Yuan Tung Chinese Restaurant, PECHS

Located in a side lane off main Tariq Road in PECHS Block 2 is a quaint, vintage Chinese Restaurant housed in a bungalow, known as Yuan Tung. 

The entrance to the side lane in which this restaurant is located, is directly opposite the huge, distinguishable English Boot House outlet located on main Tariq Road.

The placard outside the restaurant bears its name. 

I suppose the real, "authentic" Chinese restaurants also print their names in the native language! 

The entrance to the restaurant. Notice the Chinese-style architecture.

The address and phone number is printed on the menu.

Most of the main a la carte entrees are priced between Rs 300 and Rs 600. They serve 2~3 people.

Notice how the menu is also printed in Chinese, side by side?

We ordered item #16: Chicken Chillies with Vegetable. 

The Chow Mien and Chinese Rice menu. They also have some egg dish called Foo Yoong.

Beef, prawn and fish entrees. Notice the standardization of the prices of all. 

  

This part of their menu lists the more special/exotic type of dishes offered by the restaurant. Squid?! :) Eeek.

The ambience is a mix of traditional Pakistani, combined with the typical red-lighted Chinese decor. 

The red-and-white checkered tablecloths remind one of an American diner. 

Yuan Tung Hot & Sour Soup, priced at Rs 360

The quantity is enough for 3~4 people!

Chicken Chillies with Vegetable for Rs 360.

The vegetables were tender yet crispy-crunchy; just right!

Prawn Fried Rice priced at Rs 380

Chicken and Prawn Chow Mien, priced at Rs 420

This was out of this world!

All entree's were more than enough for two hungry adults, each. We had to have leftovers parceled. 

 

The bill. Rs 100 was charged for two soft drinks @ Rs 50 each.

  

The total bill was reasonable compared to the extremely good quality and quantity of all the food! We love dining at Yuan Tung. In fact, it is an old family favorite.

There is another Chinese restaurant right across the road, called Little China. It is also housed in a similar bungalow.

Verdict: As I said, the absolutely unparalleled, authentic Chinese taste of all the dishes we have had to date at Yuan Tung make it a family favorite, especially during winter, when we often crave hot soup in a cozy environment.

The restaurant is very family friendly and has a high turnover i.e. if you arrive after 9 p.m, you might have to wait for a table.

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!