Biryani of the Seas (BOTS), Clifton

 Biryani of the Seas is an eatery located in Clifton that is rapidly growing in popularity for the unique specialty that it offers: seafood prepared fresh, Chinese, continental and desi (IndoPak) style.

This particular outlet of BOTS is located in a side lane near Clifton Bridge, right opposite PSO House that is located behind Glass Towers.

There is another outlet in the city, located in Karachi Administration Employees Co-operative Housing Society, the details of which you can access at the BOTS Facebook page. 

In addition to other menu details, you can also view innumerable photos of their food, which will probably make your mouth water if you are hungry.

The outlet offers only ad-hoc roadside seating for dine-in, for now, or you can eat sitting in your car. The other outlet of BOTS in Karachi offers indoor, restaurant style dining.

Customers can purchase a wide variety of frozen seafood from here (check the left side of the menu).

As the rest of the menu shows, a range of desi and Chinese-style cooked seafood is on offer for both dine-in and takeaway orders.

The prices are reasonable, considering the good quality of seafood that you can get from BOTS.

Contact details are visible at the bottom of the menu.

A single serving of Prawn Nihari, priced at only Rs 150.

The nihari was spicy, as expected, and quite delicious. The serving size was more than satisfactory for its price.

Fried Fish (English style), with French Fries and tartar sauce, for Rs 300.

The two fillets were huge in size and mildly spiced (not desi masala); the fries were crisp and fresh. Very good value for money - a great meal!

We have since then been regularly eating at BOTS. We usually order two kinds of fish fillets, pictured below:

 Dhaka Fish Finger - Rs 180, and Red Fish Finger - Rs 150, served side by side on one plate.
The Dhaka Fish Finger is mildly spiced, whereas the Red Fish Finger is, as the name suggests, hot and spicy.
The fried fish at BOTS is always served fresh, straight out of the wok, and is tender to the core.

The fish always comes accompanied by spicy tamarind chutney and another red condiment that lends a wonderful and tangy taste to the main sea food spread.

Goan Shrimp Curry -  Rs 500

I had heard rave reviews of this curry, so I decided to try it. It did not disappoint, either in taste or quantity. Unique ingredients (I am still guessing what they are) lend a peculiar zest, taste and aroma to this spicy and somewhat tangy concoction that can be accompanied equally well with either hot naan, or rice.

Verdict: If you like seafood at affordable rates, especially that which is cooked Chinese-style, you will definitely love the food offered by Biryani of the Seas. We once tried their prawn biryani as well, and although it was a bit on the spicy side, it was really good!

Nihari Inn, Boat Basin, Clifton

Doing good business since many years on the Boat Basin strip in Clifton is a moderately-priced restaurant called Nihari Inn.

On the night we paid it a visit, it had rained heavily, so the outer baithak's of tukhts and gao takya's that have become a landmark of this strip of eateries, had been wound up, with tents erected in their place, as is obvious from the picture above.

The restaurant has an open air terrace upstairs.

The menu is reasonably priced and offers all variety of typical, popular desi food.

As you can see, the economic rates of the restaurant food combined with sustained good quality gives Nihari Inn  an edge above its overpriced counterparts tucked away in remote corners of Defence.

This below was their single serving of sumptuous Mutton Kunna priced at Rs 170:

And this was a single serving of plain Beef Nihari, priced at Rs 160:

 More shots of the succulent Kunna and Nihari. The meat in both was extremely tender!

The serving size was huge. We had to get the leftover packed to take back home.

Fluffy, hot naans were the best accompaniment to the meat curries:

This Kulfi in a clay pot priced at Rs 30, on the other hand, was a complete disaster. Avoid it! :)

The kheer was great in taste.

All in all, dining at Nihari Inn is a pleasurable experience, because of the good quality of the food combined with economical rates. 

Daily Dubai Restaurant, Badar Commercial Area, Phase 5 ext., Defence

Located on street 10 in Badar Commercial Area, in Defence phase 5, almost off main Saba Avenue, is the recently inaugurated Daily Dubai Restaurant. 

It is right next to the famous Meerath Kabab House that has also opened recently next to Dandee's Chaat and Fruit Juices on the same corner.

The restaurant occupies the entire 4-storey commercial building.

The owners seem to have left no stone unturned in investing in the decor and ambience of the restaurant.

We were surprised to spot these security video cameras installed on every floor. Even the elevator was top-notch, with audio announcements of the floors.

Families are usually seated on the first floor and up.

The wall-mounted plasma television sets were showing a World Cup match on the night we dined here, as the transfixed gazes of the restaurant's staff demonstrate. :)

The fare on offer is typical Pakistani cuisine, at the same rates as any other good restaurant located in Defence, Karachi.

I must say that the quality of the restaurant is laudable, from the ambience, to the decor and technology in use, to the complete lack of spelling errors in the menu! :)

Daily Dubai is famous for its paye, but on our first visit, we were in the mood for simple Beef Nihari, which didnot disappoint one bit! Priced at Rs 200 per serving, it was more than enough for two people.

The traditional accompaniments of Nihari: lemons, chopped ginger and green chillies.

Mutton trotters (Bakray ke paye) for Rs 300, photographed on a subsequent visit. 

I update this post with photographs of any new items that we order on further visits to Daily Dubai.

Priced at Rs 100, we ordered moong daal to accompany the meat dish(es) on both visits.

Green Chicken Tikka for Rs 140. This was nothing to write home about. 

The naans were hot and fluffy.

Sheer maal for the little ones.

The kheer was amazing, at just Rs 40 per two katora's.

Chocolate Chip and Vanilla Ice Cream, priced at Rs 40 per scoop.

Traditional kulfi priced at just Rs 50 was a wonderful sweet treat!

Recently, Daily Dubai started Sunday breakfast - the usual desi halwa puri fare.

Sooji Ka Halwa - for Rs 50

Channa Tarkari -  for Rs 50

Aloo Tarkari - Rs 50

Puri's - Rs 20 each

Sweet Lassi - Rs 50

Doodh Patti tea - Rs 40

I must say that the Sunday Breakfast was a huge hit! It is served till 4 p.m every Sunday. Each and every item that we ordered was delicious, especially the puri's. Also, the prices were very reasonable for the quantity and quality of the dishes.

Verdict: At Daily Dubai, we almost always like everything: the food, the ambience, the ultra-clean environment, the use of latest technology, and last but not least, the humble politeness of the staff. 

Eating here has become a regular feature for our family by now. Highly recommended!