Many of you might recall Thyme restaurant that was on Zamzama. After nearly closing shop the original owner partnered with the dynamic duo of husband and wife, Aurangzeb and Zoya Marri with a new look, location and purpose. In restaurants the first meal they serve is always the ambiance that you experience upon entering the premises and Thyme didn’t disappoint. With a tastefully done interior with attention to detail given- from the chandeliers to the floral designs of the napkins – everything had a unified aesthetic with nothing feeling as if it was hastily put together just for the sake of it.
To begin with, I was served olive bread with a side of roasted garlic soaked in a dipping sauce of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The bread was soft and tender to the touch while the dark, intensely flavoured taste of the balsamic vinegar complemented the bread without overpowering the taste. A word of caution though, once you have tasted balsamic vinegar the rest of the vinegars that we find in supermarkets would be a compromise.
Next in line were the blow torch shrimps, with which as the name explains are shrimp served in bite sized portion roasted right in front of you with a blowtorch. It makes for quite the spectacle. The shrimps had a sweet and sour taste which was leagues better than the usual fried shrimps our palates have been accustomed to. The stellar offerings in the servings of the starters left me with high expectations for the entrees and I wasn’t disappointed.
Next in line were the Blow Torch Shrimps, which as the name suggests are shrimps served in bite sized portion roasted right in front of you with a blowtorch. It makes for quite a spectacle. The shrimps had a sweet and sour taste which was leagues better than the usual fried ones our palates have been accustomed to
Taking the chefs suggestion of their signature rack of veal and barbeque miso chicken I was all set to dig in the entrees. The rack of veal, was pan roasted meat which came right off the bone. The miso marinade slathered on the chicken fillet lent a delectable punch to the flavour of the dish. I washed it down with the raspberry spritzer which wasn’t made from a concentrate but actually real raspberries mixed with a carbonated drink; it had the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness without being a sugar bomb as most cocktails in restaurants are.
Thyme also prides itself on its selection of desserts and it’s well deserved. I ordered the pistachio tart and that was essentially a tart filled with a soft and creamy pistachio mousse and a swirl of rose whipped cream. I paired the dessert with the French press coffee- with tiny bits of coffee grounds in the coffee instead of being filtered- it was far superior to the usual filtered black coffees we are used to.
From a courteous staff, to tasteful decorations, attention given to the needs of children on the menu and the taste and flavour of the food, it is quite hard to pin point what Thyme may be doing wrong. The price tag maybe a little steep for some but it’s a premium experience well worth the money. All things considered, Thyme is a great addition to the fine dining restaurants in Karachi. The passion and hard work of the owners is evident in all aspects of the service delivery. It is an experience in taste, flavour, luxury and skill. For patrons wanting to try something new and different without regretting it, Thyme is the place to be.
The writer is a freelancer and can be reached at [email protected]