Pizza One, Shaheed-e-Millat Road

 I stand guilty as charged. I visited an outlet of Pizza One more than a year ago, and only recently remembered that I have yet to publish the post about that visit on this blog.
I was reminded by Pizza One's prevalent Facebook ads, which made me realize that the business is thriving.

The spacious upper-floor outlet of Pizza One is located in Bahadurabad.

The board is easily visible from main Shaheed-e-Millat road.
The slogan is "Big and Better".

The entrance downstairs leads to a reception area adjacent to their takeaway kiosk, and an indoor waiting area.

Please bear in mind that prices have gone up since this visit of ours to Pizza One last year.
Their contact number is still 021-34321370-4, as visible here, though.

 

Its good for diners who usually eat at comparatively cramped eateries to once in a while enter a restaurant where space is ample.
This lobby on the ground floor leads upstairs to the main dining hall.

A separate party room is located upstairs.

This room was vacant. My guess is that it is reserved for private parties.

This is the main dining hall, complete with a few wall-mounted plasma television sets blaring sports, and a DIY salad bar.
As I said, its very spacious and brightly lit. The decor is pleasant and the ambiance is family-friendly.

No family-friendly eatery comes without a play area that will keep the young ones entertained. 

I really liked the "lapbook"-style menu.

Pizzas are on offer in many different appetizing flavors.

As I said, prices must have gone up by now. But you can see that they are still pretty reasonable.

To find out the latest prices, please click here to view the menu on the official Pizza One Facebook page.

Don't go all "eww" now, because I just had to showcase how clean the washroom was! I can't stand the stinky, filthy washrooms in almost all of Karachi's eateries, including those found in outlets of foreign franchises, such as KFC and Pizza Hut. Very few restaurants manage to keep theirs immaculately clean and properly functioning, even if they start off with a good washroom, so credit must be given where it is due.
Note: one of the cleanest washrooms is found in BBQ Tonite. 

Some new additions to the menu - reminds one of Pizza Hut doesn't it? Gotta keep up with the competition, eh?

Fajita Feast Pizza, regular size, Rs 440
Er, I think they need to replace this baking tray.
The pizza was delectable, though. No complains there.

Regular Tikka Feast Pizza - Rs 440

Verdict: Thumbs up for the spacious and clean outlet, the prompt service and the quality and taste of the pizzas. The little ones had a blast in the play area.

I think its great that there are thriving local pizza businesses in our huge cosmopolitan city that are preventing monopolization by international franchises, if you know what I mean. :)

Would definitely visit Pizza One again, if I have the chance, insha'Allah.

Noorani Kabab House, Shahrah-e-Quaideen, PECHS

Located on the crossing between main Shahrah-e-Quaideen and Khalid Bin Waleed Road in Block 2, PECHS, is a famous BBQ restaurant called Noorani Kabab House. 

As soon as you arrive, the rhythmic sound of kata-kat greets the ears. 

Noorani Kabab House is famous for its kata-kat.

The difference in prices here, from the eateries in the Defence/Clifton area of Karachi, is absolutely astounding!
We know that if you order 4 mutton chops at BBQ Tonite, they cost well over Rs 400! But here they cost just Rs 180.
Notice how they also serve you butter separately if you choose to order some. Yes, this place is definitely not recommended for those who are on a restricted diet, or those who have heart disease. Brain Masala, for example, costs just Rs 240, as shown below. :)

The menu includes many appetizing dishes for meat eaters. 

We decided to eat on the roof, under the open sky, as the weather was very pleasant.

Diners can eat alfresco in the area downstairs as well.

Beef Bihari Kabab for Rs 170. The quantity was more than enough for two adults.

Chicken Kabab (4 per plate), for Rs 150.
Can you believe the economical prices?!
Both kind of kababs tasted out of this world! The chicken kababs were really very tender and mildly spiced. 

My family cannot leave a restaurant after dinner if they spot kheer on the menu, without having it for dessert.
This was a small bowl of Zafrani Kheer, priced at only Rs 50.
It was very creamy and not too sweet; hence, even I had a spoonful or two, despite not being a big fan of kheer.

Our total bill, including two puri paratha's, two chapati's, two soft drinks, and one bowl of zafrani kheer, came to Rs 474. There was no tax. (!)
It is quite amazing how a whole full meal in this joint costs as much as a single main meat entree in the other expensive eateries of Karachi.

Brain Masala priced at Rs 240, photographed on a subsequent visit.
Heart patients and those who have high cholesterol or blood pressure, please avoid this yummy but fat-laden dish!

Mutton Champ Masala for Rs 180.
It is a bit unbelievable that a good mutton dish could cost less than Rs 200 anywhere in Karachi nowadays, what with the crazy price hike driving up meat prices every few weeks.

Puri paratha's, for Rs 25 each. Just the right combination of crispiness and softness.

Noorani Kabab House is definitely on my must-visit-again list of eateries. Wonder what took us so long to visit this place, considering the fact that raving reviews of both Al-Kabab and Al-Ghaffar Kabab House nearby made us visit them promptly, but even though we passed by Noorani Kabab House many times, we didn't consider eating here?

It offers really good value for money, unlike the overpriced meaty fare we usually eat otherwise. The meat is tender and tastes just great!

Al Kabab, Bahadurabad

Anyone who has lived in Karachi and has a penchant for traditional kababs, is probably well aware of the famed kabab house called "Al Kabab" in Bahadurabad.

It is located near this major roundabout known as Bahadurabad Chorangi, which has this mosque (pictured) in the middle of it. Once you reach this chowk, just ask anyone around where Al Kabab is, and they will guide you. It is in the street just behind the Happy Ice Cream and Hav Mor Ice Cream outlets.

Despite being widely known and popular, this is what the eatery looks like in the street. You can easily miss it, since it is tucked away because of its small size. Right opposite it is the vintage bridal-wear house called PLK.

If you squint hard enough, you can view the name Al Kabab in the picture above, at the top. People have to eat in their cars. There is no menu card or table-dining option available. Surprisingly, loyal diners of this eatery are not thwarted by its lack of modern culinary sophistication.

These are the Bihari Kababs that Al Kabab  is famous for. They were moderately spiced and extremely succulent in texture. The best I have ever had! Priced at Rs 90 per plate.

They are accompanied by mildly spiced green raita and raw onions.

Also priced at Rs 90 per plate, this dish is called Kheeree and we couldn't figure out why it has this name or what meat it is made up of. We will pass it next time, as some of the bits were not completely cooked till the core.

Seekh Kababs, also priced at Rs 90 per plate, were tender and great in taste.

Puri parathay were very crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Everything was served piping hot within minutes.

Verdict: Al Kabab is a must-try, if you do not mind eating in your car, with plates balanced precariously on the car's dashboard and your legs. The Bihari Kababs are truly out of this world!