Being familiar with the Mughlai cuisine on offer at Lahore Pearl Continental’s well known Dumpukht restaurant, I cheekily invited Natasha Hussain, familiarly known as Natty, for a dinner date. Now Natty famously doesn’t eat. She will talk about food, pretend to eat, but only consume a mouthful of rich food at best. The only thing she eats with abandon is salmon sashimi from Sakura, another PC restaurant. Her vigilant husband, Abbass Hussain (aka Boony) keeps a strict check on her diet to maintain her slim physique.
Entering the familiar hotel, I spied Natty waiting for me at the restaurant wearing a lace kameeze with a crop top underneath.
“I can only have the Til Mil Jhinga with a fork and the Paneer Tikka,” she said diffidently. “Boony expressly said that’s all I must have”.
Now I knew that the desi food at Dumpukht is to die for so I had come well prepared bringing my appetite with me. “Tsk, tsk, fine but let’s get two orders of the famous Til Mil Jhinga,” I replied cajoling the model who’s always on a diet.
Our fabulous server Elyas Khan discussed the menu expertly with me, suggesting we try a variety of dishes for good measure. For our Main, we ordered the Rasmasay Kabab (chicken kababs with fruit and nuts), Red Snapper Tikka and the Sultani Gosht, with fresh Falsa Juice and an assortment of Roti.
“Kya mutlab hai, hum roti bhi khayen gay?” (What do you mean we will also have bread) asked a stunned and incredulous Natty.
“I will,” I told her defiantly. “I’m hungry.”
The restaurant is famous for its Chilman Biryani, which I’ve had. It’s baked in a wafer thin pastry crust. Nothing like I’ve seen anywhere else. I wanted to try it again, but Natty looked like she would pass out in horror, so I let it go this time.
As we sat back, waiting for our order to arrive, we listened to the live Sitar and Tabla music playing discreetly in the background and thankfully drowning out the rumbling of my tummy. There was a table of foreigners and several Pakistani families had come to celebrate their special occasion or just for a night out. A little girl came up to get her picture taken with Natty and, seeing her successful, a newly married couple was also emboldened to ask her to pose for a selfie with them. She complied so graciously that the new bride thanked her profusely.
We could see the food being cooked at the live station behind the glass window on one side of the restaurant. The Grilled Prawns with Sesame Seeds and Paneer Tikka came out first as the Starter with an assortment of Chatnis and a Lemon-y Salad. The Prawns were cooked perfectly and so tender. They were also presented beautifully.
As we finished these off, the remaining dishes arrived at our table. The food was delicious as always, tasting rich and flavourful. The Sultani Gosht Handi (mutton curry) I especially loved. I put a dollop on Natty’s plate and throwing caution to the wind she too dug in with the piping hot and crispy Pudina Roti (Mint). Then there was no turning back, the food was just too yummy and, without the distraction of having to socialize and make small talk, we quickly consumed all the offerings of the chef.
“Don’t tell Boony,” said Natty between mouthfuls. “Let’s also order the Gulab Jamuns.”
“I’m sending the picture of the dessert to my husband and daughter,” she said giggling defiantly when the hot Gulab Jamuns sprinkled with finely grated Pistachios and dunked in Cardamom infused syrup were brought to the table. They were gobbled up by us in the blink of an eye. The meal was finished off with green tea to wash it all down.
“Let’s do more meals together,” Natty said to me feeling satiated and satisfied. “For this kind of treat, I will throw caution to the winds again!”
Entering the familiar hotel, I spied Natty waiting for me at the restaurant wearing a lace kameeze with a crop top underneath.
“I can only have the Til Mil Jhinga with a fork and the Paneer Tikka,” she said diffidently. “Boony expressly said that’s all I must have”.
Now I knew that the desi food at Dumpukht is to die for so I had come well prepared bringing my appetite with me. “Tsk, tsk, fine but let’s get two orders of the famous Til Mil Jhinga,” I replied cajoling the model who’s always on a diet.
Our fabulous server Elyas Khan discussed the menu expertly with me, suggesting we try a variety of dishes for good measure. For our Main, we ordered the Rasmasay Kabab (chicken kababs with fruit and nuts), Red Snapper Tikka and the Sultani Gosht, with fresh Falsa Juice and an assortment of Roti.
“Kya mutlab hai, hum roti bhi khayen gay?” (What do you mean we will also have bread) asked a stunned and incredulous Natty.
“I will,” I told her defiantly. “I’m hungry.”
The restaurant is famous for its Chilman Biryani, which I’ve had. It’s baked in a wafer thin pastry crust. Nothing like I’ve seen anywhere else. I wanted to try it again, but Natty looked like she would pass out in horror, so I let it go this time.
As we sat back, waiting for our order to arrive, we listened to the live Sitar and Tabla music playing discreetly in the background and thankfully drowning out the rumbling of my tummy. There was a table of foreigners and several Pakistani families had come to celebrate their special occasion or just for a night out. A little girl came up to get her picture taken with Natty and, seeing her successful, a newly married couple was also emboldened to ask her to pose for a selfie with them. She complied so graciously that the new bride thanked her profusely.
We could see the food being cooked at the live station behind the glass window on one side of the restaurant. The Grilled Prawns with Sesame Seeds and Paneer Tikka came out first as the Starter with an assortment of Chatnis and a Lemon-y Salad. The Prawns were cooked perfectly and so tender. They were also presented beautifully.
As we finished these off, the remaining dishes arrived at our table. The food was delicious as always, tasting rich and flavourful. The Sultani Gosht Handi (mutton curry) I especially loved. I put a dollop on Natty’s plate and throwing caution to the wind she too dug in with the piping hot and crispy Pudina Roti (Mint). Then there was no turning back, the food was just too yummy and, without the distraction of having to socialize and make small talk, we quickly consumed all the offerings of the chef.
“Don’t tell Boony,” said Natty between mouthfuls. “Let’s also order the Gulab Jamuns.”
“I’m sending the picture of the dessert to my husband and daughter,” she said giggling defiantly when the hot Gulab Jamuns sprinkled with finely grated Pistachios and dunked in Cardamom infused syrup were brought to the table. They were gobbled up by us in the blink of an eye. The meal was finished off with green tea to wash it all down.
“Let’s do more meals together,” Natty said to me feeling satiated and satisfied. “For this kind of treat, I will throw caution to the winds again!”