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Sattar Buksh on the move: popular Karachi cafe is now serving street food in the capital

Sattar Buksh on the move: popular Karachi cafe is now serving street food in the capital

The items on the menu are diverse, ranging from pastas to continental dishes and local favourities.
25 Jan, 2016

ISLAMABAD: Coffee shops and cafes are a dime a dozen in the capital and are constantly flooding people’s timelines and email inboxes with new deals. So it is surprising if a new establishment opens its doors without much ado or fanfare on social media.

But that is exactly how Sattarbuksh Cafe – originally from the old capital, Karachi – arrived in the Gol Market of Islamabad’s swanky F-7 neighbourhood. The brainchild of Karachi-based entrepreneurs Adnan Yousaf and Rizwan Ahmed, the cafe’s inimitable moustachioed mascot is an easily recognisable figure from Facebook posts.

Sattarbuksh is more of a hangout than a fine-dining restaurant. The items on the menu are diverse, ranging from pastas to continental dishes and local favourities.

The eatery initially ran into trouble when Starbucks, the global coffee chain whose name and logo some say was lampooned by Sattarbuksh, threatened them with legal action. But that is now ancient history and the brand is doing roaring business, mostly thanks to some smart copywriting and a good business ethic.


Karachi’s latest export to the capital sells street food with a local twist


“When it comes to food, everyone has their own preferences. Even two people eating together will want different things, so we try and cater to everyone’s tastes,” says Armaghan Shahid, who runs the Islamabad outlet.

The cafe has opened in the same spot that was once occupied by that great bastion of Islamabad nightlife, Civil Junction, where good food and entertainment thrived side-by-side for many years.

Since C.J. closed down, no other establishment has stepped up to fill that void. But Mr Shahid has big plans for the space.

“I want musicians and artists to come and perform here,” he says as he shows photos from successful past events held on the patio outside the restaurant.

The decor is colourful and exciting. Slogans and platitudes in Urdu, Punjabi and Pashto are painted on the walls, while a series of paintings imagining Maula Jutt as Superman and James Bond liven things up upstairs.

The menu is creatively constructed with a decidedely local flavour and features dishes such as ‘Hathora Maar’ beef strips, ‘Lahori Lakshmi’ fish, ‘Jheenga La-La’ prawns and the ‘Beysharam’ open-face burgers. The stand-out attraction, though, are the bun kebabs.

These budget burgers are packed with flavours that will suit anyone’s taste buds. From the dumdaar qeema, which is simmered with papaya leaves; to the standard anda shami, the bun kebabs are a must have.

Served on pages from a phonebook, as they would be on the streets of Karachi, the bun kebabs are complimented by a tangy mint sauce and a mild and sweet imli ki chutney.

Crisp papadums replace traditional French Fries as an accompaniment, and the results are stellar.

But according to Mr Shahid, one of the most popular dishes in the restaurant is the daal chawal. “It came as a shock to us as well; who would’ve thought people would come to this posh side of town to have a plate of daal chawal,” he says with incredulity.

Chai is another speciality at Sattarbuksh, with the elaichi chai or the ‘cheeni rok ke patti thok ki’ being the most sought after items.

The Kashmiri chai is also worth a shot, and all hot beverages are served with two khatai-style cookies on the side.

While the restaurant’s success in Karachi was owed to a smartly-done social media campaign, the Islamabad outlet is relying on word of mouth to get its clientele.

“Young people do come here, but most of our customers are families, and I would like it to stay that way,” Mr Shahid says with a wry smile.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2016

Comments

Ali Jan 25, 2016 12:23pm
It was a big disappointment on our first visit, food quantity and quality was way below what is being served by their competitors. Especially service was pathetic, first an extra coke was served which was not ordered when we requested to take it back we were told that its not possible because the coke has been charged. Then incomplete order was served with a big delays, one of our friend had to pack the food because all others had finished by the time his order arrived. I've been to Karachi and what I know from my experience is that restaurants in Karachi are way better than Islamabad in terms of both food and service, but Sattar Buksh was a way below par.
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Ash Jan 25, 2016 01:51pm
One day - Inshallah One day indeed this and many localised Sattar Baksh will give Starbucks a run for their Bucks! When people realise their true intrinsic values the McDonalds' and the Pizza Huts disappear and the true power to the people emerge!
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Billo Rani Jan 25, 2016 02:12pm
Total waste of money and time. Not up to the mark. Sorry guys...but you need to redo your menu and also lower pricing. Regards, Billo
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