constitution avenue that has a very important consideration in terms of Pakistani politics. All the basic power corridors of the country like President House, Prime Minister House, Supreme Court and Parliament is located there.       

Monal offers verity of food for its customers. Starting from desi food up to the verity of Italian, Thai, Chines and last but not least the Fast food. Monal is known for its taste in Thai and chines food although the desi food of Monal is very good. People from all across the country and from abroad come to this place to eat their food and enjoy the marvelous view of Margalla hills and Islamabad. Monal offers authentic desi food with wide variety of dishes like BBQ, chicken and Mutton Karahi, Halwa puri, Nihari and lots of more stuff. All the food is properly cooked while meeting all the hygienic standards of the cooking. 

In addition to its main kitchen the Monal have five more live Kitchens where they cook the fresh food according to the desires of the customers. Monal have seven terraces each of them have a different theme and décor which gives you a very soothing effect while you are sitting there. We can say that it’s a must visit place. Everybody should visit Monal at least ones.

New Quetta Alamgir Nashta Hotel (Karachi)

Nothing Beats Pathan ki 'Dhabhay wali Chai"...!!! <3

Whenever I visit to the business bay of Pakistan, Karachi. I do crave for having delicious kinds of Breakfast at those specific small breakfast points. Well have been tried almost a lot of these points there in Karachi, one day, one of my old college friend along the rest of my buddies took us to a new breakfast point. Maybe popular to other, but was new to me. In heart of Bahadurabad, was this small breakfast hotel point. It is run under the Alamgir Welfare Trust which is next to it. This Dhaba served all that I was tempting, thinking and craving for. Lachay Daar Parathas, which cannot be compared to any other hotel’s paratha, Channa Saalan, Sooji ka Halwa and Aloo ki Bhujya. This hotel was surrounded from all corners with a number of citizens from all over the city. Why not? At first it was Sunday, where everyone there in Karachi searches for having Dhaba breakfast in the late mornings of this city. And then obviously when it was already a very popular location to them, it was new to me. But then not very soon after I ordered a LachayDaar Paratha, one plate Channa Saalan, their Sooji ka Halwa and their Aloo ki Bhujya Which roughly cost me around Rs.100.

"Their 'Lachay Daar Paratha's' are Heaven"

Now let’s peek into its taste and specialty. First I tried their Paratha. At its first bite… I was just dumbstruck! Its paratha had a unique, saltish, slight sweet taste, fried in Desi Ghee, having loads of thin crisp layers, thick in size, yes! It was the same like I am describing it to you folks! Although it was pretty small in size, but honestly what I found was that almost 80% of the public there was ordering these parathas in a bulk. Yes that was their specialty. The item behind their daily successful business. The place was filled with families standing by in cars, seats filled; people were just going crazy after its food and their special parathas. And one of the most costly was their parathas. For Obvious! Why not? It was like nothing else.

Well lets come to the rest, then I tasted their Channa Saalan, which tasted well, although a bit spicy but it blended into a great taste when having it with their magical parathas.Then comes their Sooji ka halwa. It was also delicious in taste, in terms pretty sweet and soft like nothing else. I also tried heir Aaloo k Bhujya. This was filled with spicy sliced potatoes, chilies and a super hot Achaar, which would burn one’s mouth! Yes preferable for the ones who love the spice world!

In the last but not least, who can leave Tea? After 3 life essentials, now a days, Tea is kind of fourth essential.

Ending with this, I would heartedly prefer the ones when visiting Karachi, that to give a try to this New Quetta Alamgir Hotel. Seriously, I still can’t forget it parathas while ending this!

See Ya next Time !!!! :')

Rehan Zaffar

Hot n Chilli -

Hot n Chilli restaurant, who would have thought about giving a review on it. Being a local restaurant but with many of its chain branches in the twin cities of Pakistan, it is a local food brand with multiple types of cuisines, filled with various varieties of food. They serve Desi food, Fast food and Chinese. All ranging within a mid economical range of prices, which is easily affordable and to my personal opinion, worth the price. One of the top reasons behin  And last, but not the least, their Fast food, their selective range of burgers are not one of those which can be competed with the rest of the burger chains. Their special zinger and double Decker burgers are so huge in size and tempting that you’ll forget KFC and McDonalds, regardless their native taste.  Honestly, if there was a burger of KFC, McDonalds and HotnChilli’s presented in front of me to choose, I would have definitely chosen the burger of HotnChilli, bigger in size, tastier, and very economical. Just give them a try, and you’ll always turn towards them.

Their current ongoing success are the paratha rolls with 80 kinds of flavors. Whether you choose the tempting malai boti, to bihari, tikka to harra masala chicken, all these flavors give an exquisite taste and flavor to their specialty that are paratha rolls. Their Desi Cuisine is also a must try item. Ranging from the scrumptious Chicken Karahi, to mutton kunna and rest of the beef based dishes to 10 types of Handis which instantly water’s your mouth. They give a real native taste of Desi culture with some extra spice and thick gravy to which everyone hands to grab their hands on it.

Rehan Zaffar

Pakhtoon Zalmi - New in the town!

Pakhtoon Zalmi hotel, a small underground truck hotel, typically based for the labored workers, and for the Pathan community, now not being specific, it is a small Dhaba like hotel which welcomes people from all sects, whether rich or poor, everyone love’s their special Dhaba food. As Dhaba food are famous for their lovely taste all round the Desi community in the South Asia, this small hotel is situated in the outskirts of Rawalpindi, in the heart of Bahria Town Phase7, very next to the PSO Petrol Pump. It is opened at very accessible areas a midpoint for the travelers passing by. But wait! How did I find it to such a deep extent, when even not everyone knows about it! Well being myself a resident in this area, one day I was along my dudes, in search for different food restaurant, having a unique name, unique in food and that w wanted to have something Desi. But, from a new Desi restaurant. Well how can we resist after finding it out all of a sudden, “Pakhtoon Zalmi” which’s name was relatable to the PSL League’s team Peshawar Zalmi. Definitely we ought to try it whatsoever.  What we found was that, they serve in scrumptious, mouth watering and tempting Karahis, Special Handi, Pulao and a special dish of their native area, “Bannu” which is, “Bannu Ka Special Saoubat”.

Now when starting from their ever delicious Karahis, they serve it in all chicken, mutton and beef. In a bulk quantity, lesser in price when compared with the rest brands. Their Karahi is filled with different kinds of mid hot, to extreme hot spices and chilies which makes such a suitable blend with the rest of their ingredients, that one would fell in love with its taste and texture.

Then when we come to their Pulao, it’s all the same like the rest of the pulaos around but with a slight difference in taste, adding up raisins and grated carrot peels. Thus also gives a unique taste in their pulao, By giving a colorful dressing of green mint and coriander. It’s no doubt, a unique pulao of theirs.

Then when we look towards their Special Handi, it Is marvelous in taste, with a thick, creamy gravy, having huge chunks of chicken that fills ones mouth with an excellent flavor and geed of having more of it.

And as that one should not forget that it is actually based to be a Dhaba, they do also deal in serving some typical Dhaba style Tea, the tea which every one of us craves for!

In the end but not least, their top special dish, “Bannu ka Saoubat”, this dish is also somewhat comprised of Pulao, but does contain a thin spicy gravy spread all over the dish, with slices of grilled beef and mutton chunks, which adds up a new emerging taste and flavor to our taste buds. Overall, their food a marvelous, a must try and that very economical in accordance to the quantity.

Rehan Zaffar