Daily Times

The current Karachi food landscape is radically different than what it was back in the 1990s as continental food was only starting to gain a foothold in the city.

Aside from Copper Kettle, Arizona Grill there also was Café Zouk which was a pioneer in its own right when the nascent food scene was still a work in progress. Situated on main Khayban E Shamsheer it was the spot for food aficionados looking for a spicy twist to continental cuisines that Zouk was most famous for. A taste of lands far away without being foreign or alien to the local taste buds.

But the past is a poor predictor of the future performance. As Café Zouk has moved from its familiar address at Shamsheer, but it’s not just the location that has changed after so many years in the game Café Zouk finds itself in a very different competitive environment. So how are old restaurants faring against an onslaught of new restaurants? Read on.

WHERE IS IT? — the past few years have seen a flurry of activity in Khayaban-e-Bukhari with a lot of new restaurants opening up shop over there. Café Zouk too has moved to a new location here to test out its fortunes.

Upon flipping the extensive menu which has somewhere around 150 meal items can leave you spoilt for choice and quite possibly paralysis by analysis since there is just so much to choose from. But it also brings to mind the immense logistics that would have to be put into place to make all those dishes possible, that in itself is no small feat

WHAT I HAD? — upon flipping the extensive menu which has somewhere around 150 meal items can leave you spoilt for choice and quite possibly paralysis by analysis since there is just so much to choose from. But it also brings to mind the immense logistics that would have to be put into place to make all those dishes possible, that in itself is no small feat.

For the review I chose to stay with old favourites: the dynamite prawns, spicy chicken cheese balls and beef chilli dry. All of these familiar dishes tasted exactly like they used to which obviously is a good thing after all nostalgia is a big reason why people still return to Café Zouk. The Mint Julep was the perfect beverage to wash down the starters and entrees. To end on a sweet note, the dessert was the all too familiar hot brownie with a side of vanilla ice cream.

VERDICT — Café Zouk still retains its immaculate credentials as being one of the pioneers in the restaurant business in Pakistan’s big cities. While it does all of its signature dishes right, it could certainly benefit from introducing menu items that are geared towards a younger demographic to attract a new wave of patrons. Finding that delicate balance between being innovative while still being true to their roots is a tough balancing act and something which many well pedigreed restaurants like Café Zouk are still coping with in the hypercompetitive food market.

Café Zouk certainly brings a lot of heart to the game; why else would it have been around for so long? If you pine for a simpler time when one did not have to think a lot on where to dine out, then look no further than Café Zouk.

The writer is a freelancer and can be reached at raheel_@outlook.com