Restaurants, Cafes, Retails and Leisure

[ghazi52]

Top 10 restaurants in Lahore: Where to eat in 2015

A city that boasts of history and tradition, Lahore is also a paradise for food lovers. From the simmering rich, spicy curries in Food Street to classic fine dining, Lahore has so much to offer that one might struggle to find something they don’t like.

Over the years, the city has become synonymous with dining out in style. And so, as the new year rolls in swinging, here's our list of the top 10 restaurants to try in 2015 in Lahore and the reasons to do so:

Cosa Nostra, La Tavola

Costa Nostra. –

Anyone living in Lahore has been to Cosa Nostra numerous times and probably knows the menu by heart. However, one of the most coveted restaurants in town now has a new and revamped menu in their La Tavola section that deserves to be tried.

The Lahore Social

Located in the dead centre of the city, The Lahore Social is a fancy, new place to try this year. It has a comfortable ambiance, a diverse menu and is a definite fine dining gem.

Pompei
While Lahore is known to be the hub of eateries, it is true that we crave for something Karachi every now and then. This year, Pompei is a go-to restaurant that brings in a little bit of Karachi in Lahore.

Tiramisu

Chocolate Molten Cake at Tiramisu. – Photo courtesy: Official Facebook Page
Tiramisu was off our radar for a while, but now it is back and the reason is their incredibly divine Chocolate Molten Cake. They have come back in the game swinging and deserve to be on our list.

The Polo Lounge

The Polo Lounge. – Photo courtesy: Official Facebook page
If you haven’t already been there a million times over, the Polo Lounge, located at the Lahore Polo Club, is a definite try in 2015. The reason being their consistent and diverse menu that resonates with the luxury of Polo as a sport. Their Sunday brunch is a must have!

The Cube – Nishat

The Cube. – Photo courtesy: Official Facebook Page
The Cube, located within the Nishat Hotel, is definitely an underrated restaurant. Even if you have been there last year, the reason to try it in 2015 is because they have revamped their entire menu and have a fully trained staff of international chefs.

Mouthful

Mouthful. – Photo courtesy: Official Facebook Page
Health is the latest fad to hit Lahore (along with everything else in general) and if scrumptious and healthy are on your menu, go ahead and visit Mouthful.
Tokyo

Tokyo. – Photo courtesy of author
We have all been avid lovers of the sushi at Avari's Fujiyama. However, if you are looking for something that is closer to the centre and is authentic Japanese to its core, look no further. Tokyo is a must try eatery in 2015 for all sushi lovers.

The Lakhnavi

The Lakhnavi, located in the Avari Hotel, is a must try. Lahore is known for the best desifood and The Lakhnavi leaves no temptation lingering.

Sweet Affairs

Sweet Affairs. – Photo courtesy: Official Facebook Page
Last but not the least on our list is Sweet Affairs. The reason to try it in 2015 is that they have the best desserts in town, including gelato, cupcakes, cakes, chocolates and more. If you don’t have a sweet tooth, don’t worry, they also have some great brick oven pizza

 

[VCheng]

Let's see the candid photos of the kitchens of these restaurants first.

 

[chauvunist]

Let's see the candid photos of the kitchens of these restaurants first.

Possibly they may be as candid as your intentions..

 

[VCheng]

Possibly they may be as candid as your intentions..

Nevermind the health and immunization status of the kitchen workers then.

 

[chauvunist]

Nevermind the health and immunization status of the kitchen workers then.

Let those who consume food there worry about it...after all it's not USA..

 

[VCheng]

Let those who consume food there worry about it...after all it's not USA..

Sure, the locals are probably immune.

Great ambiances in the photos for sure, just the like the awesome scenery photos without any plastic bags and Styrofoam cups littered everywhere.

 

[chauvunist]

Sure, the locals are probably immune.

Great ambiances in the photos for sure, just the like the awesome scenery photos without any plastic bags and Styrofoam cups littered everywhere.

Sure;As they say Humans are like molten metals that take the shape in whatever the mould they are put...So probably yeah,who can defy nature.

 

[VCheng]

Sure;As they say Humans are like molten metals that take the shape in whatever the mould they are put...So probably yeah,who can defy nature.

Oh yes, that must be why the health indicators are so great for Pakistan. Faith trumps nature there, obviously. Respect.

 

[chauvunist]

Oh yes, that must be why the health indicators are so great for Pakistan. Faith trumps nature there, obviously. Respect.

selective criticism of something barely related to health indicators is somewhat assumptious and under-understanding on your side..
But then there is Hygiene Hypothesis..

 

[VCheng]

assumptious under-understanding

Nice term!

 

[ghazi52]

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Hit The Cube in Lahore to mix it up

The best thing about their European menu is that it's not a replica of every other restaurant menu

- All photographs courtesy The Cube


Spoilt for choice while deciding where to get together with your friends this weekend? Want to relish some quality family time over scrumptious food, but don’t know where to go? We might be of some help here:

Where to go: The Cube
The Cube at Nishat Hotel isn’t really a new restaurant. But its new menu makes it worth a visit this weekend.

The restaurant's new chef, Waqas Malik — a silver and bronze medal winner in modern cuisine at the International Istanbul Gastronomy Festival 2015 — is behind their all-new European menu, which has something to suit everyone's tastes, spicy or mild, vegetarian, meat or seafood.

Malik (who claims he’s the youngest chef in town) serves organic chicken and eggs, the best quality beef, seafood and vegetables, even if that means procuring it at a higher rate. He's introduced the use of Swiss cheese at The Cube, something he says is new to Lahore.

The Cube in the daytime – Publicity photo


When to go
The Cube is a particularly nice spot at lunch. Their cosy venue enjoys a lot of sunlight from one facade, and the cube-shaped installation doubles as a chandelier, so you're never short of light.

It's never brimming with people, so finding a table isn't difficult. People will also appreciate that tables are not placed very close to each other, so they can be sure to enjoy their privacy.

What to order
The best thing about The Cube's new menu is that it’s limited, and not a replica of every other restaurant. This could very well be The Cube’s USP if they maintain their quality.

Recommended soups: The Roasted Tomato is a lovely combination of sweet and sour with a slightly creamy texture and a dash of pepper. The Cauliflower Almond is a unique combination with roasted cauliflower slow simmered in a chicken broth with hints of crunchy almond.

Roasted Tomato and Cauliflower Almond Soup


Recommended appetisers: The menu boasts a variety of starters, but the Japanese Fried Prawns with cayenne cream had our thumbs up. Only slightly spicy to the taste, the prawns are served on a slab of wood, and are also pleasing to the eye.

For those who don’t fancy seafood, the honey-glazed Spicy Chicken Meatballs is recommended. Cooked in Asian spices, it is served with a side of cucumber salad and Thai dressing, and is a delicious start to a meal.

Japanese Fried Prawns


Recommended main courses: We weren't too keen on trying the burgers and sandwiches, so we tried The Cube's Salmon Eggs Florentine since it's not a commonly served in restaurants. These soft-poached organic eggs, resting on a thin layer of creamed spinach and toasted bread, covered with a dash of Hollandaise and surrounded by smoked salmon, are a unique and thoroughly delightful choice.

Salmon Eggs Florentine


If you’re a seafood fan, you’ll love the Red Snapper with Spicy Carrot sauce. A grilled fillet of Red Snapper is complemented well by a mildly spicy orange carrot sauce, jasmine rice and grilled sweet pepper.

Another recommendation is the Grilled Tiger Prawns, served on on a bed of spaghetti tossed in herbed garlic butter.

Red Snapper with Spicy Carrot


The Cube's Mongolian Beef will leave you wanting more. A generous serving of thinly sliced crispy beef fillets is topped with a savoury brown sauce, sliced onions and chilli peppers. But the jasmine rice, accompanying the beef and snapper, could have been softer and not sticky.

Mongolian Beef


The Steak au Roquefort has to be the best steak in town. It's a pan-roasted tenderloin of beef cooked medium like medium should be, and pink in the centre topped with a splatter of delicious Roquefort blue cheese and served with roasted potatoes and cauliflower.

Recommended desserts: Their selection of desserts, though a bit limited, is not to be missed. The hot dark Chocolate Souffle served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramelled bananas in a crispy cup is not just visually appealing but also quite a fulfilling dessert. And so is the baked lemon ricotta cheese cake with berry compote. It's not a heavy dessert, and is quite a balanced blend of flavour.

Hot Chocolate Souffle and Riccota Cheese Cake


Pro tip: The chef recommends that diners order cuisine they are familiar with, because the spice level can come off as a rude surprise! Order what your palate is used to, if you’re not the adventurous, experimental type.

Damage to the pocket
The Cube is competitively priced. While some starters may appear to be steeply priced with a minimum Rs 675, the burgers and sandwiches balance it out with prices starting around Rs 600.

So if you plan to have a meal complete with a starter, a main and a dessert, then be prepared to shell out over Rs 2,000 per person. But, if you’re going for a main entrée and a drink, then you’ll pay around Rs 1,500, depending on the mains you choose.

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