The Crazy Food Lady

Disclaimer: This will be a long review. Photo Credit: Ali Soomro, aka Funty. Do you guys remember Koel Cafe? Used to be the 'in' place a couple of years ago. People would rave about the food, the ambiance, the desserts and the service. And then it dwindled down to a place people would go to just for the Shikanjabeen and the molten lave cake (Koel Cafe was the first place to introduce it). And then slowly it dwindled down to 'just another place'. Stopped coming to the tip of the tongue when thinking about where to go.  And then came an invitation from Funty. 'You want to go try it?' Considering the love I used to have for the place, I said sure. And minus a few hiccups, I am SO glad I did. Starting off with the chilie prawns, paneer tikka and artichoke and spinach dip as appetisers. The pita served along with the paneer and the artichoke dip were soggy and chewy when we first tried them. We asked for a replacement and the second batch was just as it s

Samia Talha Ansari of Sam's Kitchen was kind enough to send some delicious food enough for a family of 4 yesterday. And of course, my family being my family, had a little pre-tasting while I was at work, and I got calls thanking me for a delicious meal. The packaging is economical and standard delivery aluminium boxes and plastic bags. No complaints there. Now, I can understand sending fried items completely done for tasting, but as I suggested to Samia as well, it's best to send things like spring rolls, wontons and crispy fried beef either half done or raw, so that they can be fried and consumed on the spot. While the flavors for everything we're really good, the sogginess of the spring rolls and wontons and the chewiness from reheating the crispy beef wasn't so great. The red Thai curry in my opinion was the star of my evening. It came along with starchy, squished together short grain rice which absorbed the curry well. I did feel that galangal was missing from t

Disclaimer: Photo Credits belong to Ali Soomro, aka Funty. I had ordered a Dark Chocolate Tart with Salted Caramel from Poached Pear for a friend yesterday. Lo and behold, it came along with a little (Very  expensive) surprise. Now, this can be best described as a decadently rich, dense, yet not too sweet mix between a macaron and a meringue. It's chewy, yet light and not crumbly. The almond meal definitely comes through. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it worth it? YES! No questions asked. If Yasha keeps on expanding his product line like this, my waistline is going to disappear! I have of course, waxed eloquent about the chocolate tart. It was stunning, as usual. Yasha's desserts are magical creations concocted for the fussiest of sweet tooths. Kransekake Kransekake-A 2 in 1! Dark Chocolate with Salted Caramel Tart Up Close and Personal. Layers, please

Now, everyone who has read my reviews knows I don't like things or people too sweet. There has to be a bite, an edge to them to make them enjoyable.  In the case of Zarnak Sidhwa's fudge, the chocolate is just like the creator. Not too sweet, and definitely with an edge. It's sweet yes, but it has chopped, almost unseen chunks of walnut in it, which completes the perfectly sweetened fudge. Gives it an edge, in my opinion. And while the walnuts aren't intrusive, they are definitely there. You can bite into them, taste them, feel the textures.  Zarnak's fudge is definitely a treat to eat! I should know, I already ate 4 pieces! Before I ate 3 more pieces of fudge

Sometimes one is just born lucky. And I am lucky enough that my father has been university friends with Saira Faruqi's older sister. Now what's so lucky about that, you ask? Well, when you have the Cake Queen bringing her Victorian Sponge Cake for a dinner party at home, you can bet your boots you're a lucky ducky.  Now, the picture pretty much speaks for itself. The sponge was soft, cloudy, and melted perfectly into the cream that was sweetened, whipped, but yet holding onto its rich, creamy texture generously spread between and on top of the cake. Topping it all was that array of fruits. Strawberries, kiwis, blueberries, oh it was a grand confection in taste and appearance. One would never believe such a seemingly simple cake could have such flavors and textures.  No need for fancy fondants or marzipans here. This cake is what dream dessert cakes are made of. and speaking from personal experience, also bring beauty to your dinner tables.

I was having a miserable day at work. What should have been a relaxed Saturday was a Mondayish nightmare. In the midst of all the madness, I got a call from Yasha Siddqi, asking if I would care to try the Variety Pie. And how could I say no to that? When I asked about the cost, he made it clear that it was a treat from him and was insistent I only try it to give feedback on his products. Which of course, I couldn't say no to. He did forewarn me that the lemon-lime meringue might sweat as he was using limes from a local super store, but that didn't faze me and by the time I got home, my family had their dessert spoons ready.. In the Variety Pie, priced for order including delivery at Rs. 3299 are the following: 1/4 Mixed Fruit Pavlova 1/4 Lemon-Lime Meringue Pie 1/4 Banofee Pavlova 1/4 Lindt Dark Chocolate and Salted Caramel Tart Please note that The Poached Pear strives to bring something new to their variety pies on a monthly basis, and I was lucky enough to get th

Way back when The Patio initially opened its doors to Karachi, I suggested it to my sister and brother in-law for dinner, but never got around to visiting it myself. Thanks to a dear friend (You know who you are!) I finally found out what I had been missing out on!  The interior itself is cozy, comfortable and inviting. We chose to sit by the French doors, which gave us a lovely view into the patio outside. The staff seemed well-trained, and informed of all the items on the menu. The Specials menu was also pointed out, which I took advantage of, and ordered the Lobster Lasagna for myself.  But I move ahead of myself. The complimentary bread basket was standard as far as bread baskets go. No complaints there. It was fresh, with its usual bread sticks and buns. The butter with it was perfectly soft at room temperature, with a smattering of herbs and salt. Spread it on a bun and munched happily.  I was going to order the Pumpkin and Prawn Bisque, but my friend suggested the cheese

You know you're a regular at a restaurant where everyone from the servers to the managers recognize you and welcome you like an old friend as soon as you walk in. Sakura will always remain a favorite because there has never been one single negative experience there. And no matter what new things we try, they are always delicious.  Had a lunch date with an old, old friend of mine and since we both love sushi, Sakura it was! We ordered the Prawn Tempura and Spicy Edamame as appetizers, and then moved on to Crispy California Rolls, Beef Tataki, and the Salmon Sushi Sandwich, which is not pictured because honestly, we were talking and forgot. The Salmon Sushi Sandwich was a new discovery by Funty's (If you read my reviews regularly, you know who he is) wife Sarah, and like everything else, this too was a gem of a find. I wouldn't trust anyone else with my sushi except Sakura.  Beef Tataki Crispy California Roll Prawn Tempura Spicy Edamame

This blog will probably not be as long as my other ones have been, mostly because I have just one thing to talk about. This one 'thing' though, is transcendent. It can be written about pages upon pages. It is the chocolate souffle at Cosmopolitan. If you want a sugar high, seat yourself at a table and order just this. Served hot right out of the oven, with a scoop of store-bought (Tasted like Walls) ice cream, this souffle is a delight to eat. You'd better wait for the first couple of bites to cool down before you put a spoonful in  your mouth, otherwise you're sure to burn yourself (Not pleasant, trust me!). The pictures pretty much speak for themselves. This dessert blows me away every single time because it's a 2-in-1. Souffle on the outside, molten lava cake on the inside.  A must try for all chocoholics!