Sway with Pakistani spices at Des Pardes

Now I know that Pakistani restaurants generally share this reputation of un-hygienic and overly spiced food but I as a foodie confirm that the food you eat at a hawker stand is far better than the one you get at fine dining 5 star luxury restaurants. Des Pardes is a small cafeteria kind of place in Oud Mehta and they serve Karachiite cuisine that means coal smoked karhayi with layers of oil on top and crisp naan straight from tandoor.

The staff was so friendly, I had to pinch myself to realize that I am not in Pakistan just yet. We ordered Chicken peshawri karhayi that’s a north frontier delicacy in Pakistan. It is specially delicious because the amount of spices in here are quite low, the meat gives its original flavor in combination with tomatoes.

We also had the galawati kebab curry which was outstanding. The chefs nailed this one as it was packed with bags of flavors and a variety of spices. The kebabs itself were tender.

The chicken biryani wasn’t as good as I was expecting. Perhaps it needed more moisture, the masala was a tad bit dry but even then it tastes pretty decent.

The showstopper for me was the lassi. I have been extremely disappointed of the lassi standards here in Middle East because yogurt blended with sugar is considered as lassi at most of the restaurants. But I grew up having the perfectly proportioned milk and yogurt lassi and I am so glad that I found it at Des Pardes.

The best bit is that these guys are open 24 hours. I highly recommend you enjoy movie night on weekends and hit it to Des Pardes for mouth watering karhayi and grilled kebabs.

October 20, 2019 0

Aromatic cuisine at Al Arz bakery

It is a very popular restaurant and bakery in sharjah and Ajman where they serve outstanding barbecue, shawarmas and a whole lot of other items. They have a huge bakery inside where you can buy freshly baked breads, cookies, marinated meat on skewers, kofta and so much more. The good thing is that every item has an expiry date mentioned on it to make sure that you are consuming fresh foods only.

They have an enormous space with aromatic grilled meat surrounding you once you sit inside. What I admire the most is their pocket friendly prices on the menu. Everything is just super affordable and tasty. Their service is amazing and everything is made inside in the kitchen from breads to meat. Everything!

I tried their chicken and cheese manakeesh which was spot on! Both in terms of flavor and quality. The filling was fantastic and it was served straight from the oven.

I also had their mixed grill platter which is composed of grilled meat, grilled kofta, kebab halabi and chicken kebab along with french fries. It is a pure treat for carnivores as the meat is cooked to perfection, juicy on the inside and charred from the outside.

I highly recommend you visit this place.

January 21, 2019 0

Top 5 Best Shawarma spots in Dubai

Dubai is the hub of some of the best shawarmas mainly because the origin of shawarma is rooted in Middle East. Although the invention of this great goodness of a roll, belongs to Turkey, Arabic world accepted it generously and it’s a signature food item to indulge in while in Middle East. It’s a wrap with turkey, veal, chicken, beef, lamb or even a combination of different meats. We love it because its convenient, quick, healthy, satisfying and the variety is endless. Here, I am listing my favorite shawarma spots in Dubai:

1.Al-Safadi:

Straight out of the rotating cone of meat into your shawarma comes juicy thick shaves of meat along with a mildly flavored mayo sauce and a few jalapenos to tickle your taste buds. Al-safadi in Dubai is very famous for their expertise in Lebanese cuisine and is always crowded with people dining in and others waiting in queue to be seated.

2.Todays Restaurant:

This one is a hidden Dubai shawarma gold spot. Located in Al-Nahda 2, this small place serves amazing shawarma wraps that are drool-worthy. I tried their chicken shawarma (non-spicy) and it I have a vivid memory of those creamy sauces and the double khubuz wrapped around hot grilled chicken shavings.

3.Laffah Restaurant:

Toasted to perfection should be their slogan. Although famous for their non-conventional (uber delish) potato chips; they serve one of the best chicken shawarmas in town. Roll up your sleeves and dive into the crispy, juicy tahina along with their scrumptious garlic sauce dripping session of deliciousness which you have to earn after a long waiting for parking and don’t forget the traffic around this place but hey! Good food doesn’t come easy eh?! P.s They have also opened up in Abu Hail.

4.Shiraz Nights:

A warm and nice little place located in Baniyas square; serves one of the best shawarmas. Their bread is what separates regular shawarmas from the one you get here; meat shavings are packed with bags of flavors and the pickled veggies on the side just add to the entire equation. Parking issues alert!

5.Al-Ijaza Cafeteria:

If you’re looking for a shawarma that fits right in the category of comfort food in UAE, then this is your place my foodie friends. Located near Mercato Mall, Jumeirah; this place serves awesome shawarmas. A quick advice, visit only after sunset hours because they are barely serving anything during the daytime.

December 17, 2018 0

WokBoyz = Wok- Stars

I won’t bore you with bazillion wok puns and get straight to how sizzling the food is served at this place. Its not a proper restaurant and I like it that way, colorful and artistic walls surround the counter where you order your meals. They have two branches as of yet, one in Trade Center and the other in Dubai Internet City. People have been going crazy for their food because when I was here, there were constant phone calls received for orders and the chef definitely needed a break.

Juice up!

The only drink options I could choose from were fresh coconut water, freshly squeezed orange juice and soft drinks. But the good thing was that the juices were actually fresh and not just “labelled” as fresh. I tried the coconut water which was chilled and as refreshing as always. The orange juice was really good and I would recommend you to order that with your meal.

Appetizing appetizers!

I was actually here for just the wok but the appetizers were surprisingly amazing. I tried their vegetable spring rolls, prawn tempura, Sui Mai and Spicy Korean wings (which is actually their signature appetizer). It was so difficult to decide a winner here, but I would go with the spicy Korean wings any day of the year. They were perfectly fried and drenched in an amazing sauce that was balanced so beautifully, it was silky smooth to touch and smoking hot to taste. You better get some of that right now!

Wok like a captain! Eat like a Pirate

Please bear with me as I struggle to find words that will truly represent how much I loved their wok. I chose Indonesian sauce, chicken as my protein, soba noodles, broccoli and snow peas (sad, that you only get to choose two) and spicy level with fried garlic on top.
I think the wok was absolutely smashing, it was exactly how I wanted it to be and all the flavors made me super happy.

The only demerit of my visit to WokBoyz was that they took an hour to serve me this wok because they had so many orders coming in. I hope the next time, it won’t take so long.

Thank you for having me WokBoyz. Your food speaks for itself.

September 29, 2018 0