My interest in visiting the latest addition to Lahore’s ‘eating out’ scene - Spice Bazaar in T-Block Gulberg - was not the name, nor was it the fact that I have been to similarly named eateries in Britain and Istanbul, with one existing in Shanghai. My interest in seeing this place was because of Naved Nasir.

Now Naved is a unique person who spent his life in San Francisco. He retired last week and moved to a house in Rancho Mirage, very near that of Frank Sinatra. He always did manage to get what he wanted in life. It so happens that 1-T Gulberg, just off M.M. Alam Road, was where he lived, and where we in our college days spent many happy hours. Today it has been converted into a new eatery called Spice Bazaar. My niece Huma went there on the opening day and her children ‘face booked’ (what a term!) me a picture, sorry ‘pic’. That was enough to get me to write about the place.

The old house has been redone well, and there is ample place to park. Valet parking is good. The sitting space is ample and the service polite to say the least. Ramazan was yet to start and so a first judgement was critical before a second visit determines their ability to maintain standards. A friend rang me to tell that this was the new “happening” place. I told him that 1-T was always a ‘happening’ place, now consigned to mere culinary delights.

Our order was a very simple one, and one that I always use to form a first impression. I ordered ‘maash ki dal’, ‘vegetable masalla’ and ‘chicken karahi with black pepper’, always with ‘tandoor ki roti’. Now this, in my view, is what would show me how they handle simple dishes, not the fancy ones people are not sure of themselves. The food presentations were good and the setting of the table was excellent. I was impressed. The only thing the waiter said was: “Try our mutton dishes”. “No thanks, this is enough food for two”.

So the wares came, all well presented. The ‘roti’ basket was tastefully done and off we set. The ‘maash ke daal’ was very good and seldom have I seen the Gulberg-Defence type eateries make this amazing dish so well. The vegetables were well done and the ‘chicken ‘karahi’ was also worth mentioning, for an appropriate amount of pepper was used. The salt level was a wee bit high. My understanding is that Kashmiris prefer more than normal salt. Not a good idea at any time, and telling the begum that is never of any use.

After the main meal we ordered a portion of ‘pistachio ice cream’ each and followed it with Peshawari tea. It was a simple and excellent meal and one I do not mind repeating. Let me mark this experience on the Michelin Scale of one to nine. For food quality it gets seven, for food taste it gets six, for food presentation another seven, for variety on the menu six (very reasonable), for service six, for quality of crockery and cutlery six, for prices it gets five (this is no cheap outing), and for ambience six. This means an average ‘eating out’ score of 6.2 out of nine, which is good for a new place. Will return in three months to see how they are faring. Recommended.

RAMAZAN WARNING: As a responsible food column we must repeat what the great Pakistani kidney specialist, Dr Adeeb Rizvi of the SIUT, has advised those fasting. Never start your ‘Iftari’ with a cola drink, be it dark or clear. Fasting does dehydrate kidneys, more so aerated drinks. It could act as an accelerator. Stick to salted or sweet ‘lassi’, or even a simple glass of not very cold water. Sounds simple and sensible.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2015

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