Zameer Ansari Kabab House, Alamgir Road

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In a recent article in DAWN, about desi food in Karachi, I read that a Zameer Ansari Kabab House on Alamgir Road offers some good meaty stuff. 

So off we went on a recent slow evening, and our search brought us to the ZA Kabab Place that is located right next to the "Quetta Hotel" that offers a very famous variety of lachchay daar paratha's with omelet style eggs as early morning breakfast, which we have tried once or twice.

A review of that is intended in future, insha'Allah. Taking photos and simultaneously balancing plates of food whilst seated in your car is not easy. And sitting on the rickety roadside plastic tables and chairs outside Quetta Hotel on Alamgir Road, among thronging crowds of mostly men, is also not easy for a family with small children.

Anyhow, hygiene and cleanliness in this neighborhood is clearly not a top priority. You'll need to skip and hop over strewn bits of trash on the road, and then climb some really steep metal stairs to get to this "family hall" on the first floor of Zameer Ansari Kabab House.

It is well aired and neat, to give due credit. There is a standby generator and a huge "desert cooler" (Lahore style) in a corner on this floor.
However, don't be surprised that there is no air conditioning.

For some reason, there were a few huge, honeybee-type winged insects flying around, which made us somewhat scared. Thankfully, they'd gravitate towards the naked light bulbs and scorch themselves to death.
My kids were more entertained by them than scared. Heh! :)
Never a dull moment when eating out in Karachi, eh?

The menu, and their phone numbers.

White and red, both kinds of meat are on offer.
However, not all items on the menu are always available. The waiter told us that only the items visible on the left side of the menu (in the above photo) were available.

Nothing on the so-called "VIP menu" (visible above right), was available either.
Prices of mutton dishes are surprisingly reasonable, aren't they?
That none of these mutton dishes were available, was rather disappointing though.

Apparently they also have kabab rolls and halwa.

Zameer Ansari also caters Delhi wala's food for parties. :) 

Beef Bihari Boti a.k.a Bihari Kababs - Rs 176

Chutney and onions, complimentary.

Chicken Reshmi Kababs - Rs 220
Soft and spicy, these were melt-in-your-mouth tender and served piping hot, straight off the coals. 

Chicken Gola Kababs - Rs 220
A bit more spicy but just as tender as the other chicken kababs.
The mince inside was so fine, that it stuck to the plate and to our finger tips.

Puri Paratha's

All the food at a glance, besides the chapati's that we also ordered.

This was the star of the evening. Even though I am not much of a beef eater, these were totally out of this world! Better than even the Bihari Boti that I've had at Al-Kabab.

All in all, a no-frills, delicious meat-eating tryst with utmost simplicity.

Every bite of the kababs chewed with the crunchy, flaky puri paratha's, dabbed in chutney and the raw onions, was pure desi delight! 

This whole meal cost no more than a single entree offered by the fancier, "burgher", fine-dining places in Karachi.

Verdict: The service was not up to the mark, and our order got to us quite late, as just one (clearly weary and overworked) waiter was catering to the whole floor, which had quickly filled up with families comprising of 4-5 people at each table.

Aside from that, and the few scary bees flying around, the food was awesome! This Kabab house obviously does great business, and has a loyal clientele that keeps coming back for their great food.

So if you don't mind compromising on ambiance and cleanliness to partake in some great-tasting, affordable local desi fare, you'd love eating here, insha'Allah.

Keep a small insect repellent spray with you, just in case.

Breakfast at Charming Snacks, Clifton

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

I have already blogged about how we enjoy dining at Charming Snacks at night; an eatery located on the main road outside the side lane leading into Delhi Colony, with the home store Habitt nearby.

Well, there is a small kiosk just behind Charming Snacks that serves lachchay-dar paratha's with omelets on weekend mornings (Saturdays and Sundays), which are very much like those available at the famous Quetta Alamgir Hotel on main Alamgir Road.

Since breakfast eating out is the rage of the day nowadays in Karachi, with many eateries now offering an early-bird menu for the hungry early risers, and also since the short winter daylight hours facilitate going out in the mornings on weekends, we decided to try out the anda paratha breakfast here.

2-egg omelet - Rs 40 (Rs 20 per egg)

This omelet was full of chopped onions and green chillies, just the way I like it. However, the generous topping of black pepper powder was something I could have easily done without.
Nevertheless, it was a good anda!

Lachcha (لچھےدار to be exact!) Paratha - Rs 15

Dotted with black kalonji (black cumin seeds), and slightly sweet, these paratha's are delivered to you so piping hot, that you need to really practice self-control otherwise your fingertips can get burned trying to break them apart before they have cooled down. Steam exudes as the crisp folds unleash their latent heat.

Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, these paratha's are made with white flour and tava-fried, so it is best to have them only once in a while.

And like all unhealthy foods, they taste absolutely divine with those omelets! :)

Ever since my other half has had a taste of these paratha's, he is the one who usually suggests we go to Alamgir Road or Charming Snacks for breakfasts on Sundays.

Called "pizza", this local dhaba "invention" comprises of the base of a lachcha paratha topped with an omelet - Rs 35 each.
Our children prefer these "pizzas" because they are less of a hassle than eating separate anda's with paratha's on hot plates balanced precariously on their laps in the car.

Doodhpatti Chai - Rs 20

I am not a big fan of our local dhaba-style doodhpatti chai, simply because it is almost always too sweet, and more often than not, it comes topped with a crust of thick "balai" (cream) on top, as you can see in the picture above.

However, I love how they serve it in ceramic cups! :) Strong (as you can see) and creamy (made with organic, "khula doodh" or un-packaged milk), it is best enjoyed by those who love a thick, slow and rich brew of tea.

Verdict: Easy on the pocket and a great option for chilly, wintery mornings, the lachchay-dar paratha's and "pizzas" available in this small kiosk behind Charming Snacks are a great option if you cannot go all the way to the crowded Alamgir Quetta Hotel on a weekend morning for breakfast.

The service is good and swift. Just do remember to take along hand sanitizers, tissues and a newspaper or two to place on your lap, as eating crisp and flaky paratha's in the car, on plates that are steaming hot at first, can get a tad messy!

This is desi naashta eating out at its best! :)