Written by: Haroon Shuaib
Posted on: June 23, 2021 | 
Asiahong's Outdoor Dining
If you are a resident of Rawalpindi and you think about Chinese restaurant options, you have very few options other than the Chinese diner at the only five-star hotel of the city, and a few quaint Chinese eateries operating on the dated model reminiscent of the 80s. Since last couple of years though, a few more options to choose from have sprang up for a weekend feast with a tantalizing Chinese meal, such as the branches of Asian Wok and Ginyaki, each with a few Thai options on the menu.
But hidden behind the glitzy Joyland, located near the well-known landmark of Ayub Park, is a Pan-Asian eatery that was ready to open its doors just around the time the pandemic forced all restaurants to shut down. It is Asiahong, the brain child of Dr. Omar Zakori, who has finally brought Pan-Asian cuisine with a zing to the garrison city of Rawalpindi.
The tastefully decorated restaurant started with car-dine and home-delivery during the lockdown, and is now receiving patrons with lovely outdoor seating. An aggressive social media marketing campaign surely helped, as when images of its beautiful interior and especially majestic wall mural started popping on my social media, I decided to check this place out as soon as possible.
The Wall Mural Inside the Restaurant
Dr. Omar comes from a family of restauranteurs, and has also established Celesté Restaurant & Café in Peshawar, before deciding to set up Asiahong in Rawalpindi. He has the prized Mohammad Fida on his team, who previously worked with Master Chef Gordon Ramsay for three years in the UK, and did subsequent stints at Café Zouk, Freddy’s Restaurant, Xinhua Restaurant, which are all in Lahore, as well as Marriot and Sheraton Hotels in Karachi.
The Restaurant Exterior
The menu has dynamite prawns in two serving sizes as the starters, followed by four options listed in the soup section. Tom Yum Gai Soup was an instant hit on my family’s meal table. Hot and Sour Soup was also relished with great enthusiasm, but unfortunately the Chicken Thai Soup failed to impress. We had to send the soups back to be reheated as they came a bit cold, which was disappointing.
The main course, like the new trend in Pan-Asian restaurants, involves selecting a base of either egg-fried rice or noodles with tofu and bean sprouts, and a topping of your choice. Besides the usual Kung Pao, Szechuan, General TSO, Chilli dry, and Manchurian, available in both chicken and beef, the menu offers more exciting Thai options. The Thai options include Red and Green Curries, Sweet & Sour, Spicy Chilli Dry, and Pla Sam Ros. This is basically fried fish with three-part sauce and has all three flavors common to Thai cuisine: sour, sweet, and salty. The menu also has Korean Spice Steak in beef, Tornado Shrimps, and Garlic Prawns; but we decided to play it safe considering the hot weather.
Asiahong's Main Dishes and Mojito
I went for the Thai Cashewnut Chicken over a bed of vegetable noodles, and heaved a sigh of relief as the sauce was not overpowering. The Chicken was succulent, and the sprinkling of cashewnuts was generous. The other main entrée option that was ordered was Korean Spicy Basil Leaf with chicken over egg fried rice. Not for the faint hearted, cause the spice level was serious, but that was exactly what was expected, as it was clearly marked to be the spiciest dish on the menu. The servings are pretty generous, but every last morsel was happily devoured with a steady sipping of a refreshing mint mocktail mojito.
Thai Cashewnut Chicken
The menu has a few promising choices for vegetarian lovers and a separate kids section, which has a few interesting burgers and fries options as well as a fish and chips meal option. Asiahong has also introduced some deals for duo and family orders, and the prices overall seem pretty reasonable – just how it should be at your regular Chinese go-to.
Talking to me Omar elaborated, “My idea behind Asiahong is to promote the magical taste of Asia’s authentic and traditional food, including Thai, Chinese, Mongolian, Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean cuisines. Our menu will keep growing, and we will soon be starting a Japanese menu section with an authentic sushi box. The response has been pretty encouraging so far. I am never going to compromise on the taste and quality of my food, and I am sure slowly our clientele will increase with time.”
Besides the beautiful setting of the restaurant, another feature that stands out about Asiahong is the no-fuss tableware, especially considering how cleanliness and utensil hygiene has become a major concern post COVID. At Asiahong, you get your food in paper pails, which is rather a new concept in Pakistan. Globally recognized as the Chinses food box or take out container. The paper pails are convenient and disposable, can be easily carried and placed in the microwave to reheat food.
The Paper Pails at Asiahong
I have come back from Asiahong hoping that the place maintains its taste and quality so that I may return – hopefully next time sitting indoors, and taking my pick from a more extensive Pan-Asian menu, while admiring that striking wall mural that drew me there in the first place.
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