Karachi vs Lahore food debate,

[ghazi52]

,.,.
Nihari is a rich meat stew, and while you can eat it all over Pakistani (in Lahore it’s delicious too), many real hardcore food lovers often say Karachi still reigns supreme in the nihari department.

DISHING OUT AT NEW DEHLI JAVED RESTAURANT

Nihari at New Dehli Javed Restaurant (often known as just Javed Nihari), a legendary restaurant – one of the most respected places for nihari in Karachi – and it didn’t let us down. The king of all nihari combos is the nalli nihari, bone marrow beef stew, topped in a layer of desi ghee, and rich beyond belief.

One of the best things about nihari is being able to season it with ginger, chilies, and a squeeze of lime. Javed Nihari is an amazing breakfast to begin your street food tour in Karachi.

New Delhi Javed Restaurant

Address: Federal B Area Block 15 Gulberg Town, Karachi, Karachi City, Sindh, Pakistan (google map)
Open hours: 8 am – 5 pm, and 6:30 pm – 12 midnight daily
Prices: 1,150 PKR ($8.60) for three plates

EATING ON BURNS ROAD, KARACHI

Arabian paratha​

Slightly slow from the nihari breakfast, we continued to Burns Road, one of the most well known Pakistani street food streets of Karachi. I think it’s especially popular at night, but we had a full street food tour schedule to complete so we arrived in the morning.

Very similar to a mataba or martabak in Southeast Asia, and originally from Arabia, it included a thin piece of dough, filled with minced chicken and an egg spiced mixture, then shallow fried.

PAKISTANI STYLE ARABIAN PARATHA

Mild, yet balanced spices, and fresh from coriander, plus the crunchy dough on the outside, made it a delicious snack.

 

[Maula Jatt]

So the thousands of years of culinary traditions in Punjab were completely wiped out by the fifty year rule of the Sikhs over a predominantly meat eating Muslim majority?

Furthermore, only beef was banned under the Empire. As is the case even today, beef does not make up a significant part of the Punjabi cuisine. Traditionally it has been Goat meat and more recently Chicken.

True Muslim Punjabis do not eat a lot of beef, my family never liked the smell so growing up it was rare for us to eat beef

Maybe during bakar eid if some relative gives you beef, then you'd eat it (afa I remember we used to do goats for home, and beef "hisa" as they call it for relatives and poor people)
Mostly Goat and sheep, people in Lahore atleast in my surroundings didn't like beef all that much

It's more popular in Karachi I heard

 

[lastofthepatriots]

True Muslim Punjabis do not eat a lot of beef, my family never liked the smell so growing up it was rare for us to eat beef

Maybe during bakar eid if some relative gives you beef, then you'd eat it (afa I remember we used to do goats for home, and beef "hisa" as they call it for relatives and poor people)
Mostly Goat and sheep, people in Lahore atleast in my surroundings didn't like beef all that much

It's more popular in Karachi I heard

We ate a lot of beef growing up so to say it’s not a Punjabi thing is stupid.

 

[Maula Jatt]

We ate a lot of beef growing up so to say it’s not a Punjabi thing is stupid.

Maybe it's my household or Lahore, I don't know but it wasn't as popular compared to goat's and then sheep atleast in my surroundings

 

[lastofthepatriots]

Maybe it's my household or Lahore, I don't know but it wasn't as popular compared to goat's and then sheep atleast in my surroundings

Beef is cheaper. Bakra is my top choice.

 

[ghazi52]

.,.

Karachi has better food than Lahore. England skipper Moeen Ali thinks so too​

The cricketer said during a press conference that he was a little "disappointed" in Lahore whereas Karachi was "nice".

The debate about who has better food, Karachi or Lahore, has been a long and heated one and we now know what side of the argument England skipper Moeen Ali falls on — he’s team Karachi all the way!

On Sunday, the England cricket team defeated Pakistan by 67 runs to clinch the seven-match series 4-3. In a press conference after the match, a journalist asked Ali about how satisfied the team has been with the security provided during their Pakistan tour and if they got to try Pakistani food while here.

Drawing the line between the two cities where the matches were played, Karachi and Lahore, Ali said the security had been “outstanding” and much more than what they were expecting.

But when it came to food, he said, “I’ve been a little bit disappointed in Lahore, Karachi was really nice. Everything’s nice but this time I found it a little bit disappointing maybe because I lost my tastebuds a bit.”

The team visited Pakistan after 17 years and food has clearly been on the agenda. England bowler Mark Wood told Geo TV that daal was one of his favourite dishes in Pakistan.

Food is that one subject that turns a normal discussion into a heated debate in a matter of minutes between people from Karachi and Lahore. But does that mean Ali’s stamp of approval for Karachi food will put an end to this debate? We don’t think so.

Which side of the argument do you fall on? Team Karachi or Team Lahore?

 

[ghazi52]

,.,.

Karachi vs Lahore​

Suleman Khanzada

There are many differences between Lahore and Karachi. The one immediately noticeable is that people from Karachi, or Karachiites, constantly brag about how they’re so much better than Lahore at everything. “Even the KFC tastes better in Karachi,” one diehard Karachiite said. Classy, I thought. Anything tastes better with paan, I suppose.

Unfortunately, they are not wrong. As a proud Lahori, it pains me to concede, but after spending weeks in Karachi this is the honest-to-Go verdict: when it comes to food Karachi is the greatest city in Pakistan. Allow me to explain.

Cheap street food: Karachi restaurants have infinitely more variety. The Bahadurabad neighbourhood is full of street food vendors specialising in Hyderabadi cuisines and plenty more. It’s easy on the pocket heavy on the flavours. Bun-kebabs are all around. Alamgir Hotel’s famous lachaydar paratha, a mix of croissant, paratha and puri, alone is enough to dethrone any city in Pakistan.

“But what about Gawalmandi?” my Lahore brethren might say. Well, the last time I went there it took me an hour to get there, the meal cost an arm and a leg, and the cook tending to a stove got some kind of vitamin injection in full view of his customers while continuing to stir with his other arm. He then threw the needle on the street.

Chai: Maybe it’s the abundance of space or the cool evening sea breeze that beckons people to relax in courtyards as they wrap up their day, but there is a chaiwala in every corner. Chotu Chai Wala and Fibbi in DHA are casual dives for just that. But the chai in Alamgir Hotel, according to Gambi, a Lahore based roaster, “is so good you’ll stop drinking coffee.” But Karachi still doesn’t have a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf while Lahore has three so.

As a proud Lahori, it pains me to concede, but after spending weeks in Karachi this is the honest-to-God verdict: when it comes to food Karachi is the greatest city in Pakistan

Sushi Sumo has two very convenient locations in Lahore and they’re good, but The Sakura on the panoramic top floor of Karachi’s iconic PC Hotel is the be-all and end-all of that category.

Burgers: DHA Karachi is burger country. Every block has a shop that’ll blow your mind. All pilgrims must first have a ceremonial meal at Mr Burger just out of respect. Aussie Burger Company, 2 Guys 1 Grill, and No Lies Fries are where the pros go. I personally love Easy by Fatso’s standard cheeseburger. A veteran tip is to order their mini sliders and tell them to make all three hunterbeef. You’re welcome.

Chinese: Until Bamboo Union and Yum open shop in Karachi, that trophy remains in Lahore.

Fine Dining: Every Karachi foodie swears the city’s best eatery is the Mediterranean-themed Okra. Why, that remains a mystery. On my first visit, the only reason I force-finished my Ravioli was out of respect sinceI was someone’s guest. Subsequent trips weren’t impressive either. The appetizers are great, but good olive oil and fresh lettuce can only get you so far.Okra is a status symbol for sure, and maybe after waiting 20 minutes outside in the humidity for a table will make anything taste good. Café Flo is another preferred hotspot of Karachi’s glitterati. But again, all hat and no cattle.

Amu in Lahore is the undisputed king of fine dining. It’s hands down the best restaurant in Pakistan. It serves a fixed-menu dinner only on weekends and a Sunday brunch so good you’ll want to name your children Beef Brisket and French Toast. Amu doesn’t advertise but most people may have seen a picture of its gold-rimmed door in the background of every other girl on Instagram. I always wondered how many of them turned around and went home after.

Cafes: Deli and The Pantry in Lahore were pioneers but Test Kitchen isworld class at par with any café you could find abroad. Their sandwiches are works of art, and their baked goods masterpieces. Ironically, their croissant is cheaper than the one at McDonald’s.

Desserts: Reema’sFrozen Peach Cheesecake and Chocolate Gateux Cake, and Mrs Munawer’sfamedMilk Cake don’t leave much room for debate. Lahore puts up a fight here. When it comes to local sweets and halwas Lahore wins. Karachiites concede that Lahore’s Cosa’s Gelato ice cream reigns supreme.
Although Delicieux’s Double Lotus Milk Cake gives Mrs Munawar a run for her money, the fluffy Plain Glazed and Hazelnut Chocolate donuts at Easy’s Tilt this to Karachi.

Pizzas: Famous O’s pepperoni pizza and Xander’s Fig and Goat Cheese should make Lahore’s pizzerias ashamed of themselves.

Chat: Its sweet and spicy, cheap and exquisite. The Khaas Moong Chaat from Mirchili in Badar Commercialis the perfect snack. It’s an ingenious concoction of nimko, daal, crunchy papri, sugared yogurt, and tangy tamarin sauces. Sadly, that entire genre is missing from Lahore’s food scene.

Biryani: Sindhi Biryani with potato and without potato, Shrimp and Mint Green Biryani, Pickled Mango Buryani, Fig Biryani, pick your poison. The Sindhis have mastered this domain.

It goes without saying that Karachi has seen better days. It’s been a proxy battleground of artificial and unnatural political entities for decades. Its governance has been dismal. But despite that Karachi continues to endure with hope, innovation and grit. May that always be.

 

[ghazi52]

Karachi

,.,.,.,
Lahore.

 

[Tamerlane]

Toronto desi food is the best. The only advantage Karachi or Lahore have is the flavor added by flies, sweat and germs, which is missing here.

 

[ghazi52]

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