Karachi Eat is back — though not with a bang
We went to Karachi Eat at Clifton’s Beach Park twice — once on Friday and once on Sunday. At 9pm on a Friday, the opening day of food festival, the crowds were thin and there were no lines at any of the stalls, even though none of the vendors had run out of any food.
The prices were on the higher side this year — apart from the entry ticket of Rs750, almost everything is priced above Rs500 for a very small serving. The footfall is definitely less, and the hype for the festival online is also bleak compared to the previous editions of one of Karachi’s most anticipated festivals.
Pros: A lot of new and home-based food stalls, less crowds, no long queues
Cons: Lighting is quite bad at night, prices are steep, only few standout stalls
Overall verdict: 7/10
Here’s what we tried:
Stuffed Prawns by PortSide
Price: Rs500
Value for money: 7/10
Seafood and winters in Karachi are a match made in heaven, so we began our night with PortSide. One serving of the Stuffed Prawns comes with four prawns and a dip of your choice. The prawns were hot and spicy, but the batter was a bit overpowering, and the sauce too sweet. There is definitely room for improvement, but a nice attempt, nonetheless.
Yak slider by Yak Grill
Price: Rs600
Value for money: 8/10
Straight from Hunza — this was our favourite last night. Succulent, juicy and bursting with flavour, you’ll be going back for seconds. They have two stalls, one for the burgers and another for the sides.
The price is a little steep though, a slider for Rs600 will be gone in two bites.
Pulled beef slider by Fizz and Bob
Price: Rs600
Value for money: 5/10
We went for the hype but were a tad disappointed. We would miss this one given there are so many better options out there now.
Chapli kabab and nan by Chapli Kabab House
Price: Rs450
Value for money: 9/10
A hot favourite every year, the Chapli Kabab platter is a perfect snack if you are going at night. Love how they have maintained their quality over the years and it is a hearty serving to share with friends.
Beef Steak by Seared by MS
Price: Rs500
Value for money: 9/10
Loved this too — Mabroor sure knows how to make a mean steak! Served with a cheesy mushroom sauce and mashed potatoes, the meat was soft and cooked to the right temperature and will be devoured in minutes. The serving size is also good compared to the other stalls.
Bombay Biryani by Shan
Price: Rs300
Value for money: 6/10
We were craving some piping hot Biryani after all the meat and decided to try Shan’s stall, but this biryani was nothing to write home about. Skip it.
Hot Chocolate by Coffee Wagera
Price: Rs600
Value for money: 7/10
A great pick-me-up given the winter breeze in Karachi these days. They also have a few fun new options on the menu, and were, as always, really enthusiastic hosts.
Turkish cappuccino by Turkish Mud Coffee
Price: Rs400
Value for money: 5/10
Karachi is catching up on coffee culture, given there were quite a few stalls dedicated to the beverage. This one is an interesting concept but fails on the execution — and was nothing like the Turkish coffee we remember having in Istanbul. We will not be going back.
Original Churros by Churrosity
Price: Rs500
Value for money: 7/10
Lovely, golden and crispy, coated with cinnamon and served with sauce. Ended our night with these and we weren’t disappointed!
Momos by Momos on the Go
Price: Rs500
Value for money: 2/10
Not worth the money. The dumplings were too doughy. I got the chicken and cheese flavour and it wasn’t good. Only the chilli oil made it palatable.
Smores Tart by Purple Cow
Price: Rs480
Value for money: 10/10
Toasted marshmallow atop a rich Belgian mousse with a biscuit base — perfect for chocolate lovers. The tart was amazing.
Waffle on a stick by The Fairy Desserts
Price: Rs300
Value for money: 8/10
Fun to eat, served warm and fresh with a delicious Nutella drizzle.
Pepperoni Pizza by Famous Os
Price: Rs450 for a slice
Value for money: 6/10
I’ve only heard rave reviews but the pizza was mediocre at best.
Vanilla Latte by Sugar Latte
Price: Rs500
Value for money: 8/10
Not too sweet, great balance of bitter coffee notes. The brownie mocha Latte (not pictured here) was also great. Chocolatey decadence. I preferred the vanilla one though, it’s lighter and a great palate cleanser.
Smokey drink by Hippi Icepops
Price: Rs300
Value for money: 7/10
I got a lychee flavoured smokey drink. It wsa refreshing, dramatic and had a fun presentation. It was very sweet though.
You still have time to check out the festival today, with some interesting food and performances lined up too. Check it out to support and discover some new food, but keep the expectations low and the wallet loaded.
