A Taste of
Lahore
By Ras H. Siddiqui
CA
Commenting on Lahore has become easier since
the last visit. It is not unlike Jaipur in India
with a very rich history, a newfound urban cleanliness
and much more to attract tourists. The reason
for mentioning Jaipur here is only in the realm
of my recent trip and tourism, as both cities
are rich in gates and forts and both can boast
of an attractive “Shish Mahal” or
palace of mirrors. And while Jaipur has the edge
in its pink hues, Lahore is by far, in my opinion,
the culinary superior of the two. It may not even
be too radical a view to write here that in all
of South Asia, the cuisine of Lahore and the Lahori
spirit is difficult to beat.
After landing in Lahore, at one of the most beautiful
airports around today, I had the opportunity to
attend a wedding about four hours after arrival.
And since lunch in Delhi was a big affair, the
officially forced frugality at weddings in Pakistan
was quite welcome, as bowls of chicken corn soup
was all that was served. Good soup though!
The next day was quite an eye opener. The “Food
Street” is on every tourist’s mind
in Lahore these days and the relatives of my significant
other did not disappoint that evening, as the
Gawalmandi Food Street was our destination. And
if you like to see the festive side of Punjabi
culture, this is the place to be on any evening.
And for food, this place could even be described
as heavenly.
It is difficult to remember exactly where we sat,
because you can literally order anything from
anywhere on this cordoned off street (only foot
traffic is allowed). Some Europeans, Indians and
possibly Americans were present there, along with
Lahore’s local lighthearted “Zinda
Dil’s”
As the A through Z of Punjabi-Pakistani food was
appearing before us, fresh from the karahis, from
the barbeque and out of the tandoors, one could
only consume slowly and try to remain calm. The
Lahori charga was excellent, the lassi superb
and the nans worth remembering. But since I stayed
away from the nihari-paya this time around to
revisit them elsewhere on another night, I was
reluctant to be too adventurous in the salan areas.
But that all changed when I had the “Chinioti
kunnah gosht” dish for the first time ever.
It was just superb. My main food discovery after
all these years away from Pakistan has to be the
Kunnah (gosht or paya) during this trip.
Day three was light home food for lunch. We attended
an engagement party and dinner at the Mei Kong
Chinese Restaurant in Lahore’s suburbia.
But no Chinese food was served, only memorable
Pakistani food. A Kashmiri Harisa (a haleem-like
dish) was tried the next morning along with kheer
for desert.
Lunch was at Freddy’s Café in Gulberg
on day 4, with friends who had returned from America.
Freddy’s wins for modern ambiance and California
style cuisine in Lahore. The Mexican food here
is very popular (Mexican food in Lahore?) along
with Afghani dishes, Thai food and some very American
steaks.
I was running out of time in Lahore so the night
before leaving, a trip to the Badshahi Mosque
area was mandatory. And one cannot leave Lahore
without eating at Fazal Haq’s Sri Payay
(aka Phajje’s) and visiting one of the most
interesting restaurants in the city called Coocos’s
Den.
Cooco’s Den in Lahore’s previously
infamous Diamond Market is a must see for the
foreign tourist. One cannot initially decide whether
to go there for the food or Iqbal Hussain’s
paintings or just the view. All three would be
a good guess. Too bad that I had to go there after
eating at Phajje’s, but walking up all those
stairs can by itself digest a great deal of any
consumed food. Cooco’s is very interesting.
Artist Iqbal Hussain has spent over three decades
making local people the subject of his paintings.
The food I’ve heard is good, especially
the handi kebabs, but the nighttime view from
the rooftop of the Badshahi Mosque is just out
of this world. Pakistani and South-Asian Americans
should not miss it.
Lahore has succeeded in attracting many more admirers
now beyond just the returning Lahoris. It is turning
out to be that attractive window which Pakistanis
can market globally. History and food converge
very well on Lahore, to the delight of any outside
observer. The place has changed a great deal since
the days I launched paper airplanes from the 7th
floor of WAPDA House as a kid. But Karachi beckons
and the final stop on this journey remains.
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