Gloria Jean's Coffees, Sindhi Muslim

Gloria Jean's Coffees recently opened its doors in Sindi Muslim, Karachi, near the roundabout around which famous eateries such as Bundoo Khan, Roasters and Nando's are located.

 It is located a stone's throw away from Cafe Kahva. Gloria Jeans offers hot and cold coffee, as well as a variety of desserts.

The whole interior is tastefully done in mahogany hues, with ample use of wood.

The outdoor sitting area.

The counter offering delectable desserts, such as huge-sized Red Velvet, Black Forest and Tiramisu cakes, chunky slices of which can be enjoyed with the coffee.

 

Here you can see Golden Cookies, costing Rs 30 each.

Truffles, cakes and other sweet goodies that help throw our diets out the window are also available. 

The almond truffles (or whatever they were) in the upper row cost Rs 20 for two pieces.

The Mocha Mousse Cake slices in the lower rows cost Rs 200/- plus tax.

 

A Danish pastry costs Rs 215/- plus tax, as is obvious in the photo.

Tiramisu cakes and a New York style cheesecake (top row).  

A slice of this indulgent Tiramisu cake costs Rs 375 /- plus tax.

The machinery brewing the beans.

 There is a shelf on one side where Gloria Jeans products, such as packets of ground coffee and bottles of flavored syrup, are on sale.

The counter where orders are taken - warning: nowadays there are long queues. 

The entire outlet reminds one eerily of Butlers Chocolate Cafe.

  A closeup of a part of the menu - see if you can read it. 

Coffees are available in 3 sizes: small, regular and large.

You can see that chilled coffee drinks are as much on offer as hot beverages.

We went for a slice of Mocha Mousse cake, Rs 200/-

Small Cappuccino - Rs 210

Small Coco Loco - Rs 240. This is a Mocha Chiller, an iced coffee.

Our total bill for these 3 items was Rs 754, with tax for all three totaling to Rs 104. The extensive menu of Gloria Jean's Coffees also includes a wide array of breakfast items and savory snacks, such as wraps, burgers and sandwiches, in addition to entrées such as salads, pasta and steaks.

Verdict: Honestly? Well, the edible stuff itself, especially the coffee we had, were great in taste, quality and portion size. The prices are high, yeah, but I suppose you pay for devouring good stuff you can't make at home without humungous effort. Plus, you pay for the experience of dining out in an eatery furnished especially to maximize your comfort.

Which is what brings me to the disappointing part. The outlet was overcrowded and stuffed with yuppies. I suppose that was expected if you go at 5 p.m on a Sunday, especially if the franchise has just opened its doors in a city that thrives on eating out.

I really dislike it when restaurants do not have demarcations for people who smoke cigarettes and/or sheesha. The whole place was reeking of cigarettes, and those who were puffing on these shortcut-tickets-to-lung-cancer seemed to not care less for the fact that others, including children, were inhaling the smoke they were chugging out of their mouths.

That, and it was extremely noisy. Despite the noise, crowd and smoke, I saw some people trying to work alone on their laptops/notebooks or read/write whilst having their coffee, even though these traditional activities, for which coffeehouses became famous and popular in the first place - providing a cozy setting for quiet work and contemplation - could scarcely be pulled off here in Karachi if Gloria Jeans remains this crowded.

Thankfully, we were able to find a table in a quiet, smokeless corner - situated deep inside the belly of the outlet, perhaps that is why no one had occupied it yet - and were able to consume our coffee and cake without inhaling smoke.

If you are one of those who visits these places to "see and be seen", or if you just want to hang out, then you can pay the outlet a visit in the evenings on weekends. But if you want to go for a calm coffee experience with your family/small children, or if you want to get in some work or studies in a quieter setting whilst sipping on caffeine and eating a sweet fix, I would suggest you visit Gloria Jeans during a quieter time, such as weekday mornings.

Hyder's, Sindhi Muslim (S.M.C.H.S)

Right across the roundabout from the outlets of Bundoo Khan, KFC, and Nando's on Sindhi Muslim, is a small but thriving eatery called Hyder's.

Recently, Hyder's expanded upwards to include a larger family dining area on an upper floor.

Here is what the family "room" looks like:

Overall the floor has a nice decor; not too shoddy. :)

The view from the upstairs window: a lot of the diners choose to eat in their parked cars outside the eatery.

The menu boasts some good stuff at affordable rates, even steaks. Also, Singaporean Rice is available too, which is a rare commodity in other outlets.

They have some good deals too. We opted for the deal that is visible on the bottom right of this menu placard.

Here is the deal we ordered @ Rs 320: two mini chicken burgers, one quarter broasted chicken (here it is hidden under the fries), a bun (or "dinner roll", as it is known in Karachi), french fries, and one Chicken Shawarma.

The mini burgers were quite cute; perfect for the kids!

Chicken Chow mien for Rs 200. It was a bit on the spicier side, but very good nevertheless.

Special Faluda  for Rs 110. Don't ask - it is from my significant other's favorites.

The Chicken Shawarma machine outside Hyder's. Their Shawarma was mediocre though, nothing to write home about; although the chicken sure looks good in this photo!

The food is prepared live outside the Hyder's entrance..there were some huge flames whilst the chinese curries were being stir-fried! All in all, hygiene standards are quite high, that much is obvious.

Verdict: Since their recent expansion, the prices at Hyder's have gone up (I suppose maybe they want to recover their investment quickly?). Either way, the food quality is quite good, and worth a try. They have a wide variety of fresh juices and ice creams on offer as well, for which people flock in their cars. I would also like to add that chaat and pani puri stalls are stationed outside too, right next to the standard pan wala and shawarma machine.

Karachi eating out at its classic, traditional best! --> Cheap, affordable, chatpatta, spicy, a bit unhealthy, ad hoc, and last but not least - fun. 

Al-Haaj Bundoo Khan, Sindhi Muslim

Located in Sindhi Muslim Society, Bundoo Khan is one of the most famed and vintage-classic eateries of Karachi, famous for its mouth-watering chicken tikka, kababs and paratha's.

These are the shops and eateries opposite Bundoo Khan, across the road.

It is surrounded on all sides by other international and more posh food franchises, such as KFC and Nando's, but though these new restaurants might have borrowed some popularity by being in the vicinty, they have not dampened Bundoo Khan's roaring business in the least.

Roasters Gourmet Coffee House is right next to Bundoo Khan as well.

They have recently expanded and opened up a new portion on the upper floor for families.

For those who have dined at Bundoo Khan over the years, it is obvious that the new decor and interior quality is a major improvement from what it used to be!

There is outdoor seating for those interested in alfresco dining as well.

Beef Bihari boti and Mutton Seekh kabab's. We are not big fans of chicken tikka, but that is great too.

The crispy and light puri paratha's are a famous must-have at Bundoo Khan.

The order is accompanied by complimentary raw onion rings and savoury imli or tamarind chutney.

The sooji ka halwa is an age-old favorite, enjoyed with the puri paratha's or on its own.

Verdict: Al-Haaj Bundoo Khan has succulent, great-tasting barbecue food at affordable rates. Perhaps that is why their loyal clientele keeps coming back for more, despite the mushrooming of a plethora of new eateries, down the road and everywhere else in Karachi!