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Updated 02 Sep, 2016

In trying to have the broadest, most universal appeal, many restaurants sacrifice character and distinctiveness for generic pleasantness. With every eatery jumping on the bandwagon of eight-page menus with remorselessly similar variations of the latest of the moment dishes, it’s almost a relief to find a restaurant that is purposefully untrendy.

Il Posto is not likely to become a hip hot spot but that’s okay because it was never intended to be. Instead of having something for everyone, owners Sara Gillani and Arslan Nayeem aim to fill a very specific niche and focus on authentic Italian cuisine.

Il Posto aims to fill a very specific niche and focus on authentic Italian cuisine
Il Posto aims to fill a very specific niche and focus on authentic Italian cuisine

Il Posto (italian for “the place”) recently opened where the mostly unnoticed and mostly unremarkable Gon Pacci used to be. The modest little Italian restaurant reflects an ambiance that is somewhere between cozy and refined. In these early stages, it's nice to see the chef and owner circulating on the floor to make sure everything is running smoothly.

Is Il Posto serving the hearty Italian meal Karachi craves?

Sara’s husband Zubair Gillani was particularly helpful and forthcoming on the day we visited. He explained how the menu was designed to get the most out of a meal.

You start with appetizers for the table like carpaccio (interestingly this is the first place to have chicken carpaccio) or pizza, then a first course of pasta, a second course of fish and then the main followed by dessert and finally ending with a shot of espresso.

“This creates an experience as well as providing value for money,” Zubair said “Some restaurants go up to 5000 per head and you don’t get your money’s worth, here you can have an extravagant four course meal but also order individual dishes at reasonable prices.”

Dinner starts out encouragingly. The toasty bruschetta is crunchy and the fresh tomato topping is perfectly balanced. Unfortunately, this proves to be the best part of the meal and bit by bit that early promise gave way to doubts.

The bruschetta was a good start to the meal
The bruschetta was a good start to the meal

The main courses are straight forward and unfussy but not notably creative or unique. Two chefs from Italy trained the current staff and everything is competent within the context of a familiar culinary tradition.

When ordering the prawn risotto, Gillani warned me that many patrons found it to be under cooked but still recommended the original recipe. He was right and the risotto had most perfect texture, firm to the bite and not gluey at all. However, as rich and comforting as it was it lacked something sharp to temper or contrast it.

The risotto's texture was just right, but its flavour didn't excite the palate enough
The risotto's texture was just right, but its flavour didn't excite the palate enough

The spaghetti aglio olio highlighted the ingredients used rather than skills of the chef and the ingredients are clearly top shelf. Freshly sourced cherry tomatoes and olive oil elevated the rustic four ingredient dish but there is no wow factor. Good quality commercial pasta is used here, but the lasagna and ravioli use fresh rolled pasta.

The spaghetti aglio olio lacked the wow factor
The spaghetti aglio olio lacked the wow factor

The traditional brick oven and buffalo mozzarella gives the pizzas a distinct and classic taste. According to Gillani there are plans to eventually make pizzas available for home delivery.

The pizzas are set apart by the buffalo mozzarella base
The pizzas are set apart by the buffalo mozzarella base

The chicken stuffed with ricotta and spinach showed the most pronounced disconnect between what Il Posto serves and what the majority of patrons want. The serving was relatively small and the authentic Italian flavor may seem bland to those used to more spicy dishes.

The chicken stuffed with ricotta and spinach turned out to be too bland for most patrons' taste
The chicken stuffed with ricotta and spinach turned out to be too bland for most patrons' taste

The perfectly fair explanation for the very small portion sizes disregards that this is not how people eat here. If a dish looks small, the customer will feel cheated, appetizers and dessert notwithstanding.

Especially since the desserts leave a lot to be desired. We barely start, let alone finish them. The cheesecake is grainy, the tiramisu watery and disproportionately topped with cocoa and the profiteroles are soggy and lackluster.

The desserts were disappointing
The desserts were disappointing

Happily the service seems to be much better than the desserts and the chef listened to our complaints genially and assured us that they are working on improving them.

'I would rather close than do fusion'

The owners are aware of the disconnect between restaurant and patron. But the bad reviews posted on social media give them little to no pause. “We welcome bad reviews, if someone thinks the food is too spicy that would makes us very happy, if they think its too bland, there is not much we can do.”

Gillani feels no pressure to cave into customer preferences. “I would rather close than do fusion because when you start doing that where is the line?”

He points out that there are no other Italian restaurants in the city, just continental ones which have a few Italian dishes. This commitment to stay true to the integrity of the cuisine is admirable and bold but so far the execution is not as clear as the concept. It’s not enough to be the only authentic Italian restaurant. It must also have the best dishes, which it does not.

Italian food has always been popular but mostly as comfort food and family style meals. The food at Il Posto is not generous or hearty enough to be considered comfort food but it is not inventive or inspired enough to be categorized as fine dining.

There may well be a space in the market for something in between but it’s unlikely to be occupied by very many people. The service and ingredients may be able to retain the most loyal customer base, but to reach out further they will need to fine tune a few things.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Comments

vaqas Sep 02, 2016 01:37pm
If I am correct, then Italian portions are supposed to be huge. These look like bite size portions. And no mention of a steak. Steaks are as Italian as anything else.
Recommend (0)
Skeptic Sep 02, 2016 02:07pm
The food may be OK, but Pakistanis simply lack the art of presentation, or even how to take a picture of a dish which looks a bit more appetizing than a blob, or tasteless fries thrown on a plate!!!
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The Observer Sep 02, 2016 02:34pm
DONT THEY GET ASHAMED OF PRESENTING SUCH EATING STUFF. It's not even worth looking.
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Hassan (Karachi) Sep 02, 2016 02:49pm
The author conveniently avoided mentioning the cost. Please make sure to cover cost, always.
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Tariq, Lahore Sep 02, 2016 03:08pm
The Italian cuisine (European in general) are bay en large 'bland' in character for our pallets because all western food, generally, is washed down with alcoholic beverages ie, with wine and or beer. Our dietary intake has evolved around spiced up food in the absence of alcohol being an integral part of our diet because of our belief system. It would not be commercially viable for a western style menu to succeed without 'tweaking' the recipes to appeal the local pallets!
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AHA Sep 02, 2016 03:20pm
I think if an authentic south Indian dishes are offered, Karachi people may love them
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Mahmood Sep 02, 2016 03:31pm
Based on the reviews when the food didn't meet the expectation, and still cost around 5000 per head? I bet the total cost to the restaurant for preparing these bland and tasteless dishes could not have been form the 500 rupees. Ridiculously overpriced!! Imitation in itself is an art.
Recommend (0)
M. Malik Sep 02, 2016 03:35pm
Stingy portions thrown on huge plates, and charged at 1000 rupee a pop, is not a place I would visit. The food does not even look tasty in the pictures, and the reviews says it all.
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Lafanga Sep 02, 2016 04:19pm
Dont get into too many varieties. Just serve authentic Italian pizza and it will be a hit. I visited Italy and was overwhelmed by the wide variety of pizzas only served in posh restaurants.
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baqar hasnain Sep 02, 2016 04:42pm
At least pay a visit to the place before subjecting it to the guillotine. I like gnocchi and also dishes with alfredo sauce. I like small portions - quality over quantity. Café or fine dining, ambience and service matter as much as, if not more than, food itself.
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bkt Sep 02, 2016 07:39pm
They may have dishes like lasagna and spaghetti with meatballs served with a spicy sauce to allow some customers to eat something familiar while keeping the menu authentic. Italian food can be quite tasty but it depends on what you choose to serve. Also as someone has mentioned here, there is a wide variety of pizzas available in Italy so why not here? They are delicious, filling, different and much better than the pathetic effort from the USA.
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Arisha G Sep 02, 2016 07:53pm
Haven't read the article but the answer is of course yes; ask anyone what their favorite food - answer is Pizza! "what you can cook or like to cook/eat?" Pasta the authenticity of these dishes is of course in question, we tend to south-asianize it a bit...
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Khan Sep 02, 2016 08:48pm
Italian food in general is too bland for the Desi palate.
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Zack Khan-usa Sep 02, 2016 08:53pm
I love nihari, biryani, haleem, bihari kabab, reshmi kabab, seekh kabab, kata kat etc...!!! Living in USA since 1983, I have travelled many countries....nothing come close to Pakistani food in taste, may not be very healthy!!
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kash Sep 02, 2016 09:02pm
Italian food is bland Italian pizza vs Desi pizza - Desi wins hands down
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Bhujang Patil Sep 02, 2016 10:13pm
Italian cuisine (entree', main course and deserts) is to be paired with appropriate wine. Most of the Italian dishes are very simple (only 4 - 8 ingredients), and will taste bland for the people of spice nations, unless you pour yourself a glass of red.
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SyedChaudhryGangaDinKhan Sep 03, 2016 01:57am
Authentic? There is nothing "authentic" in Pakistan.
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MJS Sep 03, 2016 03:46am
French sized portions for Italian cuisine?
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ZQ Sep 03, 2016 10:32am
There are many people in the country who are sick and tired of the over spiced food and want a change. A lot of restaurants use extra spices to hide the taste of the sub standard ingredients and thus all one can taste is the masala!
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