The Diner, Khayaban-e-Shahbaz, Phase 5, Defence

I had read both positive and negative reviews of this eatery, called The Diner, which is located on main Khayaban-e-Shahbaz along the same side lane that has Espresso, Habitt, Sawadika and Subway - that one day I decided to try it out.

When we entered, the waiters told us that the floor upstairs was the smoking area, and asked us to sit on the ground floor.

However, we proceeded upstairs any way, as the ground floor was a bit short of space. 

The ambience is anything but that of a "diner". Its quite on the chic side, with dim lighting, huge glass windows, and tilted mirrors adorning mahogany colored walls.

The walls have pictures of the dishes on the menu. Unique!

The Diner is famous for its burgers. Main entree's are priced at the usual Rs 450-700.

They also have what is called "Brick Oven" Pizza.

The Gourmet Burgers menu that they are supposedly famous for.
However, burgers are not on our family's favorite foods list. 

The dessert menu is surprisingly limited.

Their beverages menu indicates that diners can come here for just coffee as well. 

French Fries (after the kids took their shares) for Rs 225 plus tax.

Penne in Pesto Sauce, with Grilled Chicken, Mushrooms and Oven-Dried Tomatoes (merely a few strips) for Rs 485 plus tax.
A huge disappointment! The portion-size was a big let-down compared to the price of this entree. Pesto sauce is supposed to be thick and green in color. Can you even see it in this picture? 

The Club Sandwich with Roast Beef, Grilled Chicken, Cheese, Lettuce and Tomato, for Rs 395 plus tax.
There was a choice between white bread and brown bread.
Again, the portion size left a lot to be desired. Also, you'd think they'd throw in some more French Fries and Cole Slaw, which are standard on-the-sides for Clubs, at the rate they are charging!?

Warm Chocolate Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream, for Rs 285 plus tax.
This was, surprisingly, a huge hit! The brownie was warm and rich.
Might I also add, the waiter's attitude very apparently took a 180 degree turn, from hitherto sullen to very friendly, as soon as we ordered two desserts.
How 'surprising'! Money talks, doesn't it? 

Oreo Sundae for Rs 295 plus tax.
This dessert had two generous scoops of ice cream, one Vanilla and the other Chocolate, topped with crushed Oreo cookies, crumbled brownie chunks, cream and chocolate sauce.
It was very scrumptious and so heavy that one person could not finish it off!

Verdict: I would not recommend The Diner for lunch or dinner, but I think its not so bad for coffee or dessert. The portion size of the dishes was just not worth it, especially in a city like Karachi, where you can easily get a better value for your money (and service by more courteous staff) at other, similarly-priced, upscale joints. 

Indulge, Zamzama

Indulge is the name of a chain of restaurants that is owned by Cupola, the same company that owns and runs the KFC franchise in Pakistan. 

We sometimes visit the Zamzama outlet that is a stone's throw away from our residence. The ambience is quite nice. There are 3 portions: one lower portion, one glass-walled one as seen in the above picture, and one main dining area (below).

An aquarium adds to the ambience of any room.

The children were transfixed whilst watching the fish.

The main dining area is spacious - this is the non-smoking section. 

Their motto.

A funky restaurant cannot be considered to "have arrived" nowadays unless it has a wall-mounted plasma television. Its besides the point that all that's ever on is either news or sports.

The menu 

Starting off, Soups and Salads on the menu - Indulge has very affordable prices.

Sandwiches and Wraps

Burgers

Main entrees (why does each page have "platters" printed on it?)

The pizza menu - yes, contrary to the corporation's aggressive billboard advertising that makes Indulge come off as a giant pizza enterprise, its pizza menu is actually quite limited.

Desserts

More desserts....trust me, the photographs are much better-looking than the actual products that are placed in front of you when you order!

Drinks and smoothies

Coffee variety

Garlic Dip came with French Fries

Thai Tom Yam soup for Rs. 80 plus tax

The soup contained pieces of mushroom, ginger and garlic.

Chicken Fajita Sandwich and Pasta Fettuccini in White Sauce

The Chicken Fajita Sandwich tasted great! The bread was fresh and soft, very similar to Subway's Oregano and Parmesan bread.

Regular Chicken Tikka pizza

Regular Chicken Fajita Pizza - both pizzas were extremely similar, almost alike, in taste. They were part of a deal priced at Rs 777, with a large soft drink bottle also thrown in. 

Brownie A La Mode, for Rs 80 including tax. Reasonable prices, eh? 

The brownie was extremely rich and warm.

Fruity Sundae for Rs 140 including tax. 

This was a bit of a disappointment, because the 2 ice cream scoops that were supposed to be topped by the fruit and cream had partially melted by the time this was served to us.

Cappuccino for Rs 90 plus tax.

Overall verdict: The service at Indulge is really lacking. The waiters are polite and serve you on time, but we had to ask them for everything, such as napkins, glasses, drinks, and after having the soup, we had to ask the waiter to take the bowl away. 

Portion size is small, which is what you can expect, since the prices are so reasonable. However, the quality of the food is up to the mark. You will not come away feeling as if you were ripped off, which is what one sometimes feels after dining at other overpriced eateries on Zamzama. 

I think the plush but comfy ambience and the affordable prices combined with the good quality of food are what keep Indulge still going strong.

They could do with an additional trained waiter or two at their Zamzama outlet, though!