Written by: Haroon Shuaib
Posted on: August 07, 2020 | 
| 中文
Tau's Fresh Lobster
In October 2019, born and bred Islamabadi, Ummar Khalid, landed in the gastronomical city of Karachi with one agenda: he wanted to bring the unique taste of Karachi back to Islamabad, with the same taste and quality. After considering a few options, he happened upon desi (traditional Pakistani) food, and is glad that things turned out that way. Tau’s has been sizzling the Karachi culinary scene for over four years. With two branches in Karachi, one in Bahadarabad and another in Defence, Tau’s has already made a name and a loyal clientele in a city with a thousand choices for desi food lovers.
Ummar and Tau’s enterprising owner Taha Rafay, hit it off in the first meeting. Ummar convinced Taha, whose nickname “Tau”, is the name of the restaurant, to give him the first franchised outlet for Islamabad. On his return to Islamabad, Ummar quickly started prepping a cosy little place in the posh Beverly Centre for his dream project. “When we were just a couple of weeks away from the formal opening in April, COVID-19 happened and things changed. Opening a new restaurant seemed out of the question, lockdown was declared, and all restaurants had to cancel dinning in facilities.” Ummar recalls.
White Karahi
The irrepressible Ummar could only wait till July, when he finally decided to open doors for take away and deliveries. Social media strategy, word of mouth reviews, and most importantly, attention to the taste, quality and customer care, helped Tau’s Islamabad bring in a steady flow of clients. Innovative ideas such as taking advance orders over the phone to minimize waiting time, which is a pet peeve at most desi food joints, car-dine facility, and BOYM (Bring Your Own Meat), meant that Tau’s clients kept returning despite the challenging times. “We had to constantly improvise, which was challenging but also a good crash course in not giving up, and making the best of a difficult situation.”
To reassure customers that they were adhering to the best safety protocols, he tested himself and his staff, uploading the reports on the restaurant’s Facebook page. Thankfully no one was ill, and this was an encouraging sign to pick up food. “All my staff, including my chef, have come from Karachi. I get most of my ingredients and especially the masalas (spices) from there, to make sure that my clients get the same authentic desi taste,” Ummar explained.
Behari Boti
The menu at Tau’s is a unique collection of some of the best food offered in Karachi, along with a few new takes on beloved Pakistani dishes. In the starters section, besides the usual Cheese Naan and Garlic Mayo Fries, Tau’s also has a special Kabab Naan. The meat is well cooked, and once pocketed in bread, it locks all the amazing taste until it reaches your palette. The Chicken Garlic Mayo Roll is the best if you are looking for a quick grab. “Our range of roll parathas (rolled up flatbreads with meat chunks) were an instant hit. They are familiar, convenient to eat, and light on the pocket.”
Kabab Naan
From the specials, Makhni Handi (Butter Chicken) is the most popular. One serving of the creamy, spicy, and perfectly cooked chicken chunks topped over plain Zeera (Cumin) rice, will quickly explain why people love it so much. The seafood section, which features a curious addition of entrées such as Prawn Karahi and Grilled Pomfret, come from Karachi as well. While Grilled Lobster is on the menu, orders can only be booked a few days in advance and as a full serving, because they are sourced fresh from Karachi. Green Mutton Karahi and Beef Bihari are worth checking out too, though be mindful of the spice levels that may be a bit too adventurous for some.
Mutton Karahi
“Unfortunately our Daal Makhni (Lentils cooked in Butter) hasn’t been very well received, and I am still investigating the reason. Also, the Bhindi (Okra) Masala is cooked in a particular style that is very popular with the clients in Karachi, but is taking its time for the taste palettes of people in Islamabad. Other than the fact that it is an unusual item on any menu, the Okra we serve is crispy and has very little oil in it, which is an unfamiliar way of cooking this vegetable for most in the northern part of the country,” Ummar admits. “We are yet to add a dessert on our menu. I am thinking of introducing Qulfa (Frozen Dairy Dessert), but the Karachi-styled Qulfa is made differently, so we might have to improvise,” Ummar concludes with a smile.
The Bhindi (Okra)
Now that dinning establishments are set to open soon with SOPs, Tau’s is well poised to receive its first batch of dine-in customers. The minimal but stylish décor is sure to appeal to many; do not forget to check out the quotes of famous literary stalwarts such as Manto and Jaun Elia inscribed on the walls, an ode to Ummar’s love of both literature and food. Perhaps this new taste from Karachi is exactly what is needed to shake up the culinary scene in Islamabad.
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