Written by: Haroon Shuaib
Posted on: October 11, 2022 | 
| 中文
Breakfast at Mardo
One of the newest restaurants offering niche cuisine in Islamabad, ready to open its doors for patrons, is Mardo. It is housed in the towering Olympus Mall of F-11 Markaz, a market that has taken the position of being the restaurant and café hub of the capital. No wonder since this is the brainchild of the first-time restauranteur duo Tauqeer and Abdul Mannan, two brothers who are also running a successful construction business. “Ironically, it was during the pandemic lockdown that we started planning to open a restaurant. We were joined by our dear friend Awais Mehmood, who is an experienced hand in the restaurant industry. We wanted to bring an international franchise to Pakistan, but most were too expensive for us to afford. That is when we happened upon Mardo, which has become a chain of prominent restaurants in the Turkish Cypriot region,” said an amiable Tauqeer. Today Mardo has more than a dozen restaurants across the region, and now after Islamabad, plans to open an overseas restaurant in Saudi Arabia also. The one in Islamabad has already opened its doors after a soft opening and has plans for a formal commercial launch later this month.
Sitting place at Mardo
Islamabad has many restaurants that offer all-day breakfast, but Mardo has that offering with a twist. At Mardo, the five combo breakfast options to pick from are Turkish. The most economical option is traditional Menemen, a Turkish variation of preparing open pan scrambled eggs with tomato, onions, green pepper, butter, and black pepper. There is also a much more elaborate and pricy breakfast platter that has honey, olives, Nutella chocolate, cucumber, tomatoes, halloumi cheese, sausages, french fries, kackavall cheese (Macedonian cow’s milk yellow cheese), sigara borek which is basically crispy cheese rolls, jams, and lots of dry fruits. For toasts, you can choose between the halloumi and kackavall cheese toppings or go for the pastrami option. Pastrami is a way to preserve meat practiced originally in Romania. It was traditionally made from beef, lamb, or turkey meat. The raw meat is brined, partially dried, seasoned with herbs and spices, then smoked and steamed. I opted to try the more modest Menemen with pastrami bread and was happy that all ingredients were fresh, and the taste was authentic without an overdose of seasoning to cater to the local palate. Giving amiss to the soups, salads, and sandwich/wrap section, next I ordered a Turkish donor with chicken from the main course. Donor Kebabs originated from the Anatolia region of Turkey. The chicken was succulent, and the pita bread was fresh. The serving size was ample and once again the seasoning level was kept to the minimum, as is the case in the authentic Turkish donor. On my inquiry, Tauqeer told me that they have a very clear understanding with their franchiser that they will not modify any recipes and only offer the original taste to their patrons.
Grilled Chicken with Halloumi
The history of donor kebabs is very intriguing and has been influenced by different parts of the world and cultures. Donor kebabs can be made of the meat of chicken, mutton, or beef cooked on a vertical rotisserie by stacking it as an inverted cone turned slowly next to a vertical cooking element. The operator uses a knife to slice thin shavings from the outer layer of the meat as it cooks. The vertical rotisserie was invented in the 19th-century Ottoman Empire, and dishes such as Arab Shawarma, Greek Gyros, Canadian Donair, and Mexican al pastor are derived from this same technique. The modern sandwich variant of the döner kebab was derived and popularized in Berlin in the 1960s by Turkish immigrants, and nowadays there are more doner kebab stores in Berlin than in Istanbul. In Pakistan, we see it as a Paratha Roll, which has gained immense popularity in recent years.
Donor Kabab
The best section of the Mardo menu is undoubtedly the dessert section and the rice pudding in an earthen pot, besides different kinds of Turkish delights such as Cevizli Sucuk (Walnut Candy), Kazandibi (milk pudding), and Pepeçura (mousse) are all worth trying. The Turkish Delights are now known globally, but these hidden and comparatively lesser-known Turkish desserts are much more delectable. Mardo also had macrons, cakes, and other more continental dessert options for those who want to stick to the more known options to beat the sweet cravings. I tried the Cevizli Sucuk and Kazandibi. While the Turks obviously don’t like to add a lot of spices to their savory dishes, they have a sweet tooth because the sugar quotient in the desserts is literally lip-smacking.
Pastrami bread
To end an elaborate dining experience, I requested a serving of Turkish coffee. Traditionally Turkish coffee is prepared in a cezve using very finely ground coffee beans without filtering. A cezve is a small, long-handled pot made of brass or copper, occasionally also silver or gold, with a specially designed pouring lip. Mardo serves Turkish coffee in the traditional intricately designed golden cups that have been brought from Turkey to Islamabad along with two master chefs. The coffee is a bit bitter but helps digest the hearty meal.
In Turkey, at the beginning of or during a meal, it is customary for the host to say ‘Afiyet Olsun,’ which loosely means ‘May this meal bring you health’, and the guest is supposed to bless the host at the end by saying ‘Ziyade Olsun’, which is a wish for the hosts to be blessed with greater bounties. Turks never waste food and value their meals greatly. At Mardo, the effort that is going into preparing, presenting, and attending to customer satisfaction is definitely an extension of the traditional Turkish feasting etiquettes. Although most items on the menu felt a bit on the pricy side, I will return to Mardo to try more of their desserts and an occasional dose of Turkish coffee.
Ice Cream at Mardo
Interestingly, ‘Mardo’, started building its brand in the late 80s with its ice creams produced from fresh fruits collected from different regions of Cyprus, and sold through ice cream trucks. Mardo outlet in Islamabad is offering the same taste and freshness of ice cream as ready tubs are imported directly, and all measures are taken to ensure the cold chain. They have 49 flavors on sale in Islamabad, including the usual cheesecake, chocolate chip, mint chocolate, orange and chocolate, and kiwi. A wide selection of sorbets are also on offer. I liked the unusual Turkish Halwa ice cream flavor the most, and strongly recommend it.
Tauqeer and Abdul Mannan have planned to open many more Mardo restaurants across the country and hope to continue serving authentic Turkish gastronomical experiences to the public. This coming weekend, if you want to indulge in a luxurious family meal, you know where to go, but just make sure to keep some extra cash in your back pocket.
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