Kolachi Restaurant - Spirit of Karachi

 

 
 

The restaurant is scheduled to open its doors for the public on the 25th of April. However prior to its launch, Kolachi organized a food tasting week for invitees only. Food Connection Pakistan’s team and bloggers were invited too, to taste the food and pass on their suggestions and recommendations.

Kolachi’s kitchen staff is led by Chef Noor, who is the only celebrity chef from the Gilgit Baltistan region. A few months back he had the honor of representing Pakistan and ending up as a semi finalist in an International Cooking Competition called Foodistan for a private television channel of our neighboring country. Apart from that he has an impressive resume, and brings with him heaps of experience and also a tinge of flavor of his native Gilgit Baltistan region into Kolachi’s trademark dishes.

The menu is as wholesome as you will find in any restaurant, aimed at offering something for everyone. And that is precisely how Kolachi plans to cater to all kinds of people residing in Karachi. Once through the starters, soups and salads, there are 14 different sections to choose the main course from, ranging from Continental food to Desi Karahis, Handis, Sajji & BBQ , to Italian, Chinese, Thai, Seafood and even Lebanese.

For experimenters, a newly developed appetizer called Mumtu is highly recommended. It is steam cooked minced chicken filled in a money bag shape and tastes quite unique and pleasant. Another nice and enjoyable offering at Kolachi is the Tursh salad, which is simply cucumber, carrot, cabbage, turnip and onion mixed in a special vinegar dressing, and can be the perfect light little portion to nibble at while waiting for your main course.

Kolachi’s exquisite location is enjoyable to say the least, with the view of the ocean and the sea breeze flowing across one’s face combining together to create a relaxing atmosphere. That coupled with the ambiance created by Kolachi, it’s elegant and tastefully made wooden deck and pleasant sound of background music, makes the experience all the more pleasing.

All one needs is good food now, and that is exactly what one gets. As previously mentioned, there is an entire range to choose from. Apart from the traditional stuff that generally appeals to most people, there are quite a few interestingly new and unique entrees in the menu too.

Karahi lovers should definitely opt for the Kolachi Karahi. It is what an actual authentic Karahi should taste like, and quite different from the regular ones most people are used to. Traditional in flavor, it is fried chicken or mutton blended with freshly grinded herbs. Similarly, the Hunzai Matka Handi is a must try. It is a traditional hunzai flavor handi blended with dry fruits and gravy. It is the creation of Chef Noor and it comes as no surprise that flavor elements of his origins have been fused into his recipe.

From the BBQ temptations, if one thing had to be recommended it definitely has to be the Hunzai Kabab. Extremely juicy seekhs cooked with the traditional Hunzai recipe, they just melt in one’s mouth. Seafood lovers should try the particularly desi style Balochi fish. Peppered with chaat masala, the fish is an absolute treat.

Moving away from the desi delicacies, Kolachi has a lot of other fabulous stuff to offer to those who want to try other types of cuisines. The Kolachi special chicken, served in a sizzler, is one such offering that deserves a mention. The remarkably delicious homemade spicy sauce that it comes in, lends a completely different taste to the regular char grilled chicken most of us are used to having.

In the Thai food section, there is particular offering called Blackened Beef. Mentioning it now, towards the end of this write-up, is comparable to saving the best for last cliché that is commonly used. The crispy blackened beef strips in sesame seed and honey hoisin sauce are the awesomest delicacy.

Kolachi certainly seems to have found the formula for the perfect evening out; a menu containing traditional yet a diverse range of food with certain unique and mouthwatering offerings thrown in, a pleasant breeze and a lovely view, together with a classy ambiance.

Be there, soon.

Posted by Waqas Ather Saeed on April 23, 2012