Chatkharay Breakfast, Clifton Block 3

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Chatkharay needs no introduction for Karachi dwellers. 

A new branch of the eatery has opened it's doors in Clifton block 3, a stone's throw away from South City Hospital and located right next to Anjarwala's bakery and sweet shop.

Recently, the branch has undergone a much-advertised interior renovation. 

It serves breakfast all days of the week, starting 8 a.m.

You can see that it does look much better inside now. 

They advertise a daily brunch too, which is not a very elaborate affair, but when we arrived a few minutes after 8:00 a.m, there was no sign of the same. 

Better to call them ahead at 021-35874815-7 and ask.

Their menu at a glance. Take a look at the full menu here. 

When the weather gets really hot in Karachi, early morning breakfasts start gaining value over lunch outings (at least for our family), because we try to avoid the scorching midday heat.

Halwa puri standard fare. 

If you want to have halwa puri in an air-conditioned setting early on a weekday morning (and if you don't mind paying a bit extra for this), Chatkharay is a good option.

 The aaloo bhujia and cholay were very mildly spiced, with the puri's made and served fresh. None of us had any major complains.

Unlike that served every morning at Dera (Boat Basin), this aaloo bhujia had no scraps of potato peels in it.

Cheese paratha with cream cheese and chopped veggies inside. 

The red chilli chutney that came along with this paratha was awesome!

 As probably apparent, this was more than adequately filling....enough for 2 people! Leftovers were packed for later.

Pakistani omelet.

This was clearly prepared in haste, and we had to complain to the server that it was served last (even after the stuffed paratha - pictured below -and tea).

Nevertheless, the taste was pretty alright.

I forgot to photograph the mug of freshly blended sweet lassi, which was really good (we went for seconds).  

The doodh patti tea, however, could be easily given a pass (too many bits of cream floating on top of it.....meh).

Verdict: Worth it. Go enjoy an early-bird weekday breakfast before the midday heat sets in. The weather will be mild between 8 and 9 a.m. during the coming summer months.

Just beware: the beggars thronging this area rise early to start their job too. Sigh. :-/

Espresso, Dolmen Mall, Clifton

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

We are all undoubtedly familiar with the local chain of cafe's called Espresso.
Recently, it opened one of its branches in - yawn - where else? Yes, Dolmen City Mall, in Clifton.

 
I admit I've been to Espresso only a few of times up till now, mostly with family or girlfriends, but only for coffee or desserts, never breakfast.

I've been told that "no one does breakfast like Espresso". Really?
So this year, we thought we'd give their breakfast a try, as soon as the current post-Eid shopping lull commenced.
This outlet of Espresso is located a bit deep inside the belly of Dolmen City Mall, i.e. going past Liberty Books on the ground floor (which is located at a tangent across Papparoti), then turning right and walking further down the corridor.

There are no scenic ocean views, sadly, but thankfully, what this branch of Espresso lacks in windows and aerial views, it makes up in the form of natural light coming in through the high skylight above.  

That is, there is nothing above this outlet of Espresso on all the 3 floors of the mall except the distant glass panes of the gigantic skylight.

We decided to visit it as soon as the mall opens on weekdays i.e. around 10 a.m., and as you can see, we were the first ones in. We walked in on a staff meeting, actually. ;)

Truth be told, we do not enjoy eating at noisy, crowded cafes, especially if smokers are present. Whenever I've walked past this outlet of Espresso during "peak" business hours, I found it noisily thronging with people.....and cigarette smoke! [*gag*]

We opted to sit on one of the raised kiosk-type booths visible on the left (which is not such a good idea with small children, as our son stumbled on the narrow step twice!)

Overall, I like the ambiance and 'open plan' interior decor of this branch of Espresso.
It is not at all like the cramped outlets on Zamzama (is it still there?) and The Forum, and much more spacious than the one on main Khayaban-e-Shahbaz. 

My children were mesmerized by the movement of these elevators that constantly went up and down.

FYI, these elevators are located just adjacent to Espresso, and as is obvious from the above photo, are visible from within the cafe, so if you are on the second floor of Dolmen Mall, you can enter these elevators from behind GunSmoke and come directly down here.
Very few mall visitors are hitherto aware of this route of movement.  

A shot of the skylight above. Can you spot a wiper?
Yes, a man was actually standing up there, wiping away the rainwater from the glass panes, much to my children's amazement!

Here is a shot of their main attraction: the coffee drinks menu.
Prices are exclusive of 16% G.S.T (government sales tax). 

I really liked their simply designed, no-frills menu. Very neat and easy to peruse at a glance. 
All breakfast dishes on the menu at Espresso will cut you back roughly Rs 400-500.

The main entrees. I haven't tried any of these yet. 

The desserts and drinks section.

Cheese and Mushroom Omelet - Rs 425 + tax

Cheese, Pepperoni and Onion Omelette - Rs 425 + tax

Waffles with Ice Cream and Maple Syrup - Rs 320 + tax
This vanilla ice cream was just awesome!

Pancakes with Maple Syrup- Rs 295 + tax
I took this photo after my daughter had drizzled some syrup over the fluffy pancakes. You can see the darker patches on them where it was absorbed almost immediately.
Fresh pancake goodness at its warm, gooey best!

A shot of the melted mozzarella cheese oozing out from the omelet. 
The omelets were hardly spiced, to our surprise. You can see from the yellowness of the egg that it has no spices at all!
The desi in me had to generously sprinkle back pepper on top. I guess I should have had the "Pakistani" omelet? :)

Similar shot of the omelet with pepperoni. Delectably laden with cheese, but again, no spices. 
The grilled tomatoes and hash browns incited zero complains.

However, we prefer our omelets browned well in oil until they are golden (instead of yellow). We also like our bran bread (there is a choice of white or bran at the time of ordering) toasted more, until it is very crunchy on the outside.

We also had to order two more toasts to down these massive omelets with, which came quickly at no extra charge.

Tea - Rs 120 + tax.
This had to be sent to be reheated mid-meal, which the staff obliged to do immediately.
It tasted very good sweetened with those cute little brown sugar cubes.

Verdict: We were quite a satisfied lot, alhamdulillah, but I definitely like the omelets at Butler's better. The waffles at Hobnob Cafe are better than the ones here too, in my opinion.

If you like your eggs fried and spiced very rarely, you will probably enjoy the breakfast at Espresso more than I did.

Perhaps one day I will come to Espresso again, to give their main entrees a try, insha'Allah. 

Until then, overpriced breakfasts like these will probably remain the once-in-a-while, occasional treat for us.

Gloria Jean's Coffees, Dolmen Mall, Clifton

In my last post, I talked about the most happening mall that has opened up in K-town: Dolmen Mall, Clifton. It is hands down the most sprawling and spacious mall in the city!

Well, this month, Gloria Jean's Coffees opened up yet another outlet on the upper floor of Dolmen Mall. Pictured above is its main (ground) floor.

 Situated under this picturesque canopy on the ground floor, is an aquamarine colored water body having small gurgling fountains, which adds a nice touch to the overall ambiance.

Result? People, especially children, continually throng its periphery, taking photos and just watching the water bubble.

No surprise that a security guard is always nearby, trying to stop little children from climbing up on the edge of the fountain, lest they fall into it in their excitement!

Can you notice Cinnabon in the distance in the photo above? :)

As you can see, the shops on the upper floor of the mall are yet to start doing business.
Can you guess what that centrally located kiosk visible in the photo above, sells? 

Hint: FroYo (Frozen Yogurt).

Yup, its SNOG!

En route to Gloria Jean's, you will pass the about-to-open outlet of Gun Smoke.

The entrance to Gloria Jean's Coffees is a bit obscure (it is not visible from the ground floor), but once you arrive on the first floor and spot Gun Smoke, you can find it easily.

A few small tables have been placed outside the entrance on the veranda, for those who'd like a view of the lower floor of the mall below whilst dining.

If you walk into Gloria Jean's and wonder why everyone seems to be reading a newspaper, its because their menu is in the shape of one. :)
Nice touch, me thinks! :)
Local Pakistanis are not much into reading, as it is.

The "newspaper" has different "sections". This one details the wraps, sandwiches and steaks.

All-day-available breakfast menu.
What I liked is the article next to the menu that describes the benefits of eating a healthy breakfast! An avid reader and writer like myself awards a big thumbs-up to the menu at Gloria Jean's.

Desserts, enjoyed by most with a caffeine fix.

Coffee menu.
They also have chillers, milkshakes and good ol' desi chai (tea), latte style.

The staff more than welcomed my taking a shot as they prepared an espresso shot (pun unintended).

I like earthen tones in interior decor. The couches, ottomans and sofa chairs add a very cozy, soothing touch to the ambiance.

The wooden walls and floor are reminiscent of walking into a cottage in the hills. :)

As much as possible, I try to never photograph people when I take pictures in eateries.
Nevertheless, I've now learned how to "edit" (smudge out) the faces of any people who come into the photos I take, to respect their privacy.

Overall, I like this outlet of Gloria Jean's much more than the one on Sindhi Muslim.

The best part about it were its huge glass-pane windows that provide a wide view over the Karachi shoreline, allowing diners to gaze out over an as-yet uninhabited area along the sea.
I am sorry I could not capture that view, since we visited this outlet at night.

The delectable desserts, including cheesecakes, Black Forest cakes, chocolate cakes, cookies and tarts. (Refer to the menu above)

Book-lined bookshelves too! I like. :)
Give me a book (or anything else to read) over a television program any day.

There is no dearth of space in this outlet. Nevertheless, expect a long queue at the cashier when you place an order.

The wood-paned walls and tall indoor plants add to the homely atmosphere.

Aussie Chicken Club Sandwich - Rs 415 plus tax

This sandwich came with Cole Slaw, chilli sauce, a generous helping of French Fries.
It was just okay; nothing to write home about. The sandwich and its contents (cold cuts of chicken) were decidedly....um, cold, whereas the fries were hot. Eh?
I would probably not order it again.

Macaroni, Chicken and Cheese - Rs 325 plus tax

Accompanied by a piece of garlic bread, the bowl in which this arrived was quite unique. Its rim was much wider than its center, which was deep.
The quantity looked little at first, but after I dipped the fork in and mixed the gooey potpourri around, it looked like this (below):

Cheesy sauce generously draped the macaroni, which was dotted with cubed chicken, green bell peppers and mushrooms. The portion size was great! I had trouble finishing it off, even though I was ravenous.

The only thing I did not like was that I could taste the rawness of the diced capsicums and onions in the macaroni.

It seemed as if the macaroni had been tossed with cold vegetables and chicken, and topped with hot cheesy sauce.

I prefer pasta that is baked through after all its ingredients are added to it, to ensure that the veggies are cooked, yet crispy.

This differentiates a hot pasta dish from a salad!

Chocolate Fudge Cake slice - Rs 210 plus tax.
Very rich and dense, this cake left the quintessentially bitter taste of pure dark chocolate in the mouth.

The good thing about all-day breakfast items that are found on the menus of cafes all over Karachi nowadays, is that there is a wide array of things that children love to eat that parents can order for them, such as omelets and French Toast.

My children wanted Waffles. However, we were told that waffles were not available. What a downer!

So instead we ordered Blueberry Pancakes.
 



 Blueberry Pancakes - Rs 295 plus tax. The cute little jug contained warm, oozy maple syrup.
 The pancakes were light, fluffy and warm. A hit!

Potato cakes - Rs 50 plus tax - accompanied the pancakes.
These were thinly sliced, square-shaped slivers of potato sandwiched and baked with what tasted like sour or clotted cream in between; I am not sure, though. Whatever the filling was, we liked these potato cakes nevertheless.

Verdict: What the savory fare lacked in taste, the location, comforting ambiance, sprawling view, rustic interior and family atmosphere (expect lots of little ones running up and down the outlet!) made up in overall dining experience.

I will probably return here some day in the future, insha'Allah, to capture the view from the windows; probably in the day time, especially if and when any of my girlfriend(s) from abroad customarily visit during the summer.

FYI: Contact number of Dolmen Mall, Clifton:  021-35294255

UPDATE

I went back soon to capture the view of the sea from the glass pane windows in Gloria Jean's Coffees, Dolmen Mall during the day:

You have to admit that that is one great view!

The management sure was using their brains when they invested in this space of the mall to open a GJC outlet.

During the day, GJC is brimming with lady shoppers and their children; not to mention, young students lounging around with their laptops. There is a constant turnover of customers of all age groups.

The bright light suffuses the entire eatery.
What I like is the family friendly atmosphere. Your kid won't be told off or glared at, by either the staff or the customers, if s/he tries a few typical naughty antics (viz. standing on the couches, pattering across the wooden-floored corridors, or staring at the delectable cake display with their nose plastered flat against the glass, demanding their choice of a cake slice at the top of their voice! *sigh*).

We had some chillers - perfect refreshments for a hot summer afternoon.
From left to right: Chocolate Cake (again!), Mint Chocolate Bomb (small: Rs 245), and Crème Brûlée Chiller (small: Rs 245). The latter both had whipped cream toppings (on request - the servers ask your preference).

The chillers were quite refreshing, with the Mint Chocolate Bomb containing a subtle but not overpowering blend of mint and chocolate (duh?), laced slightly with an undermined taste of coffee. Do pass over the heavy, sweetened whipped cream blob on top if you are counting your calories. [I am not. :)]

On a subsequent visit to Gloria Jeans with friends, more savory lunch items were ordered.
This is Spaghetti Bolognese, for Rs 446
The beefy sauce was everywhere. Extremely filling. For those who avoid red meat, this dish is not for you. :)

Grilled Chicken Sandwich - Rs 455 plus tax

Penne Al Arabiatta - Rs  446

Portion size deserves a thumbs up. The pasta was cooked through and drenched heavily in the sauces.

And now, snaps from a more recent breakfast meeting:

From the all-day breakfast menu: Aussie Omelet - Rs 365 plus tax

Low-fat Frittata - Rs 315 plus tax

Cinnamon French Toast - Rs 215

Jumbo Combo: Garlic Bread, Onion Rings, Buffalo Wings, and Potato Skins, accompanied by 3 kinds of sauces. For Rs 595 plus tax.

All in all we were a satisfied lot after having our food.