This Ramazan, Islamabadis are having a ball with chilly evenings, 12-hour fasts and innumerable iftar offerings to choose from. Eateries are competing against each other to win over famished residents of the capital with deals ranging from Rs3,000 plus tax to Rs8,000 per head.

But beware of falling into the trap of a hodgepodge of chutneys, an assortment of deep fried pakoras, a variety of juices and a cornucopia of naan all in the name of an all-inclusive buffet. To save you from this fate, I ventured out to try out some of the best iftar offerings in the city.

Chattha’s

My first stop was Chattha’s located in Tariq Market in F-10. Chattha’s, where old school traditions meet new world sensibilities, is an off-shoot of Cheema Chattha, which is a bodega of sorts, that has been selling organic seasonings, spices and all kinds of aromatic herbs for years. It’s a go-to place for those searching for “khalis” flavours in Islamabad.

Waqar Chattha, one of the scions of the family, infused his business skills with his passion for cooking, and carved out an eatery Chattha’s, opening three outlets within a 10-year span. Cognizant of its roots, the eatery prides itself on its 100 per cent organic ingredients.

Although nestled in a corner, the outdoor seating area is spacious enough to serve a lavish spread for more than 100 guests in addition to the rooftop area. While skipping the ever-present fried items, a card bearing the names Gobi 65 and Noodle Pakora caught my attention. “Gobi 65 is a deep-fried cauliflower from the South Indian region served as an appetiser, featuring crispy florets coated in a spicy, flavourful batter of flour, spices and curry leaves,” explained the innovator.

Steamed before frying, the cauliflower’s own taste and presence was very much there in every bite, elevated by the spiced batter. It was both crunchy and nutritious.

The Noodle Pakora turned out to be a rather simple starter. The secret recipe — instant noodles cooked along its masala packet, then dipped into the marinade before being shallow fried. What appeared like small stuffed patty was actually a spicy and flavourful treat. The outer crust was crunchy but once into the mouth, it was the instant noodles that permeated the palate till the end.

The protagonists in the main course section were the Dal Channa and Beef Nihari, both cooked in desi ghee. The lentils in my serving plate did share space with a few peers, such as Mutton Karahi, Tawa Chicken and Fry Kebab Masala, thus leaving not much room for the wholewheat naan to squeeze in. This assembly was copacetic. It was nothing less than a gastronomic juggernaut equipped with several flavour bombs. Silky yet wholesome, one could tell from the very first bite that the desi ghee’s aromatic presence completely hijacked the plate.

It was rich in texture, so the trick was to keep the right balance between the mutton karahi and daal.  The Fry Kebab Masala was lost in translation but the Tawa Chicken brought in a new zest.

The iftar is priced at Rs2,900 plus tax with discounts changing for each ashra.

Tiger Temple

In order to detox from fried pakoras and samosas, an essential of any Ramazan spread, a renegade course of action was required. Opting for a Thai iftar at Tiger Temple was a wise decision after days of channa chat and pakora consumption. It was a pleasant sight to see smoke emanating from the entrance where the owner, Sana Nadeem, herself was at the helm of affairs, setting Gai Yang (lemongrass chicken chunks) and Crying Tiger Tenderloins (thai beef strips) to char.  My party of two opted for an outdoor table to enjoy the Islamabad breeze and inhale the BBQ smoke wafting through the air.

A peek inside the dining area was not only for the stomach but for eyes as well. Vietnamese Vermicelli and creamy Thai Potato in the salad area, Coconut Noc Cham and Tiger Temple Signature Dumplings, Black Pepper Beef Baos and Thai Herb Stuffed Eggs were set out for the first bites to break the fast.

Moving on to the main courses there was Thai Green Curry, Tamarind Fish and Pad Thai Prawn, chaperoned by traditional sauces and herbs. The Khao Suey was a standalone dish, in one corner.

It was a full house with dishes being replenished from time to time, magnetically pulling the guests to line up for more. “We have a capacity of approximately 65 to 67 guests and it may sound like a cliché, but priced at Rs5,500 plus tax for what is on display, the profit margins are not very exciting. However, in hindsight, our regular customers are very happy and our clientele has increased multifold, which is what we are happy about,” said Nadeem.

The Signature Dumplings and Coconut Noc Cham dumplings were poles apart in taste as they both were cooked in different sauces. One is an amalgamation of chilli, citrus, vinegar and garlic, whereas the other is more creamy and subtle. The dumplings were steamed to perfection and the chicken filling was mild but it was not wise to miss the forest for the trees so we strolled and stopped at the main course junction where a treasure trove of Thai culinary delights waiting to be unearthed.

If eggs are your Achilles Heel, then your prayers have been answered. Do not miss out on Thai Herb Stuffed Eggs. Also known as Scotch Eggs, these are no mere hard-boiled eggs — the secret lies in the yolks which is mashed with a blend of Thai spices and then piped back into the egg white and garnished with Thai herbs.  So crispy and flavourful, it was the just the right hors d’oeuvre.

The Green Curry was skipped as the Beef Baos looked more tempting. Soft and melt-in-your-mouth good, these fluffy steamed buns were full of chunks of black pepper marinated beef that packed a punch.

The Thai Tamarind fish was flaky and fresh. The edges were crispy and drizzled with tamarind sauce. The seabass came alive with a burst of a tangy kick. Then came the Crying Tiger Tenderloins with Nam Jim Jeow sauce. This tender charcoaled beef brisket wisps stole the show. Bathed in a rich umami sauce, fruity tamarind, lime juice, chill flakes and a complementary Jeow sauce, this was textured in layers, melting in the mouth in nanoseconds.

After iftar, the desserts arrived. Dark Chocolate Brownie, Salted Caramel Pudding, Kumquat Crepe Suzette, Strawberry Thai Sago and White Chocolate Potato Chip Clusters completed the lineup. As our appetites had declared any more food a no-go area, it was on Nadeem’s insistence that one full spoon of Strawberry Thai Sago and a handful of White Chocolate Potato Chips Clusters were tasted, both asking for more. Tiger Temple surely proved to be a temple of gastronomy.

Pomodoro

Sandwiched between 14th Street Pizza and China Town is Pomodoro. The restaurant opened not too long ago, serving just pizzas on regular days. This hole in the wall eatery has a seating capacity of not more than 30 at a time and that too scattered across the basement, ground floor and a patio. Burnt brick walls, concrete slab roofs and wall hangings create the perfect rustic pizza joint.

However, to satisfy hungry bellies, Pomodoro introduced a full iftar menu, priced at Rs3,500 plus tax per head.

The menu featured sautéed vegetables, tender fried fish bites, potato puffs, buffalo wings and Chicken De La Casa, but the piece de resistance at Pomodoro was their thin crust pizza. It was not possible to rely on fish bites or potato puffs to appease the appetite, so all the pressure came on the Chicken De La Casa and the pizzas.

Chicken De La Casa is usually a rich and creamy dish, but the chef here seemed to be too generous with the cream while cooking, thus drenching the boneless chicken smattered with herbs.

Four different kinds of piping hot pizzas arrived at the display table and the guests instantly made a beeline for them. Margherita, Fiery Chicken, Pepperoni and Truffle Mushroom — all thin crust, carrying spots of char, and all four were a total knockout.

They were polished off in the blink of an eye, leaving no doubt that pizza is the true way to anyone’s heart.

For dessert, the tiramisu was the clear winner. Served in shot glasses, this classic Italian dessert was the work of a craftsman. For a bon vivant, it was a treat, a manna from heaven.

Coffee-soaked ladyfingers layered with rich, whipped cream, light mascarpone cheese, dusted with cocoa powder, a burst of flavour and a feat of magic to create the showstopper at Pomodoro.

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