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I’m not quick to jump on trends, let alone food trends since my appetite is limited and tastebuds reserved for chicken items, chickpeas, and desi deserts. But the idea of pistachio and kunafa in chocolate intrigued me, partly because it sounded slightly desi and something I would enjoy.

Luckily, when my aunt visited us from Dubai last year, she brought along the viral FIX Dessert Chocolatier’s Can’t Get Knafeh Of It, and let me tell you, I inhaled that bar of gooey, crunchy indulgence like it was a limited-time offer. The price tag? A whopping AED 68 (roughly Rs5,000). Would I have splurged on it myself? Absolutely not. But did I understand why some would? Yes, yes I did.

So when Kababjees decided to throw their hat into the chocolate arena with their own take, we had to summon it to our office.

I’ll be honest — I braced myself for disappointment. At Rs3,000, it’s on the pricier side of Pakistani chocolates, especially when Lals offers a slimmer, more affordable version at Rs500 less. But one bite into Kababjees’ Choco-nafa changed my mind.

It wasn’t mind-blowing, but it was good — good enough to satisfy my sweet tooth for at least a week. If you’re not a pistachio or Kunafa fan, don’t try it. Frankly, if you don’t like your dessert too sweet, stay as far away from it as possible.

Now, is it worth Rs3,000? Probably not. But if you’re splitting it with friends or pacing yourself with fridge-stashed bites, it can be worth its value. You can keep it in the fridge and have it over the course of a week or more.

The chocolate shell is rich, the kunafa filling — though slightly mushier than the original — still delivers that familiar, gooey sweetness. It’s crunchy, squidgy, and delightfully messy.

If you’re a fan of traditional wafers or nutty chocolates, it also offers the texture you’re looking for in chocolates. But if you’re a chocolate purist (read: stubbornly old-school), save your money and stick to your plain-Jane chocolate bars.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

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