Said to be food worthy of Greek Gods, Ambrosia was considered having magical powers, giving the gift of immortality to whoever tasted it. While the recently opened Ambrosia Fine Dining in Karachi cannot promise that, it does guarantee a surreal experience that is unlike any other.
We recently got a chance to visit Ambrosia and try out the food. Upon entering the restaurant, you can see a lush green garden, a perfect place to enjoy your meal on a chilly evening. However, it seemed a bit too cold for us. Plus the lighting outside makes it a little difficult to take pictures of the food, and that for food bloggers is the most important thing, so we decided to sit inside instead.
Mesmerising as the garden was, the inside was just as spectacular. The grand decor while luxurious is extremely comfy too. Stunning works of art adorn the walls. And the lighting is just right for pictures of food.
The five-course meal started off with soup! We ordered Tomato Basil, Mushroom and Minestrone soup. All three soups were delicious but personally, for me, the Mushroom Soup was the best. It was rich and creamy and reminded me why soups are called comfort food. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy and I felt a little sad when I finished it.
Next came the appetizers. Since the chef, Jalal Haider personally came out and assured us of the menu, we left everything to him and decided to have whatever he put in front of us. We have all had his food before and we trust him blindly. For the starters, we got Frito Misto, Garlic Spicy Crab, The Spicy Cigar and Tiger Prawn Tempura.
Frito Misto – a seafood platter with deep fried calamari, shrimp and fish, served with tomato sauce and soya and jalapeno dip. The seafood was cooked well, calamari has the tendency to go rubbery if not cooked right, that was certainly not the case here. And with the jalapeno dip it tasted delicious.
Garlic Spicy Crab was crab claws cooked in butter garlic, lemon juice and chilli. The sauce was a tad bit too salty but the crab was cooked to perfection.
The Spicy Cigar was by far my favorite. The crisp filo pastry made a crunch as you broke into it to reveal the well seasoned beef bolognese inside.
Tiger Prawn Tempura needed a bit of work. The batter tasted powdery and the prawns lacked seasoning. They were however cooked well.
Next came the salads. For me, salads are usually sad food that I consume when I am feeling extra fat. However, the two salads that I got to try at Ambrosia made me happier than ever. We were served the Quinoa and Char-grilled Chicken Salad and the Garden Salad. Both were fresh and were bursting with different flavors. But if I had to choose one, I would go with the Quinoa salad – fresh, crunchy and absolutely delicious, never have I been so glad to eat rocket and basil leaves!
The food coma continued and we were then served the mains. Have to say after such a wonderful start the mains had a lot of catching up to do. We got The Beef Steak, Parmesan Chicken, Mediterranean Fish and Pesto Pasta. From all four, the beef steak took the crown. It was cooked perfectly and was juicy and tender. The sauce needed a bit of pepper but the steak on its own was quite enjoyable too. The fish needed loads of seasoning. The sauce overpowered the fish and the garlic rice served with it gave a burnt after taste. The chicken was loaded with too many vegetables that weren’t needed and we had to dig deep to find it. I am not a fan of pesto so the pasta for me was not too exciting. The winner? The Beef Steak of course.
The meal was slowly coming to an end. The final course the desserts were placed in front of us. We got the Cannelloni, Banoffee Pie and Lemon Tart. I am not a fan of banana as a dessert so the Banoffee Pie for me was ok. The tart was crumbly and delicious but on its on, it’s something I won’t order. The Lemon Tart was good. The curd had a good balance of sweet and sour flavors. The Cannelloni, now that was something else. Crispy tuile cylinders filled with cream cheese that carried the right amount of sweetness took all the marks for me.
For the four of us that went to Ambrosia, we had our own favorites for every course. However, we did agree most of the time. Collectively we gave Ambrosia Fine Dining an 8 out of 10 and would recommend it to whoever is on the lookout for a lovely evening. The restaurant is now open to the public.
Have anything to add to the story? Leave a message in the comments below.
