The very first thing you notice at Nawaz Fish Fry (NFF) are the scores of rather ominous-looking Men in Black (MIBs) all around. But they’re not from Will Smith’s hit Hollywood film, but from the law fraternity. And it’s because of NFF’s close proximity to the Karachi City Courts and law offices.

You see, lawyers and their clients form a rather large chunk of NFF’s regular customers, and I’m guessing their law practice is going great and paying really, really well these days, huh?

The roadside dhaba was started by the late Ustad Hussain Ahmed somewhere in the early 1980s and quickly became quite popular due to its fresh fish and unique taste. But after their father’s death, his two sons began their own fish stalls, which run side-by-side today.

Nawaz’s, however, is clearly more popular and its claim to fame (read: secret ingredient) lies in the crunchy, crispy, deep-fried, golden, palm-sized fish pieces fried in purely organic, cold-pressed mustard oil.

Nawaz Fish Fry serves the best fried fish in Karachi and is a must visit, especially if you’re in the vicinity of the city courts

NFF uses a variety of fish, which ranges from the local variety of species such as Mushka, Dothar, Rahu and even the ever-popular Surmai, depending on the size of one’s pocket and acquired taste.

It’s around 300-400 rupees for a reasonably sized fish piece but, with severe inflation causing prices to be jacked up by the day, the cost may have gone up by the time this goes into print. At NFF, they also serve a variety of fish tails for a considerably lower price.

Everything is served with a side-order of green chillies braised to a golden-brown colour in the same oil that’s used to fry the fish in and, needless to say, it’s a winning combination.

Fresh chapatis (flatbread) and a tangy, watery green chutney perfectly compliment the taste of the delectable fried fish, elevating it to a higher culinary experience.

Our party of two, the photographer and I, visited NFF on a hot, sultry afternoon after the end of the fish-breeding season (May-August) and, to our delight, found Nawaz busy as ever, frying away with a sizeable crowd in anticipatory attendance.

Having gained his trust and respect over the years, my colleague placed our order with a special request for freshly marinated fish pieces (and not ones left over from the day before).

Although we sweated away heavily while devouring the tantalising, piping-hot fried fish, it was a culinary treat like nothing experienced before, as the crispy, golden, flaky fried batter and fish skin gave way to the soft, juicy, tender, lip-smacking flesh of the fish. Sheer nirvana indeed!

After thoroughly relishing our meal and having polished off every last morsel of the fish, we paid the modest bill and, as we wove our way through the meandering narrow lanes and alleys in old city areas of Nanakwara and Chakiwara just behind the Karachi City Courts, we arrived at the Lighthouse Lunda (second-hand clothes) Bazaar on main M.A. Jinnah Road aka Bunder Road.

And right in front of us was another great foodie landmark, Kaiser Restaurant. But that’s a culinary journey and experience better left to explore for another day!

The writer is a member of staff.
X: @faisal_quraishi

Published in Dawn, EOS, October 8th, 2023