Butler's Chocolate Cafe, Dolmen Mall, Clifton

For the authentic chocolate flavor and quite a wide array of breakfast and savory items, Butlers Chocolate Cafe has definitely made its mark in Karachi.

Their first outlet still operates successfully on main Zamzama boulevard, but they are now also doing business in full swing at their new outlet which is on the ground floor of the burgeoning business center, Dolmen Mall Clifton.

Sadly, the outlet resembles more an airport 'thoroughfare' waiting lounge than a cafe, as it is open on 3 sides, with the constant heavy traffic of shoppers and passers-by having a look at what you're eating. Hardly any privacy. 

A furniture store flanks its back side. I must admit that this adds to the overall aesthetics of the ambience. :) 

Ouch. The tables are a bit too close together for comfort. Plus, I am not a big fan of the stiff, uncomfortable chairs in this cafe (which are the same in design as those in the Dolmen Mall Food Court up on the 3rd floor).

This outlet of Butler's is right opposite the debut branch of UK's Debenhams.

For hot chocolate, nothing beats this: Butler's Famous Hot Chocolate - Rs 290

Interestingly, the waiter at this outlet took our order by tapping away on his smartphone! :)

The service was prompt and polite. No complains. 

As for the hot chocolate itself, I can safely say that hitherto I have not found a combination of sugar and chocolate of any kind done as well as Butler's (except perhaps the chocolate cake at Nando's!). In fact, the only reason we visited this outlet in the first place was because of my sudden craving for a hot, chocolate drink (which is thankfully rather rare).

My children love this starter: Mozzarella Cheese Sticks - Rs 370

Those were some massive cheese sticks! Finger-licking good (hot and crisp). 

Although the price is steep, the quantity was worth it. We also enjoyed the sauces that accompanied them.

Chicken and Mushroom Soup - Rs 230

The bowl seems shallow in the picture, but the soup's quantity was good, as was its taste and texture. It was so hot that I had to wait a bit before tasting it. It was creamy and delicious, laced with ample, chunky mushroom slices. 

Here is the total bill of our rather eclectic snack-tryst. 

As you can see, the prices were exclusive of GST (Government Sales Tax). 

Verdict: A good place to hop into if you have a sudden craving for chocolate or coffee whilst shopping at Dolmen Mall. Don't expect any peace and quiet or privacy, though. You'll feel more like you're probably sitting on the platform of a railway/subway station. :P

Butlers Chocolate Cafe, Zamzama

Ireland's Butler's Chocolate Cafe opened its doors on Zamzama during winter last year. Since then it has been doing good business.

It offers chocolate truffles (little round chocolates, shown below), besides the usual edible cafe fare, to its customers who dine in. 

A complimentary chocolate truffle is therefore served here with almost anything you order. 

The interior of the cafe:

Here is a shot from our trip to this cafe when it had just recently opened (notice the crowd, in stark contrast!):

The decor and ambience then seemed more like an a la carte restaurant than a cozy, comfortable cafe. However, now when you visit on a quiet day (such as a weeknight), you can enjoy a calm meal, coffee or dessert.

Here is their menu (sorry, but the flash on my camera did not work for some reason when I was taking these shots):

Breakfast menu

Sweet, foreign breakfast items

Confectionary/bakery items on offer.

Sandwiches.

Cold drinks. As you can see, the prices are the same as any other cafe on Zamzama.

Butler's offers several breakfast combo's.

Their lunch deals nowadays.

Cheese and Mushroom Omelette - Rs 340

This was really yummy! It was accompanied by a crumbed, fried potato cutlet, red beans, butter, strawberry jam, and one quartered slice of bread (I think there should have been two slices).

The melted cheese and mushrooms oozed out of the soft omelette!
Out of this world, and very filling too.

This cute little pot of strawberry jam came with the breakfast. The kids loved it!

French Toast with Maple Syrup - Rs 295
This was quite a disappointment. Couldn't they have thrown in 3 more similar slices for the price charged? The only good part was the high-quality maple syrup.
For a great French Toast breakfast, I'd highly recommend N'ecos' "doorstep-thick" French Toast.  They charge the same price but the quantity is more than double of this.

Tea (2 teabags) - for Rs 160. I just loved the little kettle! The milk was hot and frothy; it made great tea.

Irish Apple Pie with Ice Cream, Rs 200 (we requested local ice cream, as opposed to the Bourbon Ice Cream scoop that they give with this dessert). 

The apple pie was warm to the core, and with ice cream, the combination was superb! :)

Chocolate Muffin, for Rs 220 plus tax

Blueberry Muffin, for Rs 220 plus tax

Both muffins were very fresh, soft and warm when served - an absolutely delightful accompaniment with hot coffee!

Mocha, for Rs 215 plus tax, accompanied by a chocolate truffle. Notice the smiley face and the artful heart-shaped designs on the surface of the coffee? :)

Butler's Hot Chocolate, for Rs 220

Smarties Cookie and a Chocolate Chip Cookie, priced at Rs 100 each. 

The hospitable manager gave my children these cookies 'on the house', and refused to charge us for them when I insisted to pay. 

She also gave them a complimentary chocolate truffle each, as soon as we arrived and placed our order!

Double Chocolate truffle. The chocolate deserves a thumbs-up!

Cappuccino

Babyccino. 

This was just warm, foamy, sweet milk with chocolate shavings on top. 

The kids loved it! 

Butler's Club Sandwich for Rs 385 plus tax. It was really good!

Smoothie for Rs 220 plus tax (I think its name was "Morning Rush")

Traditional Chocolate Milkshake - Rs 300 plus tax

This is a rich and thick chocolate milk shake that will make you dislike any other chocolate milkshake offered by any other place! Enthused with pure chocolate richness, it gives all the other limpid, cocoa- and chocolate-ice-cream based milkshakes a run for their money.

Butler's Signature Sundae - Rs 360 plus tax

A scoop each of vanilla and chocolate ice cream sit atop a moist chocolate cake, topped with a generous blob of whipped cream, a rich chocolate sauce, and chocolate flakes. Another slice of cake is placed on one side. 

Overall verdict: My first experience at this cafe was not so good because it was always very overcrowded in the first few weeks following its inauguration. 

I have been going to it again recently to have coffee/hot chocolate, and I must say that the cafe has sustained its quality and a regular clientele ever since the initial hoopla died down. Sometimes, you might be disappointed when you are informed that an item on the menu is not available or short (as it happened once when we ordered a Chocolate Croissant). 

I think the cafe is an abova-the-ordinary outlet, especially if you love chocolates and would like truffles with whatever you order. :)

Note: For those who care, the cafe claims that the chocolates are halal. The original Butlers website also claims that all its edible products are suitable for vegetarians.