The Perfect Sehri and Iftar Deals in Islamabad 2019

Ramadan is the month of Blessings in terms of Forgiveness of Allah, and Barakat especially Iftar. Iftar and Suhoor are the two times when our tables get filled with the scrumptious foods, also in these two times we celebrate the togetherness with the people we love. In Islam, it is considered a good deed to break the fast of someone by giving him/her food. To achieve this aim, we plan gatherings at our favorite restaurants for Suhoor and iftar. We cherish the best food from our favorite eateries. To make it easier, we have compiled the iftar and Sehri deals of notable restaurants for you, so that the Ramadan Deals could be availed by you. Here are the details of deals of your favorite eateries. Enjoy!

·        Khoka Khola

Iftar Deal for one Person is of PKR. 695 + Tax

4 types of Pakoras, Papri Aalu Chaat, Fruit Chaat, Lobia chana chaat, Dahi Bhallay, Stuffed dates, Peach Iced Tea and Rooh Afza

·        Mindanos

Sehri Platter for one Person is of PKR 899

Including: French toast, Cheese omlette, Pakistani Omlette, Baked beans, sausages, khagina, Aloo qeema, Murgh Channay, Aloo bhujiya, dahi, Halwa, Paratha, Naan, water bottle, Tea/Lassi/Green Tea

·        Mirchi 360

Sehri Deal for one person is of PKR 499 + tax; 12 Dishes

Iftar cum dinner is of PKR 849+tax: 35+ items

·        The Monal

Iftar cum Dinner is of PKR 1695+tax: 35 + items

Sehri Buffet is of PKR 1095 + tax: 30 + items

·        Khiva

Iftar cum dinner is of PKR 1299 : 35+ items

Sehri Buffet is of PKR 699+ tax : more than 30 items

The above deals are quite affordable as well as worthy with respect to taste and quality. Stay in touch for more deals for Sehri and iftari.

Mexican steak by t-cafe

We friends wanted to give surprise to a very close friend of ours and for that we decided to arrange a birthday surprise at T-Café in F-7 markaz. As I was in university my other friend arranged everything for our friend including cake and the decorations etc. the place is on the second floor and in the main markaz having literally so much competition.

We all went there as I have never been there so I didn’t know about it at all. The place is really small with limited seating inside and a few tables outside. The place had glass windows so you can have few of markaz from there. Anyways later we found out that the friend whose birthday we were celebrating really like the food of that place because of its food and service.

We all celebrated the birthday first and then ordered our food whatever we wanted to have. i was really hungry to wanted to have some main course the waiter told me that their steaks are very good and a must try so I ordered Mexican steak for me with mint margarita. The order of all of us came on time and was accurate. The food was honestly so yummy. The steak was so good in taste and serving as well. The steak was very well cooked and as I was expecting from the place’s look that the food will be below average it turned out to be really good. While on the other hand mint margaritas were a big no as they were pathetic and not actually mint margaritas it was something else. But if someone want to have good Mexican steak at a reasonable price they can try this place as there steak is really good and yummy.

  

Remanence...with not so good food 

A few months back it was my colleague’s birthday and she invited us all to a really fancy place, Remanence. It is situated in Beverly center blue area Islamabad. Beverly center is the hub of very fine dining places and have a lot of good restaurants there so basically Remanence has a lot of competition.

I had never been here so of course I didn’t know about it at all but I was pretty excited as I have this thing to try new food places. I checked its review online and on Facebook as well and with the reviews and pictures of food I made up my mind that it will be a really good place. So on a Sunday evening we all gathered up there for her birthday treat. Despite being Sunday there was not much rush in the restaurant and few people were present. The restaurant is in basement and has only one floor with not so much seating space inside. The good thing about it was it had open seating area as well as a separate smoking area with few tables for the people who like to have a smoke with friends etc. The smoking area was separated with glass doors and was at a corner. The ambiance of restaurant was very classy with good color combination not so bright but subtle; it gave the image of a fine dining place.

We all sat and waiters presented us with menu card. Honestly, as a steak lover I went straight to the steak corner in the menu and with the help of the waiter I selected Mexican steak. Our order came on time and it was really hot and fresh. Service was excellent and so was order accuracy. The food was not that good as I had expected. It was average not so good not so bad. Same goes for drinks as well. Mint margarita was average too. The price didn’t justify the taste of food. It was a good experience company wise but not at all good one as food wise. I never went there again and don’t want to go there either because I didn’t like the food. They should improve their food quality more as they are pretty good in other things like service, atmosphere and ambiance etc.

New Yorker Pizza- Best in Town

About few months ago as our semester was ending so we friends wanted to go out for some celebrations and have something good. A friend of mine previously suggested me a pizza place that its pizza is really good but when I tried it I didn’t like it all. So the same friend suggested me to go to New Yorker’s pizza in F-8 sector. I was very reluctant to go there as I didn’t like the last pizza place she recommended but as she insisted we went to New Yorker’s pizza in F-8.

It is in the basement floor and there is no restaurant near it, the place is basically not in the markaz so it was pretty dark there, with near to no traffic. Anyways I didn’t want to come at first place and all these things were adding to my decision that it was right not to come here. We all went down to its seating hall and seriously there are only 6 tables there, it’s very small with limited seating space. The graffiti on walls were pretty good actually and colorful but the lighting was very poor.

We placed our order of our choice as it depends on you what flavor or veggies you want and also you can split pizza in two flavors so we did that as well. They serve the pizza in square shape which fantasied us and we ordered it in square shape. After 20 minutes the pizza came and it was so big which I didn’t expected at all. It was thin crust and looked yummy. It’s one of the best pizzas I have tried in Islamabad, for me no pizza has surpassed New Yorker up till now. The pizza made up to all the flaws this place has and I went there several of times again but new Yorker has to change its service standards and improve their place as it does has impact on customer experience. The pizza is amazing and I recommend one must try it.

Nandos Peri Bites – A must for Spice Lovers

Peri Bites is the treat of Nandos. People Love Nandos for its chicken dishes and they took it to the next level due to their peri-peri sauces. This sauce is also present at all the grocery stores all over the world, but what makes it different is the special recipes that Nandos offer with the perfect spice of peri-peri sauce. As, I have given you reviews on many restaurants, why not to give you a recipe that is quite easy to make at your homes without spending a hefty amount on it. What I didn’t like at Nandos is the price that they charge on particular dishes that are no-doubt tasty but not worth of the food quantity and quality. Why to spend money if we can make these peri-peri bites at home. Peri-Peri Bites are the Green chilies filled with the peri-basted chicken and cheese with a crispy coating. It seems easy, but it takes time to make. Here is the recipe for Peri-Peri Bites that you can try in this holy month of Ramadan and Thanks me later!

Ingredients:

·         Chicken chunks

·         Peri-Peri sauce

·         Mayonnaise

·         Milk

·         Grated Cheese (Cheddar and Mozzarella)

·         8-10 Green Chilies (Thick and approx. 3 inches in length)

·         Egg white

·         Flour

·         Salt and Pepper

·         Bread Crumbs

·         Milk

·         Cooking Oil

·         Syringe with a needle removed

Method:

1.     Take the chicken and cut into the manageable chunks to stuff into the chilly. Cut the chunks accordingly. Take a Pan pour cooking oil and peri-peri sauce along with the chicken chunks and fry until it gets tender.

2.   Take another pan and pour milk and grated cheese (Both cheddar and Mozzarella) and cook it till the texture is smooth, then add mayonnaise to this cheese mixture and make it thicker. After that pour the mixture into the syringe, so that mixture can be filled to the chilies later.

3.     Now, cut the chilies from the middle, in a way that seeds can be removed without cutting the surface of the chilly so that when chicken and mixture is added, it would not be dropped. Insert chicken chunks in the chilies plus the cheese mixture with syringe to every chilly. After doing this task, put these chilies in the fridge for one hour so that the whole mixture stays firm in the chilies.

4.     Mix the egg white in a bowl, add some salt and pepper in it and add some flour. Then dip those chilies in this mixture for coat. Roll all the chilies into the bread crumbs, dip in a milk and again roll in the bread crumbs for thick coating.

5.     Stay these coated chilies in the fridge for again 15 minutes so that the coating can settle properly

6.     Now Fry these Peri-Peri bites in hot oil until they get golden in color.

7.     Your Peri- Peri Bites are ready. Serve them with your favorite’s sauces, ketchup, Peri-Peri sauce

Above pasted picture is my effort of Peri-Peri Bites, although its not in the best of its form. But I’m sure you can make better than me. Do try in this holy month, as we have already got tired of eating the same dishes every day. This recipe could be your escape for today.

Alo Paratha By Chaaye Khana

If you are looking for a place which has best food in good price with a nice seating place, chaaye khana would be on top of the list. Chaaye khana has opened its many outlets throughout the country and as I have been to a few of them, there is no difference in their services. No matter which city you go in to the staff will be humble and kind to you, ready to give you exceptional service.

Recently I visited chaaye khana, F-11 Islamabad. That sector does not have much traffic like other sectors and is in developing phase but it does have pretty nice restaurants in it, chaaye khana is one of them. As I had previously visited their branch in F-7 I had the idea of their services and their food but as it is more near to my home I wanted to try this one. So I and my mother went to this new one. It’s on the first floor of the building with adequate parking space outside.

As soon as we reached, a staff member greeted us and led us to a table. The place is not as bigger as their branch in F-7 but it has reasonable seating area. The environment was very cozy with light music giving it a soothing effect. As I really like alo paratha I wanted to order it without looking for anything else. The staff took our order and suggested us that if we want to read something some books are available at the book shelf. The shelf had not just English novels but urdu ones as well. A cultural touch impressed me that we are this place is connected to our roots and encouraging it as well.

Our ordered was served within the time and it was hot and fresh. Alo paratha was goldenish in color and had chutni raita with it as well. The size of paratha totally justified the price. It was yummy without a doubt it exceeded by expectations as previously I didn’t order anything desi and this was my first desi item in chaaye khana. They also gave butter with the paratha as a complementary item. Everything was excellent from taste to service to ambiance, everything complimented each other. My experience at chaaye khana was extra ordinary and I would really recommend it to other people as not just their tea or desi items are good there are menu items are good too, giving major competition to other restaurants. It’s a must go place for everyone.

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How to Stay Hydrated and Energetic in Ramadan Kareem?

Ramazan ul Mubarak is all about to improve oneself spiritually through charity, good deeds, fasting, Zikr and Praying to Almighty. In this Holy Month, we need more and more time and energy to serve in Ibadah while fasting in the day. But this becomes a difficult task to make, as our energies get low, we feel dizzy very often, also the dehydration make us vulnerable for serious health risks. Water is an integral part of the body, but it is also forgotten about in Ramadan. Our tables generally are decorated with plenty of fried things, and we forgot to take water and didn’t pay attention to its necessity for body. Also, we Pakistanis are fond of Aalu Pakoras, Veggies Pakoras, and many other self-taught dishes of pakoras. The most common mistake we make is, we jump in to the jug of Water or other drinks and finish it in one or two minutes, and we think the water requirement of today is completed. But this is actually a misconception. Here are the few tips for us to stay hydrated plus energetic in Ramadan!

1.     Instead of Chugging water in one go, Divide water intake in parts

Take water at iftar time, while starting and in between the meal. Offer your maghrib namaz and then take 1 or two glasses of water. Most of the people go for Traweeh namaz in Ramadan, those people should take bottle of water with them and drink it in the little breaks between Traweeh. Till the Suhoor, the effort of getting more water should be continued. One must drink 8-10 Glasses of water throughout the evening time.

2.     Avoid Spicy Food

Eating meals high in spices and salts result is urge of more water, it increases the body need for water hence making a person thirsty the whole day. One needs to avoid such food while Fasting to stay hydrated all day.

3.     Energize yourself with Fruits

Fruits are rich in water and Fiber which are helpful in maintaining hydration level of body as well as the mineral requirement. Fruits are considered as a full meal with all the nutrients inside. If we investigate the water content of this summer’s fruits such as watermelon and melon (92 % of water), we will be surprised that these fruits are everything that our body needs in this Ramadan of summers.

May this Ramadan be ladder for Self-betterment for all of us. Ameen

ASIAN WOK- A Case of Remarkable Service

Asian wok is located at prime location of Islamabad in Beverley Centre where few but most lovable Food places are already present such as Khoka Khola, Remanence, Bun Burry club, Burning Brownie and Karamel Crunch. Amid well-known restaurants, Asian Woke managed to build its own repute by giving best services to customers. I heard about this Chinese Restaurant from my instructor when we were having conversations about best Chinese restaurant in Islamabad and he rated Asian Wok the best among all in terms of quality and price. The moment a person step in this amazing Restaurant, the experience says it all. Asian Wok is the Endeavor of Monal Group, like the uniqueness of Monal they have made this Thai and Chinese Restaurant equally enjoyable experience. Their Menu highlights the specialties of Chinese and Thai Dishes which further stemmed into starters, Soups, Desserts and Beverages.

Before I made an order, A waiter comes to me and my friend and asked if we liked the outdoor place and served us the complementary Fish Crackers and Mint Margarita, which are not only free but good in taste. Majority restaurants if serve complementary food, are not good in taste like the main deal. But Asian woke maintained the quality which we like a lot. We sat in outdoor place where waterfall like ambiance is fabricated. Luckily, the weather was also pleasant and the whole visit glorified. After some time, the rain started, and the rain water came into the place where we were sitting, immediately waiter came and gave us alternate seating. Also, waiter gave us option of sitting in the indoor. We have witnessed how quick and efficient the staff service was. People got alternative seats in no time with their hot meal served in the respective tables.

Then we placed the order of Chicken Cashew nut and Fried Rice from the Chinese Cuisine. The waiter took the order and promised to serve in 15-20 minutes. Soon after 15 minutes our order came. The meal was served sweltering hot, so it advised not to jump right in, as the bowls are served with the burners to keep the meal hot if we finish it completely. The Chicken Cashew nut was crunchy, balanced pepper and salt and delicious in taste. The Fried Rice were also well cooked. The food was light for tummy but enough for four persons, although the meal was for two people due to the large serving. The presentation of food was quite appetizing.

Overall, the presentation was remarkable. The staff at Asian Woke was courteous and efficient in the service. They make time for every customer and asked if anything more is needed or not. Every food item served was piping hot and the ambiance is comfortable and splendid. The price of our order rounds up to PKR 1900, and still left for takeaway. In the end, we were served with the complimentary Green Teas. The amalgamation of Taste, Quality and Hospitality is what makes Asian Wok the best option for dine-in in Islamabad. Whosoever comes in Islamabad, this Thai and Chinese Restaurant is highly recommended to visit at.

Rating: 9.5/10

Bun kabab By McDonald's…A flop idea!!!

A few months ago McDonald’s launched a new item in their menu, Bun Kabab.  Basically it’s the same as andey wala burger is but McDonald’s wanted to present it differently so for that it also gave free sprite with it to get customer attraction and also serve it in newspaper like cover to give it a more authentic desi and traditional look.

My friends and I were going to northern areas so on our way we stopped at McDonald’s Abbottabad. The place was so clean and staff was friendly giving the major McDonald’s vibe no matter of the place where it was built. The staff pleasantly offered us to try their new item which was Bun Kabab and as I haven’t tried it so I ordered one for me.

The Bun Kabab was loaded with chutney and also chutney was served separately as well just like we can find at any local vendor. McDonald’s is trying to experiment with different desi products like previously they introduced chicken Chapli Kabab burger and as it was a hit and people liked it so they made it a permanent in their menu.

Bun Kabab is not much liked by people as it is not have the authentic taste of Andey wala burger and it costs ways more than local ones. One benefit it has is that it is being served in neater manner and as McDonald’s has open door policy so people may trust it more than local ones but when it comes to food people are very particular about their taste and also hygiene. So, for me Bun kabab was a total waste of money and I didn’t enjoy it as I expected. I would not recommend it to people as it is neither good in taste nor in monetary value. The word “lajawab” with Bun Kabab was not very much fulfilling the idea as it was no good except it was only served in hygienic manner.

Jalapeno steak of Howdy

Recently my friend lost a bet we had on a thing so she offered me to take me out somewhere nice to eat and as I was very excited about winning I wanted to go to a really nice place. As I am a huge fan of steaks I searched about steaks in Islamabad and to my surprise howdy came up. I have been to howdy several times and tried their range of burgers but steak was a new one.

So as we were only two friends we decided to go to somewhere more pleasant and ended up going to howdy in F-7 markaz. The place was really cool it had indoor as well as outdoors. We walked in and the place was really well managed. They have this unique theme of farm and everything was in that style. You can take pictures in different style hats and not only that their staff and crew members had the supporting uniforms with the theme.

We preferred to sit by the window as the view was very peaceful and soothing. The waiters presented us with menu cards and as I was trying the steak for the first time I asked for some suggestion from the manager and he gave me suggestion of jalapeno steak. So I ordered one, after few minutes our ordered was served fresh and well-cooked as well as well presented. To my surprise it was the best steak I had in long time. The quality and quantity completed justifies the price. Steak was served with choices of mashed potato or fries and also saute vegetables. It was a wonderful experience. It’s definitely on my go to list every time I want to hang out and have good meal. I totally loved it and would really recommend it to others. Shout out to howdy and its yummiest chicken jalapeno steak.