Print

    Islamabad Eat 2017: Don't Speak, Just Eat

    Written by: Aiman Javed
    Posted on: November 14, 2017 | | 中文

    Samosas by Awesamosas

    A three day long food festival called ‘Islamabad Eat 2017’ kicked off in the city on 10th November. Due to the uncertain security and traffic situation, one wondered if the event would be a success. However, if our visit on the second day was anything to go by, the response from the people of the capital was phenomenal. From children to the elderly, individuals of all ages thronged the grounds of Jinnah Convention Centre, where the festival had been organized. The team behind Lahore Eat and Karachi Eat was responsible for bringing the event to Islamabad. By purchasing a ticket of Rs. 200, one could enter the festival.

    Entrance to Islamabad Eat

    Entrance to Islamabad Eat

    Upon entrance, one immediately came upon Nomad Art Gallery, which had taken the opportunity to display some art pieces for sale. With over thirty food stalls set up, the overwhelming majority consisted of famous Islamabad eateries such as Tuscany Courtyard, Khoka Khola, Rahdaari, Dynasty, Murasaki, Jessie’s, Heng Chang, The Loft, Loafology and Chattha’s. Home based eateries such as Sinfully Yours and Kitchen 23, also made their presence felt, but the most popular ones were from other cities such as PopNosh and Wingitt.

    Nomad Gallery

    Nomad Gallery

    Spoilt for choice, there were only so many items we could try. Pani Puri shots from Rahdaari were a favourite among all visitors, since in a mere Rs. 30, one could taste a wholesome gol gappa, with a ‘shot’ of tangy water. They gave strong competition to Gol Gappay Paratha Roll and Punjabian Dhaba.

    Paani Puri Shots by Rahdaari

    Paani Puri Shots by Rahdaari

     For Rs. 200, Tiramisu’s stall was selling freshly fried Churros with three different sauces (chocolate, nutella and caramel). While the Churros were truly delectable, the sauces were average. Heng Chang’s Hot n’ Sour soup, for Rs. 175, was the most disappointing snack of the day. It simply tasted like sour water and we instantly regretted buying it. Khoka Khola’s Haleem with Naan stole the show, both in terms of quantity and quality. In just Rs. 300, the meal was filling and delicious.

    Churros by Tiramisu

    Churros by Tiramisu

    Moving onto more unfamiliar eateries, we bought two bags of gourmet popcorn from PopNosh. The stall was serving it in five different flavours and we picked Spicy Jalapeno and Salted Caramel, for Rs. 300 each. The quantity, flavour and crispiness of the popcorns made them well-worth the price. The re-sealable bags ensured that the popcorns wouldn’t go stale, even though the taste is so addictive that it’s hard to stop eating once you start. Karamel’s cookies quickly sold out after our arrival, and unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to try them, though we heard great things from those who did.

    Popcorns by Pop Nosh

    Popcorns by Pop Nosh

    Wingitt was selling two wings for just Rs. 100, and so we decided to try four flavours:  Spicy Garlic, Honey Mustard, Sweet Thai Chilli and Wasabi. While Wasabi was understandably quite strong, the other three left us licking our fingers. Awesamosas were serving their standard platter of three samosas with different fillings for Rs. 250. Though their stall got mixed reviews, our experience was quite nice. The Chocolate S’mores samosa and the Caramelized Onions samosa were unique, but the Pizza samosa stole the show with its flavourful mix of taste and texture. Though we were unable to try iceCurl, it could be assessed from the large numbers visiting the stall that the fried ice cream was another popular item.

    (L-R) Wasabi, Sweet Thai Chilli, Spicy Garlic and Honey Mustard wings by Wingitt

    (L-R) Wasabi, Sweet Thai Chilli, Spicy Garlic and Honey Mustard wings by Wingitt

    To wrap up, we tried Karak Chai with Gulab Jaman from Chai Junction, for Rs. 120. While the chai tasted average, the gulab jaman was incredibly soft and sweet, dripping in syrup, it melted in the mouth. For dessert, we also tried the chocolate and red velvet mini cupcakes for Rs. 40 each from The Bake Room, a home-based bakery. While they tasted good enough, the size left one craving more.

    Other stalls which were positively overflowing with visitors included: Boxed Up, which was serving healthy salads and smoothies, Murasaki, where the Prawn Tempuras stole the show, Noor’s Kitchen, which was praised for items such as the Idli, Sambahr and Chutneys and Sexy Sajji, which was popular among desi food lovers.  Some stall keepers seemed to arrive late, such as Buff Bakes and The Good Stuff, and one wonders why they didn’t fully capitalize on this wonderful opportunity. Corporate giants such as Nurpur and 7Up had their own stalls, serving innovative items such as the Gulab Jaman Cheesecake and Masala 7Up, respectively.

    Sajji by Sexy Sajji

    Sajji by Sexy Sajji

    Since only families were allowed to enter the premises, the EAT team clearly gave priority to maintaining a congenial environment for the visitors, over minting money. The children’s play area ensured that parents could fully enjoy the event. All the stalls carried out food games on different days, while COTHM’s stall featured a live cooking competition between chefs as well! Since we arrived in the afternoon, seating was easily available at the round tables. Later on, carpets were added to accommodate the increasing numbers. The area was being constantly cleaned by volunteers, but citizens were also responsibly disposing trash in the bins scattered around.  The evenings, with musical gigs by the band Fuzon and Jasim and the Pindi Boys, brought an extra oomph to the festival. However, at the end of the day, it was the novelty and variety of food items which attracted the large numbers of Islamabadis.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021