New York Coffee, Zamzama, DHA 5

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـانِ الرَّحِيمِ

Apologies to my readers and subscribers for the year-long hiatus in updating this blog. We had not stopped eating out, though, in case you were wondering. Its just that I got tired of waiting for photos to upload here on blogger. :)

In the meantime, though, I was actively uploading photos (and the occasional video) of my foodie experiences on instagram. 

New York Coffee has been around for quite some time now, located on Zamzama boulevard just opposite the prominent building of Pizza Hut. It is a stone's throw away from Bella Vita. 

The cafe is quite spacious and has an open-plan kind of design. 

The seating arrangement includes wooden chairs and soft couches, both. High chairs are available for babies.
That's not a window in the photo above; the walls are all adorned with life-size mural-like pictures of scenes in New York. 

The bar: where the beverage-concocting magic takes place at the hands of the baristas. 

Muffins, chocolate fondue, lava cakes, cheesecakes, chocolate chip cookies, and other delectable baked goodies are on display near the coffee and drinks bar.

The cafe has several savories on offer to go along with coffee and desserts. Prices on the menu are quoted exclusive of taxes.

I spotted their 9-inch, thin crust pizza ordered by diners on an adjoining table. 

Coffees and teas. I have only tried their cappuccino and it was very good! 

Sorry about the blurred shots of the menu. 

I've heard their lava cake called Molten Rock Chocolate is tops! Here is what it purportedly looks like.
I haven't tried it yet, though, much as I love lava cakes. 

They also have special tables for pairs and couples. 

Mix Berries Delight Waffles- Rs 425

This is our favorite item on the menu, for which we keep going back. Few places in Karachi serve fresh, hot waffles straight off the griddle, and New York Coffee is one of them. 

They also serve waffles with plain maple syrup or Nutella. However, their "multi-berry" waffles come with tinned (and frozen) strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, dollops of whipped cream, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, in addition to maple syrup. 

Enough calories for two people! Or, as in our case, 3 children. :)

Fried Eggs With Beef Bacon - Rs 460

We had to ask for more bread, but otherwise, this dish left no room for complains. The egg portion was massive! I can't eat three eggs like this, so we shared (we do that a lot). 

Vegetarian Crepe - Rs 395

This crepe arrives hot, with a sumptuous center filled with mushrooms, melted cheese, and black olives. The crepes are large and soft.

The style of folding the crepes changed on a subsequent visit. And where were the Heinz baked beans? Forget much? :P

Nutella Pancake - Rs 375

The pancakes have Nutella in the batter too. You can see chocolate spots dotting the core of the cooked pancake when you dig in and break them apart to eat. 

Ready to dig in: drizzled with maple syrup and dotted with butter.

One of the best pancakes I have had in K-town: hot, light and fluffy. Much better than the overrated ones I have ordered at Espresso, The Pantry, or Marigold and Honey Cafe.

I don't like how they serve the butter though. Lurpak butter sachets?! Really? 

For a picture of what their "multi-berry" pancakes and a cup of cappuccino looks like, check out this instagram shot that I took: 

Four Cheese Omelet - Rs 450

The omelet was huge and stuffed and topped with melted cheeses! The hash brown was crisp and hot.

They accommodate customers' choice of either bran or white bread with the egg dishes on offer. The portion size of the eggs was once again more than enough for two adults. 

I like my omelets nicely golden browned, so I shall probably pass this in the future, and just stick to fried eggs.

Besides the food, New York Coffee cafe sure knows how to whip up a great cup of coffee! I sprinkled brown sugar on the creamy froth atop my 'small' cappuccino (yes, they serve large-sized caffeine portions too) and stirred it for your viewing pleasure. 

***

Verdict: Portion sizes of the dishes are great. You should go really hungry, if you want to finish your main entree dish and sample some of the great desserts on the menu as well. 

As for the ambiance, it's all good, except for the loud music and cigarette smoke, both of which are a real turn-off when its crowded! Since the cafe is open-plan and allows customers to smoke, you can end up inhaling some of the toxic vapors whilst dining. And who enjoys that?! 

Also, if the table next to you becomes occupied with boisterous youngsters, you probably won't enjoy your meal due to the added louse noise and lack of privacy. So go at a down time. 

The staff is courteous, welcoming, and friendly. The coffee and desserts won't disappoint!

If you like coffee, lava cakes, pancakes, and waffles, this is the place for you to visit next time.

Chai Master, Shahbaz Commercial, Defence Phase 5

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Do you like having spiced chai? And are paratha's of different kinds (including the Arabic stuffed and fried flatbread called fateera) something you like to have with your chai?

If your answer is yes, then you have to give Chai Master a visit.

Chai Master is located in Shahbaz commercial area (or is it Seher commercial?) in the same vicinity as a handful of other new cafes, such as Cafe Pink Cadillac and Cafe Riverwood.
It is located in the lane that starts right opposite the centrally located Imam bargah - a landmark hard to miss. 

It is a small eatery. Keep a lookout for it when you pass by, else you'll miss it.
It's size is clearly it's biggest 'shortcoming', if I might call it that.

Inside, there is just enough seating capacity for 6 people, max. 

If you like Arab-style teas, though, then you'll like eating here, even if it means doing so whilst sitting in your car.

The menu is not very elaborate, which is good, in my opinion.
Less is more. :)

We ordered the Disco Chai, but sadly I forgot to photograph it.

It came in small, concave glass cups (the kind in which Arabs drink their coffee/tea) with metallic handles. Something like this, but much less ornate.

The chai was alright; a bit small in portion for the price of Rs 60 per cup.

Plus, I don't like tea that has a thick film of cream on top.

The decor of the small outlet is very simple. 

Plain Paratha: Rs 30 each

I prefer whole wheat paratha's (thanks to my Ammi, who always made fresh ones for us for lunch after school), but these piping hot, white-flour ones that were served to us right off the stove fared very well as breakfast on a Sunday morning. 

Desi Omelet with Cheese - Rs 110

In the background in the photo above, you can also see a plain whole wheat paratha (already torn from all sides by us) that the management asked us to try because they are thinking of introducing it into the menu.

I loved this omelet!

A total hit, it was packed with veggies such as onions, green chillies, and tomatoes, with melted cheddar in its folded midst. It was evenly well-browned throughout- just the way I like it. Every bite was a joy.

"Half-fry" (this is what a 'sunny side up' fried egg is called in our local lingo): Rs 50

This was nothing to write home about.
It was also a rather small egg, as you can see. :P We had to order another. Heh!

Plain Pizza Paratha: Rs 100

This is basically a paratha that is topped midway through being prepared with plain beaten egg.
This was a hit with the children, for whom we especially ordered it plain (sans any spices or veggies). 

Arabic Paratha with Egg - Rs 130

We ordered this for takeaway on another day. It is a paratha that is stuffed with vegetables and beaten egg (omelet) inside. 

If you like stuffed paratha's, you'll love having this.

The only other eateries that I know of where I can get good whole-wheat tawa paratha's are: the rather over-priced Neco's, and Chatkharay.

If you know of any other eatery that offers tawa paratha's on it's menu (especially whole wheat ones), please let me know. 

Verdict: The chai was alright, but I am a fan of Chai Master already because of their paratha's! Perhaps they should rename themselves: Paratha Master? :) 

We also tried their Nutella Paratha, priced at Rs 130 (sorry, once again I forgot to photograph it) and it was quite awesome! If you like paratha's with sweet stuffing (like my husband and kids do), then you'll probably love their Nutella paratha as well. 

Chai Master is open early on Sundays for breakfast. On the rest of the days of the week, they open after 2 p.m. 

So give their breakfast a try on a Sunday, but remember to arrive early, because as I said, there is limited sitting space. You'll actually have to sit outside on plastic tables and chairs to eat. 

But if the food is good, who's complaining? :)

Original Crepe Factory, Khadda Market, Phase 5, Defence

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Tucked away in one of the side lanes off Khadda Market on main Khayaban-e-Shamsheer is Original Crepe Factory.

The website of this business is surprisingly quite well-maintained and comprehensive. Browsing it made me want to try out crepes for breakfast on a Sunday.

Original Crepe Factory is located in the side lane near the clothing store Labels (which is clearly visible on main Khayaban-e-Shamsheer).

There is a parking lot right opposite, on the side of the road having the "banglows" (*chortle* :P).

We were the first and only ones there. 

I was immediately disappointed to note that, even at 9:45 a.m in the morning, the drapes were drawn and there was no natural light. This made us almost want to go elsewhere.

Almost. :)

The staff insisted that they could not lift the drapes.

Anyhow, everything else in the ambiance was alright. The couches and coffee tables were comfortable and inviting. However, space was limited.

The rest of the interior gave off a warm aura due to the mahogany hues and the ample use of wood. 

There are seating options for lone crepe aficionados as well. :)

The couches are situated just in front of the bar and coffee counter....and the wall-mounted television (yawn).

The staff cordially shut it off when we requested them to, since we were the only customers. We enjoy talking to each other over our meals, instead of staring passively at a screen.

You can see the baristas prepare your caffe's and lattes right there, on the coffee machine near the counter. A great chance for my home-schooled children to see how a latte is made. 

Even the crepe-making machine (a flat, non-stick griddle that looked like this) on which the staff prepares your crepes, is right there in front of you. My children really enjoyed the live cooking demo. :)

They have never had crepes before, so they kept asking how crepes are different from pancakes, until they finally saw them being made.

Original Crepe Factory call themselves a bistro. 

Thats the best shot I got of the menu.

Most of the crepes in the a la carte menu range between Rs 300 and Rs 480. All prices quoted are inclusive of taxes.

There are both savory and sweet varieties of crepes on offer. The portion size leaves nothing to be desired.

They have a special set of items for breakfast (brunch), called "Omelet Crepes".

Chicken Sticks - Rs 275

They were out of Mozzarella Sticks. Disappointing! :-|

These chicken sticks that we ordered instead, were served with a tasty sauce/mayo that tasted almost exactly like tartar sauce.

Hot Chocolate Crepe - Rs 430 

Drizzled with hot chocolate sauce on top, this crepe was stuffed inside with Nutella. A chocaholic's calling, truly! :)

Hands down, the Hot Chocolate crepe was a big hit with my family, especially the kids (even the baby!)

Which chocolate-lover wouldn't enjoy a breakfast like this?

I took another shot to highlight the ample, oozing Nutella filling.

You'll be licking the sticky chocolate off your fingers and plate when you have this crepe!

Mushroom and Cheese Omelet Crepe - Rs 420

The good stuff oozes out when you cut it open. 

We ate the crepes by dissecting them down their middle first.

You can see the alternating layers of omelet and cheddar inside the delicate folds of the crepe.

Behold the melted cheese!

The piping hot crepe melts the sliced cheddar when it is folded over it. Yum.

In this shot, you can see the mushrooms as well.

Cheese, mushrooms and omelet in every bite. Delicious!

Cafe Mocha - Rs 190

Their coffees are somewhat cheaper than the ones at other popular joints (such as Espresso, Roasters, Gloria Jeans, and Cinnabon), even though the quality and quantity is the same - something that I really liked.

Tea - Rs 90 (tea bag chai, not doodhpatti).

Latte Macchiato - Rs 190

I am a bit confused. I ordered a latte macchiato but got what distinctly seemed like a cafe latte.

In the description of this drink on their menu card, they stated that it would comprise of the contents of a latte in reverse: steamed milk, topped with milk foam, topped with espresso. 

Whatever the case, a macchiato is supposed to have a "mark" of espresso on top of white milk (and hence the name), no? Where is it in the picture above? :P

Whateva! :-/

***

Verdict: It was an enjoyable outing, and the crepes were great. No complains about the taste, quality, or quantity of the food. The service was prompt and cordial. The staff made us feel very much at home, despite the din created by our spirited children. 

I will be going there again if I ever feel like having crepes, in sha Allah. :) I don't think we Pakistanis get crepes so easily anywhere else in Karachi.