Eat This Lahore Has Moved

I should have pointed this out a while ago.

We've shifted to Posterous and the new blog can be found at : http://eatthislhr.posterous.com

Thank You!

Zulfi Burger (Snack Review)

Zulfi Burger has become the place I go when I want to stress-eat. Or when I have no money. Or when I’m craving a delicious Chicken Cheese Shaami Anda* burger with the dirty ketchup. Yes everyone, you read that right. It’s got:

a) Chicken

b) Cheese

c) Shaami

d) Andaa

e) Accompaniment with dirty ketchup

Five delicious ingredients that bring confusion and disgust when mentioned in the same sentence but come together to bring joy and happiness to those who consume it.

I strongly suggest that the next time you’re really hungry and want something desi to eat, head on over to Main Market and look specifically for “Zulfi Burger” and ask for their Chicken Cheese Shaami Anda burger. Don’t try to look for it on the menu. Just ask for it with an air of confidence. They’ll know what you want.

*An Amir Rashid creation.

Maya - Tex Mex Grill

I work very close to Maya and I have been seeing it for a little while now. While the sign for the restaurant had been up for a while, they only opened doors a couple of weeks ago. I’m quite pleased about the recent addition of Salsa and Maya to the list of restaurants. It’s about time Lahore got some decent Mexican places because I really feel that our desi palette is suited for this kind of food. That being said, I do believe that Mexican food is best served in a fast food setting but Maya is definitely a good start.

First Impressions

When you walk into the place you’re greeted with lots of smiling waiters, which is always appreciated. You can tell that the owners have really worked on the interior, which is nicely done up. I also found the music to be quite nice and well suited to the ambiance (Although this isn’t something I ever pay attention to, it seemed to stand out at Maya). If you do venture out to the place, I suggest choosing the corner table which would be on your right as you walk in. It looks like a cozy spot, much like the restaurant itself.

The Food

They first served us some kind of zeera(cumin) biscuits with a dipping sauce which would be the equivalent of bread and butter elsewhere. This pre-appetizer was interesting, to say the least. It tasted alright but I want to give them points for a bit of creativity on their part.

We tried out their nachos which was decent. The corn chips that they use were really very good but I felt that they could have used a bit more cheese and definitely some more salsa. Guacamole would have been a welcome extra.

For our entrees, we just stuck to their Taco Stand menu. However, they have a wide variety of steakhouse-style entrees that include premium steaks. Additionally, their seafood menu looked really good. They have something on the menu called “Red Snapper with Mango Sauce” which sounds like it would be pretty nice.

We tried out the Macho Burrito and the Coyote Quesadillas. Catchy names, I know. The burrito is spicy and has both chicken and beef along with beans, rice and salsa. I thought the burrito was not too bad but it could be improved if they put in less meat and more rice. The quesadillas were standard chicken and cheese quesadillas and tasted just fine.

The entrees come with Baja Coleslaw and a side of your choice. We chose the creamed spinach and refried beans, both of which tasted a little desi but enjoyable nonetheless.

Our dessert was the cheesecake, which looked like it was upside down. Even though I am a big fan of cheesecakes, this one was not well made at all. I strongly suggest you stay clear of it.

Conclusion

All in all, the restaurant has a nice welcoming feel to it. The quality of the food is only decent but I like that Maya adds to the variety and options that we have available to us. I do think they can improve on their food by bringing in different types of salsa to augment their entrees. I would love for them to be able to offer guacamole, even if it is for a premium price.

I would definitely recommend going to Maya if you’re in the mood to try something different. It will definitely make for an interesting night out.

Food : 6.5 / 10

Service : 9 / 10

Pricing : Rs. 500-700

Hotel One

39/A2, Mian Mahmood Kasuri Road
Gulberg III, Lahore

View Larger Map

Serial Cerealist

I've been getting quite passionate about my cereals as of late so I thought I would take it as an opportunity to talk about some amazing cereals available here.

As a kid, I was quite picky about what cereal I ate. The only ones that seemed to please my taste buds were Coco Pops (I refuse to call them Cocoa Krispies) and Chocos (I think they have a new name as well now). I despised Frosties and never understood what people liked so much about Lucky Charms.

Recently, in an attempt to be just a little healthier, I tried out some of the 'adult' cereals. At first, I was hesitant to venture out of Kellogg territory, but the unbelievable boring cereals of Corn Flakes and Special K family forced me to see what Post had to offer. What I discovered was this amazing and surprisingly healthy cereal that makes me look forward to getting up in the morning (seriously).

What I'm talking about is Post Selects range of cereals. In partiuclar, I am referring to the Banana Nut Crunch flavour. Now I don't really understand how to describe a cereal, but I can tell you that it doesn't get soggy, the texture is really good and it has an awesome banana taste that reminds me of banana bread. According to the Post website, they're supposed to be "Delicious...and nutritious too!. I believe them. Also, the cereal box says that it has lots of fiber and a lot of TV commercials have told me that fiber is good for you. I believe them too.

So if you're bored of your cereal or you want something to make your mornings a little interesting, I suggest you head over to Al-Fatah and pick up a box of your choice of Post Selects (Other flavors include Blueberry Morning and Maple Pecan Crunch).

Snack Review : Fresh Pizza at Rahat Bakery

Go to Cantt.

Drive around until you find the service lane that goes into Rahat Bakery.

Park your car.

Walk into Rahat Bakery and go all the way down to the makeshift pizza station.

Order a slice.

Eat.

Order another slice.

Repeat until you realize that you should have just bought an entire pizza.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think it's safe to say that I'm crazy about Rahat Bakery's fresh pizza. It's the kind of pizza you want to have when you're incredibly hungry and only the most fattening of foods can satisfy you.

The pizza tastes like a desier version of Pizza Hut. I understand that this might not sound very appetizing considering how desi Pizza Hut already is, but Rahat Bakery's definitely done a good job.

I really like the fact that you can get slices and don't have to buy an entire pizza. I really hope this trend catches on here, because there's nothing like having a slice of pizza on the go.

Pricing : 75 per slice

St. John Building, Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Road

Cantt

042-36671412 (They also deliver)

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