The food business in Karachi is thriving. There’s a pizza parlor and burger cafe at every corner, each boasting the tastiest, crispiest and being the best in the city. But to be very honest, my palate is now bored. While names may change, the taste more or less remains the same. Having similar kinds of food again and again, my tastebuds lost all excitement. Then I received some hope. A chance to escape from the usual and taste authentic Lebanese food at Paramount Fine Foods!
Hardly surprising I jumped at the opportunity. Paramount Fine Foods Pk recently opened its doors in Karachi, and just at the right time. Located on main Khayaban e Shamsheer, the quaint little place offers a whole different world. The minute you enter, you are transported into the heart of Lebanon.
From the decor, to the Arabic music in the background, you feel like you are no longer in Karachi.
The food at Paramount Fine Foods
Now let’s get down to business the food. The meal started off with a massive serving of Salad and Hummus. The salad was incredibly fresh and gets the highest marks a salad can get. The Hummus was just the right texture. I tried my best not to fill up on these two as plenty more awaited. Priced at Rs. 345/- the Hummus is one of the best I have had in the city so far.
Then came the Manakeesh. I’ll be very honest here. I have never had anything quite like it before. Confused between which to order, I got the Za’atar and Beef Cheese Manakeesh. No meal is complete without some fattening melted cheese on top. And the Beef Cheese Manakeesh hit just the right spot. The Za’atar Manakeesh was a crispy bed of pita bread with toasted herbs and thyme on top. I was surprised at how good it tasted. May I say I had the ‘thyme’ of my life. Ok yeah too much maybe.
For mains I had a hard time deciding what to order. So the host recommended the Mixed Combo Platter which consisted a little bit of everything on the menu. For a group of three people, this was the perfect thing. A layer of pita bread, laden with Kafka, Shish Tawouk and BBQ Beef skewers, Falafel, Chicken and Beef Shawarma and Tahini sauces. My favorite thing on the platter was the crispy brown Falafel. Word of advice, only order this platter if you are in the company of three or more people. You alone cannot finish this no matter how big a foodie you are.
To drink I got the Paramount Special (Rs. 395). That was a mistake. Only because this drink is a full meal on its own! With so much to eat alongside, I could not finish this fine combination of strawberry and mango juice, topped with pineapple, kiwi, almonds, pistachios, cream and honey. As delicious as it was, the ashta cream made it a little bit difficult to drink.
My meal ended on a highly sweet note. I chose a selection of the finest Bakhlavas. Truth be told, I am a huge fan of Bakhlavas. Once a year on Eid we receive a great assortment from some relatives. Apart from those, I cannot find any good ones here. These were simply delightful. Carrying the right amount of sweetness, the bite sized Bakhlavas made the entire meal worthwhile!
Paramount Fine Foods is highly recommended if you want a break from the usual.