Daily Times

Available for Rs 550, the Pindi Boy burger is a mouthful! Served hot, juicy and with sides, Lahoris got their hands on this one at the recently-launched burger and steak joint Jessie’s in Gulberg.

Owned by Yasir Jaswal of ‘Jalebi’ fame, the restaurant which has Islamabad-residents under its spell already, opened its doors in Lahore late summer. With a dedicated burger and steak menu, the owner says, “Desserts are definitely not our strongest points to be honest.”

I tried out the place and here is a rundown of the items I had.

STRENGTHS — the ambience, interior and the space is definitely being around for. I remember hanging out at this one restaurant in London where the greenery and the spaciousness impressed me to the fullest, and to see that kind of environment in a Lahore restaurant speaks volumes of the vision behind setting it up. It’s colourful, spacious, full of greenery and the décor looks pretty apt with the theme of the place as well, which is more about catering to the youth and giving them a place to let their hair down with friends. Two of the highlights of the place’s interior would be the graffiti wall and red light sign that says “You are exactly where you need to be.”

The Lahori food market is extremely quick to judge. One bad bite and you’re off the list

The menu is any burger lover’s wonderland. I ordered the Buffalo Wings from the Starters section, which were priced at Rs 495. Crispy and tangy, although the serving was for two people, I remember eating more than a single person’s share of it. They are boneless and appetising. From their burgers and steaks section, being a spice lover, I tried the Firestarter burger, which was priced at Rs 695. Not a bad price for a burger which is served with a large helping of fries and coleslaw/mashed potatoes. I had this one in chicken, served with cheddar cheese, hot sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles and Jessie’s special fiery sauce. The taste was rich and a treat to the taste buds. Priced at Rs 60 per serving, the dips add flavour to the meal. I had my share with my favourite Garlic Mayo and Honey Mustard and enjoyed my Firestarter to the fullest. Burger joints might not specialise in this, but after my meal I tried the Cappuccino available for Rs 300 and was in for quite a surprise. It was strong, creamy and truly refreshing.

I like the spirit and the enthusiasm of the creative team. Yasir Jaswal says he will be spending a great deal of time in Lahore, away from his hometown, to curate and supervise the workings personally. Physical presence of the owner contributes a great deal to a business venture.

WEAKNESSES — there are quite a few things Yasir Jaswal needs to know. The Lahori food market is extremely quick to judge. One bad bite and you’re off the list. The drinks are definitely not the strongest points of Jessie’s. I ordered their Mint Cooler along with the Strawberry Colada, both priced at Rs 295. Unblended with most ingredients getting stuck in our straws, we left with both our drinks half finished. The BBQ Chicken burger priced at Rs 595 needs a lot of work. If we’re ordering a burger, we expect a patty inside rather than small chunks of chicken placed haphazardly inside, making it hard for one to hold the burger with both hands and trying not to spill what’s inside. The French fries are bland and too much for the fill, it aches one to leave so many behind. If you’re serving that many fries to go with your burger, there has to be something distinct and truly unique about them for the customer not to get enough of them, right? I would agree with Jaswal on the desserts not being the restaurant’s strongest points. With not much available from their Sugar Daddies section, we ordered a slice of Chocolate Fudge Cake, priced at Rs 375. Dry, tasteless and course, we just had a bite of it and decided to leave it like it is.

The service is slow and the attendants act confused. I remember waving to one so I could place my order and saw the attendants making eye contact with the other on who was supposed to entertain us.

Published in Daily Times, September 26^th 2018.