It was a pleasant experience being transported back to the 1950s and into a posh eatery, which promises to sell a new concept in Lahore. This eatery seems destined to go places, different as it is from others.

Until a few months ago we used to visit ‘The Cookers’ eatery in the Bal Kishen Building, now known as EFU House, opposite the Lahore High Court. It was nothing special and died its natural death, as badly run places are destined to end up.

Then along came that cuisine consultant Kamran Sheikh who invested on conserving the premises back to its original state. The black and white tiles and décor are exquisite, and this place is now called the ‘Lahore Cafeteria’. Sadly, in the next building, the E. Plomer Building, the opposite has happened where Bundu Khan has blocked up the verandah as it aggressively expands. Food and heritage must go hand in hand.

Kamran Sheikh has to his credit several excellent eateries like ‘The Verandah’ and ‘Zouk’ in Gulberg, as well as several others. He is a hard taskmaster. In this new eatery, he has put his heart and soul. The ‘Lahore Cafeteria’ presents high quality food at very reasonable rates.

The legal community and their clients finally have a classy place to go to. The lunch choices available are reasonable. You can make your choices at your table and not after viewing the food. I noticed that people refuse to follow this discipline and argue. Lahoris will be Lahoris, and why not.

One then goes to the clean food counter and selects within the confines of choices available. You take your tray to your table and enjoy your meal. I went there last Thursday with my old friends the Almakky brothers. My choice was Lunch 2, which cost, taxes included, Rs500. Not bad for two dishes and I selected chicken ‘badami korma’ and ‘maash ke dal’.

They provide a very reasonable three-item salad and chutney, and a cold drink of your choice. I did not select rice and opted for fresh ‘til wallay kulchas’. Now this is one place where the old legendary ‘til wallay kulchas’ are served piping hot, and you can have as many as you like. Excellent stuff and the meal was enjoyable.

Let me mark this ‘eating out’ experience on the Michelin Scale of one to nine. For food quality it gets seven, for taste six will do, the ‘kulchas’ get seven, the service gets five, the crockery and cutlery get six, the prices get seven (very economical), the ambience is excellent and gets seven, the cleanliness gets six and the concept gets seven. This adds up to an ‘average eating out’ score of nine variables of 6.75 out of nine, which is very good. A good addition to Lahore and one hopes it does well, which I suspect it will. Recommended.

CANADIAN PASTA: As Pakistanis living abroad increasingly return home, they bring with them new concepts and foods. Of recent, I have noticed that Johar Town has many amazing new eateries. Last week I stopped at this Canadian pizzeria called ‘Sarpino’s’ just opposite the Shaukat Khanum Hospital.

I wanted a light meal and ordered ‘Fettuccine Alfredo’ pasta. It was delicious and well presented and I enjoyed the experience. I walked through their kitchen on special request and found it to be spanking clean. Their pizza machine is computerised which means every time you get the same result. Very impressed! Their prices are a wee bit on the high side, but no grudges.

LABBA STRIKES AGAIN: I rate the ‘dal tikkeys’ of Labba on Egerton Road as second to none. On Saturday afternoon, I had a chat with him on the ingredients to this amazing cutlet. It is a combination of three ‘dals’ – moong, channay and maash, or so he claims. Then comes mashed potatoes and, of all things, a wee bit of chicken.

As I was driving towards Sheikhupura at lunch time I decided to purchased two ‘dal tikkeys’ for Rs30, with a ‘naan’ for Rs10 with a bit of onion salad and mint chutney. Therefore, for Rs40 it was an excellent roll, which I munched on the motorway. Must do this again.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2014