Probably the most eagerly awaited day on the culinary calendar is the release of Michelin’s Red Guide. This foodie bible lists the rankings of restaurants in gastronomic hot spots by awarding one to three stars. The guide has been around since 1900 and has made and broken countless reputations.

A single star indicates ‘very good cuisine in the category’; two stars are for an establishment offering ‘cuisine worth a detour’; and the ultimate accolade of three stars is for ‘exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey’. Over my years of gourmandising, I have been fortunate enough to eat at several one- and two-star places, and was taken out twice to three-star restaurants.

All these were memorable experiences. In three-star establishments, the service is choreographed but never obtrusive, while the décor is generally exquisite but understated. The food is, of course, exceptional to the point of being sublime. And it should be at the prices these restaurants charge. Indeed, the cost of keeping three stars is high: at least one French chef has committed suicide at losing one of these coveted symbols.

Michelin inspectors go about their business entirely anonymously, paying for their food and never giving an indication that they are reviewing a place. For me, this is the best job in the world, and I have often wondered if Michelin would award any Pakistani restaurant even a single star.

The trickiest thing to get right is consistency, and here’s where a number of lesser eateries trip up. If they are offering a narrow range of dishes based on a formula like, say, grilled food, culinary problems can be contained. But the larger the menu, the more the things that can go wrong.

And Michelin stars are about more than food: the décor, ambience and service are also factored into the total dining experience, and are rigorously graded. Presentation is a major aspect of the food being served, and is largely ignored in Pakistani restaurants.

So would I award a Michelin star to a Pakistani restaurant? I have eaten very well in several of our cities and towns, but if I apply the Michelin criteria, hardly any of these meals would fall into the category of fine dining. However, Okra has hardly ever disappointed me over the years since it opened its doors in 1999. In the beginning, you could order an excellent desi meal for lunch, while dinner consisted of good, basic Mediterranean food.

Since then, the desi offerings have been more limited (but still very good), and the Mediterranean range has expanded. The seafood is fresh and vibrant, and generally cooked just right, something other establishments struggle to do. Our chefs tend to overcook fish to death in the belief that a couple of minutes on each side couldn’t possibly be enough.

The steaks are also uniformly cooked to the right degree: even patrons asking for well-done steaks are accommodated, although in my view, such requests should be turned down. Cooking a piece of tender fillet to this point dries out the juices. Indeed, one famous chef in England had a sign on the window of his restaurant saying “We do not serve well-done steak”.

There is a wide range of starters, and the fresh figs with goat’s cheese are light and clean-tasting. But before you have ordered, you are served with a basket of different fresh breads accompanied with herb-flavoured butter and virgin olive oil. Go easy on these as it’s very easy to gorge yourself on the bread.

The desserts are all tempting, and I usually succumb to the home-made vanilla ice cream with flakes of sea salt. This combination melds flavours and textures in a unique way. For chocaholics, there are many gooey concoctions to savour.

The décor has always had an appealing rustic simplicity, with simple wooden tables and chairs, combining with pastel shades to produce a minimal Mediterranean effect. The service is friendly and courteous without being fawning and obsequious. Above all, the waiters are very knowledgeable about the menu, and can explain each dish and make their own recommendations. One minor mystery about Okra is how the chefs manage to turn out such good food from such a tiny kitchen.

So should Michelin ever decide to head to Pakistan, I suggest their inspectors begin with Okra.