ISLAMABAD: Up until a few years ago, the only burgers the capital could boast were ones that thought holding political protests on a hot summer’s day was a human rights violation.

Now though, Islamabad’s food scene has come to be dominated by a host of burger joints and fast food outlets, which have proliferated at great speed. But be warned – to paraphrase George Orwell – while all burger places are equal, some are more equal than others.

But what does this mean for the capital’s foodies? Who does the best burger in the city and are Islooites really spoilt for choice? The answers to these questions are not as straightforward as putting a meat patty between two buns.

The latest burger bar in the capital is Jessie’s. Operating out of a small but tasteful space in F-7’s Jinnah Super Market, the eatery has only been around for a month or so. But in that time, patrons seem to have formed their opinions about the outlet and don’t seem willing to budge.

The restaurant itself is tastefully designed; there is a lot of dark wood that gives it a rustic and log cabin-esque feel. There is even an outdoor balcony for those who prefer to have their meals under the open sky.

Whether you seek value for money or the best in gourmet ingredients, the capital’s burger joints have something for everyone

But as with any newly-opened establishment, the menu is still under construction, so to speak. The owner, filmmaker Yasir Jaswal of Jalaibee fame, takes a keen interest in what he refers to as his “day job”, and goes up to each table to ask for customer feedback.

“I know burgers, so I’ve decided to stick to what I know,” he says. Explaining his mantra, Mr Jaswal points out that while he uses the best locally-sourced produce, he wants to avoid using imported ingredients, since that drives prices up.

“I get my meat from Qureshi’s and we make our own buns,” he declares, adding that he wants to expand the menu to include sandwiches and other snack items.

The burgers are quite delicious and eating here will be easy on the pocket. A hearty meal, featuring onion rings, mozzarella sticks and a juicy burger with specially seasoned French fries and dessert will cost around Rs1,500 per person.

This, Mr Jaswal says, guarantees that people will come back for more. “You can’t compare my burgers to, say, Cannoli’s, because they use a lot of imported ingredients, which drives their prices up.”

Cost-effectiveness, it seems, is an overriding concern for the capital’s clientele. Sanna Hussain, a mother of two, swears by the burgers at Char Grill Central (CGC), the burger phenomenon that took off three-odd years ago and is still going strong.

This opinion is echoed by Maryam Usman and Tahir Mian – both journalists – who say the value for money here is unbeatable. Even radio jockey Asad Khawaja, a dyed-in-the-wool foodie and a regular on online groups such as Pakistan Food Forum, says a lot of people like CGC because one can actually taste the beef in their burgers.

Jawad Rehman, one of the men behind the CGC phenomenon, told Dawn that despite the proliferation of burger joints in the city, their numbers had remained unaffected.

He admitted that they hadn’t done much with their menu ever since they introduced chicken burgers and paninis, but that hasn’t put off clients one bit.

Perhaps the main draw of CGC is their delivery service; it is efficient and delivers food that’s still warm. Several good burger places, such as Roasters or Habanero Express, have suffered because their delivery service isn’t up to scratch, necessitating partnerships with local food delivery services.

But the home of the gourmet burger, undoubtedly, has to be Cannoli in Beverly Centre. Now surrounded by a host of other burger joints that have opened their doors in its wake, this successor to Cafe Soul is often said to have the best burgers in Islamabad.

Although steep on the pocket, Cannoli’s burgers, in the words of Iqra Mussadaq: “are in the gourmet category for me. Their patty is amazing, always fresh, as are the sauces and buns. They are on the expensive side but I don’t mind paying for them as long as they maintain [their] taste”.

According to documentary-maker Imran Lashari: “Cannoli’s mushroom and swiss burger is without a doubt the best burger in town.” Their beer cheese burger, which is completely kosher – is also a major draw, as is the cheese-stuffed patty of the burger known simply as The Juicy Lucy.

Chief among other burger places that merit a mention is The Warehouse. Although it opened with great promise, the restaurant is known for the inconsistency of its food ever since its management changed hands.

While on some days, the burgers will “melt in your mouth”, on other days the sous-vide patties may not be quite well-cooked. It’s the luck of the draw.

The verdict is a tough call. Everyone has varied tastes and their own reasons for liking a particular burger joint. If value for money is what you seek, you can’t go wrong with CGC or Jessie’s. Cannoli, meanwhile, is for when you’re in the mood to spoil yourself a little.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2017