Winter may just be the right time to indulge in a revamped continental cuisine. There is a myriad of reasons to try out the seasonal barbeque buffet that the traditional Baradari restaurant has introduced at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad. However, there is more to the experience of desi food than just another fancy food street.
Atmosphere 5/5
The cavernous entrance that leads to the outdoor restaurant goes through a swimming pool and lands one in a cozy garden setting. An almost secret vault, where food enthusiasts are spoilt for choice and have an incentive to keep trying out new dishes each time they arrive.
The menu rotates on a daily basis but is same for a given week, keeping consistent, yet adding diversity to the culinary experience. Perhaps what sets the place apart from an average, grubby barbeque place, is its decadent feel, the traditional flavors and the elegant presentation of the upscale hotel. Earthen pots, bell-shaped lamps, plants and twinkling fairy lights overpower the aroma of sizzling kebabs, roasting on grilles. Live singing and music complement the festive aura, as one takes in the ambience and waits for the food.
Presentation 5/5
Charcoal aroma and the scintillating glow of coals against the dim exterior. Live food stations offer the luxury to pick and choose, mix up the platter and take in the aroma from one counter to the next. Soups come in two varieties – traditional yakhni or clear soup and crème of mushroom soup for a richer, thicker texture and flavour. The conscious eater can choose from a variety of dishes such as Afghani, hummus and pumpkin salads with choice condiments and dressings.
Service 4/5
Waiters linger to toss sizzling naans or barbeque items such as chapli kabab, seekh kabab or cooked items such as lamb chops, bihari kabab and malai boti. Browsing through each subsequent food station, one can sample freshly-squeezed juices or pick a dessert from a lavish counter serving everything from rice pudding to choclate mousse. One can browse through the live food stations and juice centre, covering a number of food courses from appetizers, soups and salads to main dishes, dessert. Meanwhile, one can enjoy an assortment of both eastern and western dessert. From hot and crispy jalebis to chocolate mousse and pudding, there is reason to surrender to the sweet-lover within. Most of the fruit is imported for squeezing fresh juices.
Quality 3/5
Though traditional, the flavors and spices are mild enough to appeal to a variety of tastes. That is also true for signature barbeque items such as lamb chops, Bihari kabab, seekh kabab, fish and malai boti or nihari and biryani. The desserts also contain a moderate amount of sweetness and creaminess. With an overwhelming assortment of dishes, it is easy to get lost in the multitude of flavors. It is best to think your food choices through before giving into temptation and trying everything. While one may never do justice to the buffet, there is no harm in checking in at the latest one on the block. Some must-have appetizers are chicken tempura, kachori and samosa. Freshly-squeezed juices, lassi and smoothie are served at a juice centre with traditional machinery without much ado. The paan-corner is also a recent addition to the menu, serving sweet, scented and “special” paans, employing some Indian spices such as amrat and ruswa. The special paan is a rare treat and thus it costs over Rs1,000. The buffet costs Rs2,100 plus tax.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 25th, 2014.
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