It is named after one of Salvador Dali’s iconic paintings. The rustic, yet polished interior is inspired by many of the Spanish artist’s works with small picture frames and mirrors on one side, and large hand-painted empty gold frames adorning the opposite. There are cracks in the wall, hanging light bulbs provide a surreal effect in the evening and beautiful miniatures of giraffes created with twisted gold and black copper wire stand among other decoration pieces on a table placed by the entrance. The theme reflects Dali’s surrealism interspersed with the interior designer’s personal touch of optical illusion.

This is The Burning Giraffe. A new addition to the ever-growing list of high-end restaurants in town, replacing what stood earlier in its place, Café Latch -- located in the Fashion Avenue off Gulberg’s Main Boulevard in a cramped street surrounded by many a restaurant and café.

The menu is a limited, yet eclectic mix of crowd favourites and some signatures, catering to the fitness conscious as well as those who least care – like me.

From the starters, I tried bits of the cheese wedges, calamari, beef tataki and sliders. The TBG Fried Calamari, served hot, must be devoured immediately before it becomes chewy. It’s a deliciously crunchy, tangy calamari drizzled with an in-house sauce and sprinkled with some fresh veggie salad. Will definitely make you want more. The Fried Mozzarella Wedges, as the name suggests, are palm-sized triangles of thick mozzarella cheese fried in a batter and served with three dips. Cheese lovers will savour this one.

Every time I think about the Beef Tataki, I start salivating. It was delectable. Ultra thin strips of tender, barely cooked beef, raw in the centre, drizzled with a mouthwatering tangy, citrusy in-house ponzu sauce and garnished with rocket leaves, julienned spring onions, crispy garlic chips, toasted sesame and Thai red chilli flakes. The most amazing start to a meal.

I also tried the Flamin’ Cheeto chicken slider, but not being a burger fan it won’t be fair to comment on it. It sure was unique in that the chicken is coated with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos crisps.

From the mains, I first tried the Truffled Mac and Cheese. Truly a fulfilling, comfort meal, this was a dish of baked creamy elbow macaroni with lots of cheddar and mozzarella cheese and fresh mushrooms. The earthiness of white truffle oil adds a unique flavour to and elevates a basic plate of Mac and Cheese. Definitely one of my favourites here.

Next I tried the Beef Donburi Bowl. It’s a Japanese-inspired dish that comprised sticky garlic rice at the bottom of a bowl with a fried egg, juicy chunks of beef and fresh vegetables sitting on top, garnished with red chili flakes and roasted sesame seeds. Another bowl of yummy comfort food, though the quantity is such that it was finished just when I started enjoying it.

A few other items worth mentioning are the Butter Milk Fried Chicken Sandwich (actually a burger) that will remind you of KFC’s heyday – a high-end version of it though. Also, the YAN Special Beef Burger with a thick, tender beef patty drizzled with a generous amount of chef’s special sauce.

The Crispy Chicken Salad was a disappointment though the chunks of chicken were crispy and iceberg lettuce fresh. But that’s it.

TBG is still in the process of finalising its desserts with barely a couple of weeks into the launch. What you will find there, however, is their specialty, the indulgent Cookie Skillet that is easily enough for at least a couple of people. It’s a giant gooey chocolate and Nutella cookie baked inside a skillet and topped with a chocolate sauce with two scoops of vanilla ice cream sitting on top.

There’s also carrot cake and brownie with ice cream. The Green Apple Chiller is delicious and refreshing when the weather isn’t on your side.

The space is quite limited, which allows the three business partners to attend to guests, but at the same time is a big negative – for me, at least. When packed, it gets annoyingly noisy. If that’s not enough, there’s loud music playing in the background. And being a high-end restaurant, it can leave you with a gaping hole in the pocket – starters ranging between Rs550 and Rs1,550, and a small bowl of salad for Rs650 are just some examples. At the end, it’s the remarkable food one goes back for.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2017