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What's the best burger in Karachi? One month and 12 buns later, this foodie tells all
NOMAN ANSARI
Is there any grub as deliciously medieval as a burger? It is, after all, a hunk of cooked meat, caught between two slabs of bread, and held together by a splatter of sauces and some greens. Made well, it has the potential to gratify the brain with a slow seduction of the taste buds. Prepared poorly though, and it feels like a bare-knuckled blow from a morning star.
Pakistan’s love affair with the burger has been interesting to observe. Visiting the country as a teenager over twenty years ago, I found street food dominated by the usual desi fare such as kebab rolls, bun kebabs, biryani, chaat, and the like, yet few eateries aside from the legendary Mr. Burger and a handful of other restaurants offered a good burger. In fact, Pakistanis at this time developed an aversion to the western meal.
Seen as a symbol of imperialist culture, the word ‘burger’ became a slur for countrymen who spoke a kichri of English and Urdu, only wore shalwar kameez on holy days, and believed Karachi began and ended with Defense Housing Authority.
The entry of the world’s biggest fast food franchise, McDonald’s, changed things by starting a burger revolution that our arteries are still paying for today.
As of this moment, aside from the world famous Hardees, Fatburger, Burger King and McDs, there are dozens of burger chains across the port city, the majority of which came to life recently. Hearteningly, most of these are local endeavors, and offer interesting food at reasonable prices.
Yes, we have converted from a nation of burger haters to burger lovers! Surely, our biryani loving ancestors must be rolling in their graves. Well, with the way we are consuming these fat-rich foods, we may be joining them in the not too distant future.
On that morbid note, let’s start with my worst burger experience in Karachi.
1. Amigos Express
Both times I had the Rs. 290 Hickory Beef Burger I felt like I had taken a bite out of the rear end of a live stinky goat, screaming at the top of its lungs. To be fair, the well-cooked, thick beef patty was juicy, tastily seasoned, and went fine with the barbeque sauce and onion rings inside the sandwich. On the other hand, the meat carried distasteful bits of indigestible fat that had to be spat out with regularity.
Verdict? I felt like I had French kissed Popeye after he had eaten a can of spinach.
To make matters worse, the lettuce, melted into a slimy paste, was sickening. A few mouthfuls of the food and I felt like I had French kissed Popeye after he had eaten a can of spinach.
Ordering food from Amigos Express was an adventure in itself. It took over an hour to for the delivery person to arrive close to my home after which it took thirty minutes of directions in Urdu, English, and Klingon before I finally decided to drive to him instead.
Final score: 1 out of 5 stars.
2. Hanifia Restaurant
Hanifia is one of the oldest restaurants in the country, and their signature burger tastes as good today as it did a decade ago.
The star of the simple sandwich is the eatery’s famous hunter beef. The meat is perfectly cooked, spicy, and makes for a potent combination with Hanifia’s signature sauce. The fried buns, on the other hand, are just a little too greasy. I also wished the burger had a larger helping of meat and sauce. That being said, at Rs. 140, as the phrase goes, jaan logay kiya?
Final score: 3 out of 5 stars.
3. Rowtisserie
This little hole in the wall has the best flame grilled chicken in town. Healthy and utterly delicious, Rowtisserie’s mouthwatering chicken is on my plate at least once a week.
Rowtisserie's burger just didn't impress. Guess I'm sticking to the chicken!
Sadly, their burger is a disappointing affair. The patty is mediocre, while the excessive sauce breaks the bun apart like the high seas engulfing a fragile ship. The sauce is so heavy, in fact, that the burger usually crumbles half-way through, leaving my face left looking like that of a performer in a Japanese fetish video.
The price, at over Rs. 650 after taxes, is twice as much as the burger realistically deserves, and seems like highway robbery considering the lower charge of the fabulous quarter chicken.
Final Score: 1.5 out of 5 stars.
4. Obeez
Obeez has to be one of the most ill-advised names for a restaurant. At a time when patrons are more concerned about their health than ever before, a word which rhymes with ‘obese’ doesn’t sound very inviting.
The Rs. 650 Hercules is, hands down, the biggest burger I have ever tried to eat. Though perhaps a more appropriate name would have been ‘Jabba the Hut’, for Hercules was muscular and a specimen of good health. This thing, on the other hand, is well… look at it… it almost looks like it wants to put you in a Princess Leia slave outfit.
I must admit, the moment the Hercules arrived; I spent about ten minutes examining it from different angles, and even invited others to check it out. I then came to the conclusion that ‘obese’ was the perfect name for a restaurant selling this burger.
Taking a bite out of the Hercules was fairly difficult. The last time I had opened my mouth so wide, I was at the dentist’s office. The burger itself was surprisingly enjoyable, at least initially. The creamy sauce, alongside the juicy beef patty and the delicious egg made for an interesting combination.
Too bad the feeling didn’t last.
The meat patty was from a poor cut, full of indigestible bits of fat, especially closer to the nucleus of the burger. Hercules also carried a generous helping of uncooked mushrooms that felt out of place. Grilled mushrooms can be a pleasing component in a burger, but the raw variety, especially in a meaty sandwich, taste like the flesh of a long dead jellyfish.
Overall, I would still recommend this burger once for the novelty factor, especially to eaters who are about to go into hibernation for the winter, or have recently ended a hunger strike.
Yes Altaf Bhai, whenever you end your hunger strike, please call Obeez.
Final score: 2.5 out of 5 stars.
5. CHiPS
One of the most recognizable old-school franchises in Pakistan, CHiPS, was about to go out of business when a longtime fan, like a knight in shining armor, revived the eatery at a brand new location.
It is possible CHiPS is having an identity crisis, as is Blossom, with that confusing signage.
I felt quite excited as I drove to the reopened CHiPS, wondering if the food would still carry the same enticing taste. Upon my arrival, I couldn’t help but notice how a certain Blossom Beauty Parlor was located right above the burger joint. Now, I know times are tough, and businesses are expanding to multiple markets to survive, but it was strange to see Blossom offer not only beauty services, but chicken tikka and Delhi degh biryani as well. I wondered how this worked.
On the inside, CHiPS sports a tasteful blue and yellow color scheme. Perplexingly, the restaurant manager barred me from taking any pictures within unless it was a selfie or involved my food.
It is possible CHiPS is having an identity crisis, believing itself to be a nuclear weapons facility rather than a fast food joint.
CHiPS’ signature roast beef burger is certainly one of the most piquant sandwiches in Karachi. The spicy seasoning of the meat coupled with the melted cheese and greasy bun makes for a dynamite meal. Disappointingly, this is another Karachi burger let down by a key element — the meat.
Undoubtedly, the roast beef at CHiPS tastes like the leftover cut from last year’s Eid sacrifices (you know, like the meat your khala was saving for a dinner party, and sort of forgot about for a year). This can’t be put down to price, either. Hanifa, for one, at half the cost offers better meat quality.
Final score: 2.5 out of 5 stars.
6. Mr. Burger
Is there a burger franchise more quintessentially Pakistani than Mr.Burger?
While the other eateries offer their own westernized versions of the food, Mr. Burger is unapologetically desi. This, as I discovered on a trip to their Boat Basin branch, is right down to the lazy service.
The Mr. Burger with egg and cheese is easily the most delightful sandwiches offered by this chain.
Entering Mr. Burger’s dilapidated Boat Basin branch is like entering the home of an aging rock star that hasn’t had a hit in a while. Immediately noticeable is how the pink, purple, and white color scheme is more suitable for an ice-cream shop. Meanwhile, the chairs are so uncomfortable that you could expect the next king of Westeros to use one of them as a substitute replacement for the Iron Throne.
Most worrying though, is the glazed, faraway look the staff has on their faces, as if fantasizing about something sinister. When one of them steps closer to the shotgun of a security guard, you instantly hold your breath, fearing for the worse. The CNN headlines quickly take shape in the old noggin, “Disturbed lone wolf suspected in mass shooting. Motive unknown. Boredom suspected.”
More like an ice cream parlour than a burger joint, right?
You can estimate the employees’ level of disinterest when attempting to place an order. Standing at the counter, I was thrown off when one of the waiters asked me if I could pass a seated customer his cold drink.
“Can I keep the tip then?” I should have asked.
When I paid for my meal, I was surprised to see almost no money in the register. Here, the manager took out his own wallet to put together my change, eventually also borrowing some from the staff. It was like I was at Broke Donald’s.
On the other hand, the modern looking Khayaban-e-Rahat Mr. Burger branch is a wonderful place to visit. None of the staff members, for one, look ready to make headlines on CNN. The restaurant is also clean and features contemporary decor.
Regardless of where you order, the Mr. Burger with egg and cheese is easily the most delightful sandwiches offered by this chain. The simple burger shines thanks to the delicious hot egg, and the scrumptiously juicy beef patty, seasoned to heavenly bliss with spices and salt.
Clearly, there is little consistency in terms of form between restaurants. While, as you can see, the Rahat Mr. Burger always looks the winner of a Mr. Universe (burger edition) contest, the Boat Basin branch has the tendency to produce a sorry looking deflated football of a burger. Thankfully, the taste is consistently good at either location.
Final score: 4 out of 5 stars
....
What's the best burger in Karachi? One month and 12 buns later, this foodie tells all
NOMAN ANSARI
Is there any grub as deliciously medieval as a burger? It is, after all, a hunk of cooked meat, caught between two slabs of bread, and held together by a splatter of sauces and some greens. Made well, it has the potential to gratify the brain with a slow seduction of the taste buds. Prepared poorly though, and it feels like a bare-knuckled blow from a morning star.
Pakistan’s love affair with the burger has been interesting to observe. Visiting the country as a teenager over twenty years ago, I found street food dominated by the usual desi fare such as kebab rolls, bun kebabs, biryani, chaat, and the like, yet few eateries aside from the legendary Mr. Burger and a handful of other restaurants offered a good burger. In fact, Pakistanis at this time developed an aversion to the western meal.
Seen as a symbol of imperialist culture, the word ‘burger’ became a slur for countrymen who spoke a kichri of English and Urdu, only wore shalwar kameez on holy days, and believed Karachi began and ended with Defense Housing Authority.
The entry of the world’s biggest fast food franchise, McDonald’s, changed things by starting a burger revolution that our arteries are still paying for today.
As of this moment, aside from the world famous Hardees, Fatburger, Burger King and McDs, there are dozens of burger chains across the port city, the majority of which came to life recently. Hearteningly, most of these are local endeavors, and offer interesting food at reasonable prices.
Yes, we have converted from a nation of burger haters to burger lovers! Surely, our biryani loving ancestors must be rolling in their graves. Well, with the way we are consuming these fat-rich foods, we may be joining them in the not too distant future.
On that morbid note, let’s start with my worst burger experience in Karachi.
1. Amigos Express
Both times I had the Rs. 290 Hickory Beef Burger I felt like I had taken a bite out of the rear end of a live stinky goat, screaming at the top of its lungs. To be fair, the well-cooked, thick beef patty was juicy, tastily seasoned, and went fine with the barbeque sauce and onion rings inside the sandwich. On the other hand, the meat carried distasteful bits of indigestible fat that had to be spat out with regularity.
To make matters worse, the lettuce, melted into a slimy paste, was sickening. A few mouthfuls of the food and I felt like I had French kissed Popeye after he had eaten a can of spinach.
Ordering food from Amigos Express was an adventure in itself. It took over an hour to for the delivery person to arrive close to my home after which it took thirty minutes of directions in Urdu, English, and Klingon before I finally decided to drive to him instead.
Final score: 1 out of 5 stars.
2. Hanifia Restaurant
Hanifia is one of the oldest restaurants in the country, and their signature burger tastes as good today as it did a decade ago.
The star of the simple sandwich is the eatery’s famous hunter beef. The meat is perfectly cooked, spicy, and makes for a potent combination with Hanifia’s signature sauce. The fried buns, on the other hand, are just a little too greasy. I also wished the burger had a larger helping of meat and sauce. That being said, at Rs. 140, as the phrase goes, jaan logay kiya?
Final score: 3 out of 5 stars.
3. Rowtisserie
This little hole in the wall has the best flame grilled chicken in town. Healthy and utterly delicious, Rowtisserie’s mouthwatering chicken is on my plate at least once a week.
Sadly, their burger is a disappointing affair. The patty is mediocre, while the excessive sauce breaks the bun apart like the high seas engulfing a fragile ship. The sauce is so heavy, in fact, that the burger usually crumbles half-way through, leaving my face left looking like that of a performer in a Japanese fetish video.
The price, at over Rs. 650 after taxes, is twice as much as the burger realistically deserves, and seems like highway robbery considering the lower charge of the fabulous quarter chicken.
Final Score: 1.5 out of 5 stars.
4. Obeez
Obeez has to be one of the most ill-advised names for a restaurant. At a time when patrons are more concerned about their health than ever before, a word which rhymes with ‘obese’ doesn’t sound very inviting.
The Rs. 650 Hercules is, hands down, the biggest burger I have ever tried to eat. Though perhaps a more appropriate name would have been ‘Jabba the Hut’, for Hercules was muscular and a specimen of good health. This thing, on the other hand, is well… look at it… it almost looks like it wants to put you in a Princess Leia slave outfit.
I must admit, the moment the Hercules arrived; I spent about ten minutes examining it from different angles, and even invited others to check it out. I then came to the conclusion that ‘obese’ was the perfect name for a restaurant selling this burger.
Taking a bite out of the Hercules was fairly difficult. The last time I had opened my mouth so wide, I was at the dentist’s office. The burger itself was surprisingly enjoyable, at least initially. The creamy sauce, alongside the juicy beef patty and the delicious egg made for an interesting combination.
Too bad the feeling didn’t last.
The meat patty was from a poor cut, full of indigestible bits of fat, especially closer to the nucleus of the burger. Hercules also carried a generous helping of uncooked mushrooms that felt out of place. Grilled mushrooms can be a pleasing component in a burger, but the raw variety, especially in a meaty sandwich, taste like the flesh of a long dead jellyfish.
Overall, I would still recommend this burger once for the novelty factor, especially to eaters who are about to go into hibernation for the winter, or have recently ended a hunger strike.
Yes Altaf Bhai, whenever you end your hunger strike, please call Obeez.
Final score: 2.5 out of 5 stars.
5. CHiPS
One of the most recognizable old-school franchises in Pakistan, CHiPS, was about to go out of business when a longtime fan, like a knight in shining armor, revived the eatery at a brand new location.
I felt quite excited as I drove to the reopened CHiPS, wondering if the food would still carry the same enticing taste. Upon my arrival, I couldn’t help but notice how a certain Blossom Beauty Parlor was located right above the burger joint. Now, I know times are tough, and businesses are expanding to multiple markets to survive, but it was strange to see Blossom offer not only beauty services, but chicken tikka and Delhi degh biryani as well. I wondered how this worked.
On the inside, CHiPS sports a tasteful blue and yellow color scheme. Perplexingly, the restaurant manager barred me from taking any pictures within unless it was a selfie or involved my food.
It is possible CHiPS is having an identity crisis, believing itself to be a nuclear weapons facility rather than a fast food joint.
CHiPS’ signature roast beef burger is certainly one of the most piquant sandwiches in Karachi. The spicy seasoning of the meat coupled with the melted cheese and greasy bun makes for a dynamite meal. Disappointingly, this is another Karachi burger let down by a key element — the meat.
Undoubtedly, the roast beef at CHiPS tastes like the leftover cut from last year’s Eid sacrifices (you know, like the meat your khala was saving for a dinner party, and sort of forgot about for a year). This can’t be put down to price, either. Hanifa, for one, at half the cost offers better meat quality.
Final score: 2.5 out of 5 stars.
6. Mr. Burger
Is there a burger franchise more quintessentially Pakistani than Mr.Burger?
While the other eateries offer their own westernized versions of the food, Mr. Burger is unapologetically desi. This, as I discovered on a trip to their Boat Basin branch, is right down to the lazy service.
Entering Mr. Burger’s dilapidated Boat Basin branch is like entering the home of an aging rock star that hasn’t had a hit in a while. Immediately noticeable is how the pink, purple, and white color scheme is more suitable for an ice-cream shop. Meanwhile, the chairs are so uncomfortable that you could expect the next king of Westeros to use one of them as a substitute replacement for the Iron Throne.
Most worrying though, is the glazed, faraway look the staff has on their faces, as if fantasizing about something sinister. When one of them steps closer to the shotgun of a security guard, you instantly hold your breath, fearing for the worse. The CNN headlines quickly take shape in the old noggin, “Disturbed lone wolf suspected in mass shooting. Motive unknown. Boredom suspected.”
You can estimate the employees’ level of disinterest when attempting to place an order. Standing at the counter, I was thrown off when one of the waiters asked me if I could pass a seated customer his cold drink.
“Can I keep the tip then?” I should have asked.
When I paid for my meal, I was surprised to see almost no money in the register. Here, the manager took out his own wallet to put together my change, eventually also borrowing some from the staff. It was like I was at Broke Donald’s.
On the other hand, the modern looking Khayaban-e-Rahat Mr. Burger branch is a wonderful place to visit. None of the staff members, for one, look ready to make headlines on CNN. The restaurant is also clean and features contemporary decor.
Regardless of where you order, the Mr. Burger with egg and cheese is easily the most delightful sandwiches offered by this chain. The simple burger shines thanks to the delicious hot egg, and the scrumptiously juicy beef patty, seasoned to heavenly bliss with spices and salt.
Clearly, there is little consistency in terms of form between restaurants. While, as you can see, the Rahat Mr. Burger always looks the winner of a Mr. Universe (burger edition) contest, the Boat Basin branch has the tendency to produce a sorry looking deflated football of a burger. Thankfully, the taste is consistently good at either location.
Final score: 4 out of 5 stars
....
