Maraheb

The Arabic restaurant basks in a golden glow, illuminating its traditional décor with exquisite chandeliers hung over dinning booths, secluded by gold crafted dividers. I recommend you try their housespecial, Rainbow Hummus served with side-line of breads. It arrives in four flavours (and colours!) flavoured in roasted capsicum, spicy blend, beetroot and the original. Taste and texture of each hummus assortment was unique – my favourite being green, capsicum-roasted which had a subtle smoky flavour to it, an instant hit with us. We also loved muluawah bread, a huge piece of flatbread to be shared between the diners. Maraheb’s quintessential special and it is famed for is the Hanith and Mandi Meats – presented in a tray, emanating hunger-inducing aroma of steamed, spice-fragrant Yemeni rice. The Hanith meat in ribs was tendered well with its perfectly-flavoured meat falling off the bones. Two assortments of flavoured rich in the dish complimented the meat well and dipping into its accompanying sauces further tweaked the flavour.

Location: Alamgir Road, CP & Berar Society, Sharfabad, Karachi, Pakistan
Average cost for 2: Rs 2500 to 3000

Kanteen

Express Kanteen by Khaadi has become a haven for pani puri and chaat lovers, and this time with no qualms about hygiene matters. Everything on the menu is priced under Rs 1000, with the ‘street chaats’, ‘small plates’ and ‘buns and more’ ranging from an affordable Rs 250 to 350. To our delight pani puri arrive as shots here! Mini shots filled with khata, imli ka pani topped with crispy puris – scrumptious! Another must-try from small plates; the special mix chaat was amazing – yummy channay, spicy condiments and masala set our soul (which were craving some spice) on fire. There is a lot to explore under the Lazeez Khanay section – till now I managed to try two and those were absolute winners. Tawa Chicken is also a favourite – spiced in yoghurt and topped with green condiments like coriander and green chili pair well with hot romali roti. Don’t miss out on Daal Chawal – Kanteen serves its lentils with side-lines of fried bhindi, shami kebab, papri and green chutney. It was a classic hit on the table; well-balanced spices with a smokey flavour to it, courtesy of a spicy tarka, making for delicious morsels with rice.

Location: Com 3, Block 6, Scheme 5, Clifton Karachi, Pakistan
Average cost for 2: Rs 1000 to 1200 approx

Tau’s

The restaurant offers local delicacies like varieties of BBQ and karahi, and some popular items like BBQ rolls, naan with different fillings and types of fries. I tried their Cheese and Kebab Naans – very soft, piping-hot and had a delicious filling of cheese and well-marinated seekh kebab, each. I will make a special mention of their finger-licking chutney, a mix between sour imli and acidic red, garlic one, with a kick of spice in it. The naans and chutney are a meal on their own! I went for Handi Biryani, Beef Bihari Kebab and Paneer Reshmi Chicken. Biryani-in-a-handi concept is a good way to make a menu-staple look and sound exciting. I particularly like this biryani because it wasn’t too hot and laden with spices like others offer – the chicken used is boneless and the spices are kept simple and tasty, to the point that even kids can enjoy it. Wrapped in a foil came the Bihar Kebab; they were soft and well-seasoned and delicious. The star of the meal was undoubt-edly the Paneer Reshmi Handi; creamy and mildly spicy, the boneless chicken dish came sizzling to the table and did more than satisfy everyone.

Location: C- 18 Saba Avenue, D.H.A PHASE 6 Karachi, Pakistan
Average cost for 2: Rs 1500 to 2000

Biryani of the Seas

It is said, the quest for best ever biryani finally ends when you come to Biryani of the Seas.. As the name suggests, BOTS offer seafood biryani amongst other sea-caught delicacies. I tried Prawn Tempura which were equal parts crispy and flavoured. In my past experience with fried prawns, I was always put off with them either over-fried or hardened because of thick batter, but these golden gems were delectable. My verdict on the Signature Spicy Prawn Biryani: Best I had in a long while Every ingredient, to the long-grained rice, the size, freshness and flavour of the prawns and aroma had me satiated and yearning for more. Usually with prawn or fish biryani, two things can be underwhelming – the lingering stench of seafood or the quantity of meat-to-rice ratio. BOTS fared well in both. The huge chunk of masala Red Snapper fish was another star of their menu and had my tongue seething with spice. The soft flesh melts in your mouth on first bite and you find joy in the fact that you don’t have to be wary of any spikes.

Location: PSO House Prince Complex, Clifton Karachi, Pakistan
Avergae cost: Rs 1800 to 2000 approx