Paniniz (Quick Review)

Paniniz is a nice fast-foodish place to pop in for some good chow. While they clearly advertise their paninis to be their primary product, I have to say that their pizzas are also worth a try.

I’ve tried a few of their paninis but the best one by far is their Formagio in which they use Halloumi cheese. Now I had never heard of Halloumi cheese but Google tells me that it’s a Middle Eastern cheese and I can tell you that it tastes a bit like chicken and that it’s really good. The only thing I do not like or understand is their need to put cucumbers in their paninis. They really don’t mix. Ask them not to put in cucumbers, please.

They do take away, delivery and if you so desire you can go sit and eat there as well but don’t expect any kind of exquisite décor. It’s just a room with chairs and sofas. The staff, however, is very friendly.

I only heard about this place in Defence a few months ago, but apparently it has been around for some time in Johar Town. Clearly it’s been doing well if they are expanding. I definitely recommend this place if you want a quick snack that’s not too heavy on your wallet.

Address: DHA Phase IV-37 CCA Block.

Phone #: 042-35694253

Lahore, Pakistan

Luciano's

After reading about Luciano’s in the papers, I wasn’t too keen on trying it out. All the talk of the heavy socialite attendance and the crazy unique furniture gave me the impression that the restaurant wasn’t focused on the food. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The food at Luciano’s was different, creative and I thoroughly enjoyed my entire experience there. In fact, I think Iwill go as far as to say that my dinner was the best dining experience I’ve had in Lahore.

First Impressions

The obvious first impression: Everything is white. When I got past how white the restaurant was, I noticed that Luciano’s is a small and cozy place. There are only about ten tables and the dim lighting makes it an excellent setting for a nice intimate dinner. They have a small outdoor section overlooking Kasuri road with seating for about five people which is perfect for the winter months. I would have loved to sit there but it was already taken. There is also a bar in the corner where you can sit and have coffee or even lunch, I imagine. Luciano’s is probably the only restaurant in Lahore that I would call a romantic place.

The Food

First things first; I have to talk about the pre-meal bread. They served us warm dinner rolls with a creamy salted butter which were an excellent start to an excellent meal.

We then ordered the Prawn Stuffed Jalapenos* and the Shrimp and Avocado Mille Feuille for appetizers. The jalapenos were decent but a little too spicy for my taste. The shrimp and avocado was accompanied with a French pastry called Mille Feuille and a mustard sauce that tasted a bit like mulligatawny soup. This might be an odd description but the appetizer was simply amazing. It was definitely the highlight of my meal.

Our main course was the Beef Tenderloin Steak and an entrée called the Chicken Tower. While I didn’t order their Wagyu Beef specialty, the quality of the meat was still very good. One thing I particularly want to point out is how well made the beef was. My medium rare steak was a little cooked on the outside and nearly rare on the inside and the amalgamation was just perfect.

I was not too impressed with the Chicken Tower. It was essentially several layers of chicken, turkey, tomatoes, cucumbers and then some other ingredients that I couldn’t identify all piled up. There was just too much going on.

For dessert, we went with the Chocolate Molten Cake. I won’t go into too much detail because it was just a very good chocolate molten cake and there’s not much more to be said about it.

Conclusion

I highly recommend Luciano’s for its food and the atmosphere. I will post more about Luciano’s lunch menu when I get to try it out. In the meanwhile, make a plan with your respective other or a few close friends and make sure you call them in advance to book the patio table.

*I lost the notes I made on my Blackberry so the names might not be entirely correct

Food : 8 / 10

Service : 7 / 10

Pricing : 700 – 1000 per head

39/A2, Mian Mahmood Kasuri Road
Gulberg III
Tel: 042-37069461