Papparoti, Dolmen Mall, Clifton

 بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

The Malaysian food franchise Papparoti has finally opened up at Dolmen Mall, Clifton.

It is located right across from the elevator on the ground floor, right next to Summit Bank, which is right next to Debenhams. It is across from the centrally located (and clearly visible) outlet of Butlers Chocolate Cafe.

Like KFC's Colonel Sanders who cooked up (pun not intended) the original, innovative fried chicken recipe, we now have a Pappa Sahib who is bringing to us a unique kind of "roti" or bun. :)

The outlet has been done up in hues of golden-brown and beige, reminding one of the main ingredients of flour and butter that warm baked buns are made up of.

 

I like how the huge white chairs juxtaposed against the dark wood accentuate the grey brick walls.

Wisely enough, the only "decor" is that of artificial wheat stalks. Get it? Buns made of wheat? :P

There is not much seating space inside the outlet, perhaps for about 20 people, at the most.

Which is why there are a few tables situated outside the outlet as well. The waiters serve you there. A welcome change from the self-service in the crowded Food Court on the top floor!

 There are a few combo's that will get you one chai with one signature bun. 

All of these are available at approximately Rs 320 (after adding tax).

The combo's of coffee+bun are a bit higher in price.

You can get one bun only for ~ Rs 250.

Yes. Ouch!

Other drinks..

In addition to hot chai's and coffees, there are chilled milkshakes on the menu as well. 

With permission, I took a shot of the staff preparing the buns before they were baked.

Trays of buns ready to be placed in the ovens.

The industrial-sized ovens.

 One Elaichi Chai with a signature bun.

Thumbs-up for the wooden tray! The bun reached our table straight out of the oven, hence it was too hot to be touched in the beginning.

The core of the bun is dripping wit hot, gooey melted butter. :) Lovely!

These buns really are one-of-a-kind. Especially enjoyable in the chilly weather nowadays.

Honestly, you have probably never had a bun like this elsewhere. 

Its outer dome is crisp and crunchy. Yet, the inner "flesh" is soft, stretchy (like freshly-baked mozzarella) and chewy.
The baby loved it! :)

The same buns can be ordered with a topping of whipped cream and chocolate sauce.
Toppings cost an extra Rs 60-120.
High on calories, it is advisable to save these indulgent treats for your little ones.

Teas ordered on their own (without a bun) are served in mugs.

Tea that is ordered with a combo arrives in a cup and saucer.
After the froth of the chai died away because of my stirring in the brown sugar, its color came to the fore.

This elaichi chai was nothing out of the ordinary. It was thick and made with condensed milk (like a latte), and is more on the sweet side. 

Verdict: The signature Papparoti buns get a thumbs-up from me. But we all know that a full meal can be obtained in the price of just one of their buns (yeah, I did the math) :) Good for a once-in-a-while treat.

FYI: We visited this outlet at around 10 a.m on a Sunday, a down time for business in the mall, because we wanted to enjoy a winter morning breakfast outing/chai run without going through a noisy crowd.
Therefore, we had the whole outlet to ourselves. I'd highly recommend visiting it at this time (even on a weekday morning), otherwise be prepared for noise and crowds.

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

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.

Olé Cafe, Zamzama, Defence

Olé Cafe is situated on 6th commercial street, Zamzama, Defence Phase 5, Karachi, next to the popular Behbud Creations outlet.

The cafe's interior is done in brown and mahogany hues, with one central table occupying most of the space in the middle.

 Our party of 12 ladies was given this table for our reservation.

On one side, there are fixed booths seating 4~6 people.

Dining tables and chairs for two or four are also placed along one wall. There are two plasma televisions blasting out loud stuff from the walls. :-/

For those who'd like to know, "Olé" is a greeting in Spanish that means a shout of approval or excitement.

Prices of the soups and salads (exclusive of tax).

The menu has sandwiches, pastas and steaks as well.

Their dessert menu was economically priced though, with each item between Rs 100-200..

Latte!

More latte....(there were different kinds)

Peach drinks

Slice of chocolate cake...it was huge!

Chocolate Malt Cake

Cappuccino @ Rs 120

Brownies with ice cream and chocolate sauce @ Rs 120

Verdict: The ambience was pleasant with tables comfortably spaced out from each other, preventing that cramped feeling that is there in many other cafes on Zamzama. The waiters were polite and courteous to our large company of ladies who chatted away for a good hour, non-stop. :)

The quality of the coffees and desserts was also more than satisfactory. I would recommend this cafe for anyone interested in a quick coffee and cake!