Images

Let the Iftar buffet at N'ecos be your guilt-free indulgence this Ramazan

Let the Iftar buffet at N'ecos be your guilt-free indulgence this Ramazan

Does the iftar stay true to N'ecos claims of all natural?
Updated 06 Jun, 2017

N'ecos has always been known for its healthy food options and organic values.

For Ramazan, the cafe went all out with an iftar buffet, making it a point to cater to all customers.

We went to N'ecos to see how it fares in terms of iftari. We went on the third day of Ramazan and were pleasantly surprised to see the cafe almost full. N'ecos definetely has a fan following. There were customers of all age groups there, including a baby as young as 2 years old!

The buffet was loaded with a variety of dishes.

The buffet had the iftari requirements like samosas and spring rolls. Because how can you have iftari without these guilty pleasure?

N'ecos had an assortment of appetisers, mains and desserts.

,
,

The salads at Necos stood out. Apart from the iftari basics like fruit chaat and chana chaat, there were some fun additions like caesar salad and cranberry salad.

Our personal favourite was the apple, rocket and feta salad. It was light and refreshing and the walnuts in the salad made for a great crunch.

The one bite pesto sandwiches were cheesy and light. Perfect for the children if you plan on going with the family.

The cottage chicken had us concerned that it would be too dry but it was cooked perfectly and was loaded with cheesy goodness. Cottage cheesey goodness, so kinda guilt free too no? Let us have this.

The pizza is another child friendly addition that we also enjoyed. The crust was thin and the toppings were seasoned well. It was a little dry though, but a little hot sauce can make it just right.

The chicken wings were a hybrid of crispy and honey glazed. They were batter fried but had a sweet taste, an interesting blend. The wings, however, took a back seat to the dynamite prawns, which became a favourite from the buffet. The prawns were crispy, the sauce had the right amount of tang and N'ecos made sure to have a bowl of the dynamite sauce on the side so you can drench your prawn in that amazing sauce. Some of us decided to dip almost everything in the sauce and we don't care if you judge us!

A dish we loved was the gluten free lasagna. Made with strips of zucchini instead of pasta, it was a unique dish that we'd expect at N'ecos.

For those who want their pasta fix, the buffet had Fettucine Alfredo, Karachi's favourite pasta dish. Cheesy and saucy,

The extra spicy chicken was the least favourite on our table simply because it didn't live up to its name. The curry needed that spice kick that desis would love. However, as a simple chicken curry, it was nice, especially when paired with rice.

Our seafood bias had us enjoying the grilled Alaska fish. Because of the iftar buffet style, the fish couldn't remain piping hot, which is a pity because it tastes ten times better when the fish is freshly grilled. Not a fault of N'ecos though. We'd order that a la carte as well.

Another top favourite in the buffet was pepper steak. The style of serving the steak was to cater to the buffet, with the beef cut up in cubes before topped with pepper sauce. But we loved this one because it's easy to overcook beef. This was tender and not at all chewy.

We tried to have everything but there was a lot going on in the buffet and we were really looking forward to getting our hands on the desserts. And for good reason. The desserts were amazing!

An array of baked goods decorated the dessert table and we had to force ourselves to try them all simply because we knew they'd be good. We loved the tarts. A nutty tart dressed in a sauce reminiscent of Dulce de Leche was a favourite, while mini brownies and profiteroles made for great sidekicks with our tea. We needed that tea desperately and really appreciate that N'ecos is one of the few cafes that do mixed teas well.

And of course, N'ecos had to have their French toast. To be honest, we'd have been upset if they wouldn't be there. Fresh and hot, these were amazing.

After being done with our meal we decided to hang back for a while. A great thing about N'ecos is the basement which has their natural store. But we were surprised to find out that N'ecos is expanding their cafe so the basement is in works and will add tables and chairs. Also, they hope to have events there as well. We're excited for that!

The N'ecos buffet comes at the steep price of Rs2,200 per head. It's quite pricey, but perhaps that's the price for organic ingredients?


This content has been independently produced by the writer and Dawn Images team. Nécos has paid for association with the content.

Comments

Hassan (Karachi) Jun 03, 2017 05:22pm
"The N'ecos buffet comes at the steep price of Rs2,200 per head" Yeah, no thank you. Even by US standards, paying $20-22 is a too much for a meal and usually reserved for special occasions. With even lower incomes in Pakistan, it is even worse.
Recommend
Zeeshan (Karachi) Jun 03, 2017 06:31pm
HASSAN (KARACHI): You are absolutely right , and I am glad to see someone like you who doesn't hesitate in telling the truth. mostly people fear of being labelled as poor or middle class if you argue over prices and that is the reason they rob us .
Recommend
nur Jun 03, 2017 07:35pm
@Zeeshan (Karachi) Besides high rent or Pugree, they have high overheads. I do not outrightly support their price structure, but one should be mindful of their overheads and quality food they offer!
Recommend
CHRIS BRYANT Jun 04, 2017 12:19am
WHERE IS THIS RESTURANT LOCATED?
Recommend
ABE Jun 04, 2017 01:03am
yet another rip-off joint in the nation. Even by EU and American family restaurant standards, most 'westernized' copycats in Pakistan are overpriced.
Recommend
Amna Jun 04, 2017 01:52am
How is this 'healthy'?
Recommend
Husnain FROM UK Jun 04, 2017 05:54am
Looks nice actually, organic eatery for health conscious dinners. But price is bit citrus isn't. Yeah may be...but I like!
Recommend
AXH Jun 04, 2017 07:28am
These restaurants, due to their high prices, are targeted to a certain income-earning community and are not meant for general public.
Recommend
Lahori kid Jun 04, 2017 08:54am
@Hassan (Karachi), Really Rs. 2200? WOW, that's a lot of money,, one could eat a simple iftari and donate the rest of money towards feeding a lot of poor and working people.
Recommend
Lahori kid Jun 04, 2017 08:58am
@nur Maybe so, but 9 out of 10 people cannot afford to pay that kind of money for food period. But then again, it seems that for every poor person, there are 100 who have a lot of money in Pakistan, yet we are a poor nation,SMH
Recommend
Moona Jun 04, 2017 10:34am
Ooops! The last line gave you away!
Recommend
kamran anas Jun 04, 2017 03:32pm
people are making noise against inflated fruit prices in Ramadan. how about Rs 2200 only buffets.
Recommend
Syed Ali Jun 04, 2017 04:52pm
Good rip off for junk food. Paying $22 defeats the purpose of Ramadan. How many families can eat for this money.
Recommend