I have always wondered what makes food, that is served at top end restaurants , so special? Is it really much more tasty then food being served in a mediocre restaurant perhaps a few steps away from a Marriot or a PC ???
I personally think , the attraction factor is the presentation and the ambiance .. coz the taste usually is pathetic and definitely not worth the money paid , yet having a meal at a luxurious restaurant with a beautiful ambiance and presentation gives a general feel of relaxation which makes us enjoy the food as well !
I completely agree with you. Specially in Karachi, I went to alotttt of "high end" restaurants and yes the atmosphere was really nice but the food really wasn't that great. The best food I had in Pakistan was at a small kabob place near my aunts house. It was dirt cheap and delicious!
you've hit the nail on the head......while one would expect that you would be getting "better quality" food for the extra money you are really only paying for the presentation and the ambiance.
unless of course there is a chef that is well-renowned employed at that venue and you are to benefit from his/her talents.....
In Karachi I found that the food at the teyle wala is delicious. Also have heard that places like food street in Lahore have awesome food. However, I can't really say if it is hygienic or not. When I was in Karachi I heard that the awesome samosa at a lot of these places where made out of ujri . Some of the food is actually baasee ....however it tastes delicious. I know that Broast and Nihari taste better at some of the smaller stalls. but as a foreigner you are often bound to get sick. A lot is the smaller places use MSg and other flavor enhancers. Flavor matters to me so once in a while I don't care how unhygienic the place is as long as the food taste good. As for North America, I can't really say if the same standards apply. There are stricter guidelines for food establishments but god only knows. Here are some small mom and pop operations that serve delicious food. The ambiance factors matters too but I dont want to be paying for my meal LONG after it has been digested.
I kind of not agree with all of you. Off course you cannot compare street food with high end restaurant food, but they are 2 different culinary experiences - just like you cannot compare a horse back ride with a ride in a limousine.
Dont know about Karachi's high end restaurants, but food in high end restaurants in USA/Canada and such countries is prepared. rather invented by experienced Chefs. Each chef has his or her signature dishes, just like each fashion designer has his own designs. Off course the whole atmosphere, and selection of wine (for those who drink) and dessert and all just add to the price (and experience), but its fun.
Off course we are constrained with the Halal factor, but my wife and I enjoy high end restaurant experience whenever we can. I can name few dishes but maybe later. The only catch is that you dont go to high end restaurant to take care of your hunger, you go for the experience.
^ thats true actually , I guess it is a good idea to have a good think of why one is going out , before deciding the venue .. If one wants to enjoy good food, then dahba's it is .. but if its just to chill and enjoy the luxury , then its a restaurant with a fabulous ambiance ...
I actually like what @Muzna: suggested , sometimes a chef has a brilliant reputation and that can actually make the whole eating out experience a really good one ..
CB I somewhat agree with TLK but not 100 %. It depends on restaurant. Some of the dhaba restaurants are really good but some of high end are really good too. Especially in Sushi restaurants Dhaba style doesn't work at all. Like I eat Safeway cup cakes they are nice but not that good but if you eat "Sprinkles cupcakes" which are 4$ a piece they are worth trying. It can go both ways.
yeah you are right UZ , I guess its also a trial and error thing with choosing restaurants.. Sometimes a certain product at a restaurant may become our complete attraction for that place , While not necessarily liking any other stuff in the same place ..
Like i was hooked to Cinabbon , but generally hated all other stuff being offered on the menu ...
My family in Pakistan gets take out on a very frequent basis dhabas, fast food like KFC and all the other burger and Broast joints. However,the family that I have in USA all cooks. This is off topic sort of but I love to socialize with other families and truly enjoy home cooked food made by the hosts. We have decent size social circle between family and friends and enjoy fine cuisine prepared by them. Years ago I enjoyed going to different restaurants but as your family grows it gets costly here in North America. Family in Pakistan eats out pretty much everyday but we would go bankrupt if we did this in states. I like to go to good restaurants that have a lunch or dinner buffet. If we do go to higher end restaurant we go for appetizers or dessert only.
I'm not gonna lie, I do like to eat at high end restraunts (especially celebrity chef restraunts!) because I am a huge foodie! My husband, though, is much more of a homebody, and is kind of a picky eater who is not into shosha things, and doesn't like to try new cuisines very much (unless it's a anniversary/special occassion) so I indulge my higher end eating out with my girlfriends...we'll do a Girls Night Out about once every 3 months, and go out to a nice high end place and catch up....
That being said, I LOVE street foods (especially when we travel abroad) Food Trucks (53rd & 6th in NYC!!) and dhaba food (my husband took me to the ah-mazing place off of Super Hwy in KHI that had the best tikka & karhai!!!)
Overall, I'm just a food lover period...as long as it's good & authentic, I don't discrimnate!
Loooooooove my street food (Lahore, zindabad!) - but I enjoy high-end places too...yeah for the ambiance...but sometimes, you just want food served in a plate with a fork and a knife, y'know? Idk if Cafe Aylanto/Freddy's Cafe/Casa Nostra/Serena in ISB are considered high-end...but they do have really tasty food. =/
As for here in the US, high-class restaurants are just mind-blowing. The food, the presentation, the ambiance...nothing compares. My SO and I are on a Michelin star-rated restaurant spree...we're trying to go to as many as possible, wherever we visit. Each time is something totally different. The prices are like ...insane lol but so worth it.
mera shohar aur tumhara shohar, bhai bhai.
I come from a family that will try almost anything once before they turn it away…we derive pleasure in food adventures…
He comes from a family that will not touch the food unless there are chawal, khatti daal and some sort of gosht ka salam with aloo in it involved.
. When we goin’?
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