15 pounds is around 7 kilos. Simple plan really. Basically cut down on calories and exercise 20-30 minutes daily. Rice is the main culprit in our diet, so taking it out completely from at least one meal is guaranteed to shed pounds.

Seems like all of you could use a personal trainer. According to them, if you are on a quest to lose weight, you will not only have to burn the calories from your daily intake of meals, but then some. And that "some" depends on your target to go. One day a friend of mine with a personal trainer was rattling off all these numbers. Apparently there are some straight forward calculations.


A question relevant to the thread: the price of the ilish pizza was around $20 which in my opinion is too much. Are the prices in these restaurants deliberately jacked up to keep most middle income people away?

Fact is, the middle class cannot afford most things uppity in Dhaka. But what strikes me silly is that cheap fast food of America becomes gourmet meals in the third world countries. Go figure.

15 pounds is around 7 kilos. Simple plan really. Basically cut down on calories and exercise 20-30 minutes daily. Rice is the main culprit in our diet, so taking it out completely from at least one meal is guaranteed to shed pounds.

A question relevant to the thread: the price of the ilish pizza was around $20 which in my opinion is too much. Are the prices in these restaurants deliberately jacked up to keep most middle income people away? Over here a supreme pizza might be at most $10-$12.

Large pizzas (8 slices) should cost around $10, while extra large or jumbo pizzas (10-12 slices) should cost around $15.

Even if u take out rice (which is a source of carbohydrates) there are other sources of carbs. Pasta, bread, etc. all have carbs. Which among these have the lowest amount of carbs.

Im trying to loose weight myself. Staying away from cake, ice-cream, chocolates, cookies and beer. Eating more fruits and veggies. Eating all meals but small amounts of food at each meal. Trying jog as much as possible (difficult when u run out of breath after 5 mins). Loosing weight is hard. :(

Even if u take out rice (which is a source of carbohydrates) there are other sources of carbs. Pasta, bread, etc. all have carbs. Which among these have the lowest amount of carbs.

Im trying to loose weight myself. Staying away from cake, ice-cream, chocolates, cookies and beer. Eating more fruits and veggies. Eating all meals but small amounts of food at each meal. Trying jog as much as possible (difficult when u run out of breath after 5 mins). Loosing weight is hard. :(

I don't know if this will work with everyone trying to lose weight, but I have mostly given up rice at dinner for 1-2 whole grain rotis with some "torkari" or hummus. I found this tortilla bread in the store with only 50 calories per serving. Also, I eat dinner by 6-7PM and so don't go to bed with a full belly. Fibrous fruits like mango, plums, apples have become the snacks instead of anything artificial.

I actually have an Android app that helps me stay on target. It has calorie information for around 20,000 food items including our common curries, biryanis, etc. It acts like a personal trainer giving you awards and suggesting what to eat in case you eat too little or too much.

I think you have it backwards, Maruf. Doesn't the diet begin after you return from Bangladesh (from your vacation)? :lol:

I am actually going in August, family in June InshaAllah. Being proactive with the diet thing, because dawats in BD can ruin all sane eating plans as you have seen from the amount of food in Tan's photos. My mom is already like "tui shukai jabi":ohno:

Large pizzas (8 slices) should cost around $10, while extra large or jumbo pizzas (10-12 slices) should cost around $15.

Do you know if the pizzerias or other upscale restaurants source local ingredients or have them shipped from overseas? I can understand prices being higher if it's all imported, but local produce should be reasonable in cost.

Even if u take out rice (which is a source of carbohydrates) there are other sources of carbs. Pasta, bread, etc. all have carbs. Which among these have the lowest amount of carbs.

Im trying to loose weight myself. Staying away from cake, ice-cream, chocolates, cookies and beer. Eating more fruits and veggies. Eating all meals but small amounts of food at each meal. Trying jog as much as possible (difficult when u run out of breath after 5 mins). Loosing weight is hard. :(

For some people losing weight is a real struggle, with hardly any appreciable impact. I'm not sure whether most people fall in this category, yet there are other people, like my brother-in-law (himself a physician), who has been on a exercise regimen on a consistent basis for as long as I've known him. Back in his DMCH days he was a gorilla, but he has been in shape for the last 20 years, and eats pretty much anything and everything, whenever he likes. Only difference I've noticed is small portions. With my sister being a terrific cook and having parties at her house, going on a diet for him would be futile. But then he doesn't need to. My sister on the other hand, loves to cook and loves to eat, yet complains about not being able to lose weight. All her diets and exercise plans are short lived.

Me? I'm a skinny guy with not a worry about diets. So, eat your hearts out, Maruf and King Nothing! :lol:

So, eat your hearts out, Maruf and King Nothing! :lol:

Therein lies the problem :). Hearts have a way of letting you know it can't handle the 8 cups of ghee/oil that some of our recipes calls for. Just now looked at a Radhuni biryani masala recipe and it recommends using 4 cups of ghee to make a biryani with 2 kg meat:ohno:

Regarding restaurant brands in Bangladesh, are there any renowned Bangladeshi restaurants that have branches overseas? I have seen Alauddin in Jackson Heights, but don't know if the Dhaka based ones are anything other than sweetmeat stores.

Regarding restaurant brands in Bangladesh, are there any renowned Bangladeshi restaurants that have branches overseas? I have seen Alauddin in Jackson Heights, but don't know if the Dhaka based ones are anything other than sweetmeat stores.

There's an Alauddin in Hamtramck, as well. They use the same original logo of that sweet meat shop in Dhaka, but changed the spelling to Aladdin. From what I know the restaurants in NY and MI (don't know if there is others in other cities) are independently owned and operated. The Aladdin in Detroit (Hamtramck, aka Pole town) does a very good catering business among the Bangladesh community in SE Michigan. Their food is half way decent.

Therein lies the problem :). Hearts have a way of letting you know it can't handle the 8 cups of ghee/oil that some of our recipes calls for. Just now looked at a Radhuni biryani masala recipe and it recommends using 4 cups of ghee to make a biryani with 2 kg meat:ohno:

Wow, that is a lot. Use Shan, they are more conservative with their portions. I've never tried the Bangladeshi premixed spice packs. Are they any good? I like Shan's.

Wow, that is a lot. Use Shan, they are more conservative with their portions. I've never tried the Bangladeshi premixed spice packs. Are they any good? I like Shan's.

I have been using Shan Bombay Biryani Masala and other Shan products forever since college days but recently have been trying Bangladeshi masalas. They are actually very good and give food that authentic Bangladeshi flavor. The only caveat is you don't want to follow their oil/ghee/salt requirements. It is too liberal just like the recipes in Siddika Kabir's cookbook.

Even if u take out rice (which is a source of carbohydrates) there are other sources of carbs. Pasta, bread, etc. all have carbs. Which among these have the lowest amount of carbs.

Im trying to loose weight myself. Staying away from cake, ice-cream, chocolates, cookies and beer. Eating more fruits and veggies. Eating all meals but small amounts of food at each meal. Trying jog as much as possible (difficult when u run out of breath after 5 mins). Loosing weight is hard. :(

Yes...losing weight is a big challenge...i tried the gym,swimming everything but what works best for me is having food in small portions,instead of having a lot of food and then working hard to burn calories.

Btw..I am still waiting for ur melbourne pics man :p

No matter how many more luxurious and awesome looking restaurants are opening up in Dhaka, they still need:

McDonald's and/or Burger King
Dunkin Donuts
Starbucks Coffee and/or Costa Coffee
BreadTalk

:D

No matter how many more luxurious and awesome looking restaurants are opening up in Dhaka, they still need:

McDonald's and/or Burger King
Dunkin Donuts
Starbucks Coffee and/or Costa Coffee
BreadTalk

:D

Why Starbucks/Costa if we already have Barrista Lavazza and Coffee World?

Why Starbucks/Costa if we already have Barrista Lavazza and Coffee World?

For bragging rights and be able to pay for a 100 Taka plus cup of coffee?

Why Starbucks/Costa if we already have Barrista Lavazza and Coffee World?

That's not enough man. not many people in the world knows these 2 chains but surely they would know about Starbucks or Costa Coffee! Even Pakistan has Costa Coffee !!!

No matter how many more luxurious and awesome looking restaurants are opening up in Dhaka, they still need:

McDonald's and/or Burger King
Dunkin Donuts
Starbucks Coffee and/or Costa Coffee
BreadTalk

:D

^^ Strange thing is, when I am in US I hardly go to any one of the places.. but as soon as I board the plane..I start craving for either a fish sandwich at Mac or a Frappacino Caramel Mocha at Starbucks. In Muscat or Kuwait airport, the first thing I try is a Mcdonalds!

Dhaka and Chittagong does not need the above places for the gastronomical benefit, but to show that the nation is growing economically attracting foreign chains to invest. Same goes for Hotel chains like Marriot, Hyatt or Hilton.

^^ Strange thing is, when I am in US I hardly go to any one of the places.. but as soon as I board the plane..I start craving for either a fish sandwich at Mac or a Frappacino Caramel Mocha. In Muscat or Kuwait airport, the first thing I try is a Mcdonald!

Dhaka and Chittagong does not need the above places for the gastronomical benefit, but to show that the nation is growing economically attracting foreign chains to invest. Same goes for Hotel chains like Marriot, Hyatt or Hilton.

Fast food burgers especially from the popular chains gross me out. I can put up with burgers from popular sit down franchise restaurants like Chilis, or Red Robin. But a mickey dee's can be a life safer outside of the US, for those US born desis when they refuse to eat the desi meals after a few days in a row.

Fast food burgers especially from the popular chains gross me out. I can put up with burgers from popular sit down franchise restaurants like Chilis, or Red Robin. But a mickey dee's can be a life safer outside of the US, for those US born desis when they refuse to eat the desi meals after a few days in a row.

I'm so glad my kids have acquired the taste for ilish mach(swallow the "kanta"), lal sak and dal. It's horrible if our kids don't like desi meals because when you visit home who's gonna feed them pizza, burgers or chicken nuggets for more than a few days?

Since I will be in Bangladesh the last two weeks of Ramadan InshaAllah, I was thinking of going to Chakbazar one day and try out a few of the iftari items that were posted in the photos here. My tummy might not agree, but at least I can say I tried it.

..... It's horrible if our kids don't like desi meals because when you visit home who's gonna feed them pizza, burgers or chicken nuggets ......?

That depends how the kids are raised, isn't it? Like your kids, mine is quite adaptable and that is because unlike many people around us, we have never gone out of our way to provide/make special meals for our kid, since she began to eat regular food (i.e. not baby food). I notice that many folks order pizza for the kids when they have parties where Bengali (Indian) food is served.

For bragging rights and be able to pay for a 100 Taka plus cup of coffee?

Reminds me of the $100 plus instant yuckiness we had at Mango Cafe in Dhaka.

I don't really like the taste of Starbucks...for me the taste is a little too burnt or metallic. SoCal is a great place for a coffee addict like me. Here my Starbucks substitute is Coffee Bean. Tip to any fellow addict who visits here: try the Spanish Latte at Urth Cafe.

Reminds me of the $100 plus instant yuckiness we had at Mango Cafe in Dhaka.

For sure. Speaking of which, I still owe you one, remember?


I don't really like the taste of Starbucks...for me the taste is a little too burnt or metallic. SoCal is a great place for a coffee addict like me. Here my Starbucks substitute is Coffee Bean. Tip to any fellow addict who visits here: try the Spanish Latte at Urth Cafe.

Starbucks, to me, is overrated and yet another fashion statement.

Since I will be in Bangladesh the last two weeks of Ramadan InshaAllah, I was thinking of going to Chakbazar one day and try out a few of the iftari items that were posted in the photos here. My tummy might not agree, but at least I can say I tried it.


Good idea...even I am planning a trip to chakbazar during my upcoming visit in Dhaka

^^
Mirza bhai, arrange me as many food parcels as u can ;)

Good idea...even I am planning a trip to chakbazar during my upcoming visit in Dhaka

Mirza, also swing by Narizabazar and get some Hajir Biryani!

^^
Hajir biryani, by the way, isn't biryani. It is tehari and supposedly cooked with mustard oil, which apparently makes it unique. For those residing stateside and badly craving for it, may have their fill at Sagar restaurant in the Bangalee para of NYC. Sagar claims to have Hajir biryani, on their menu.

I am yet to be impressed by the so called authentic Kolkata style, Hyderabadi style or Lucknow style biryani offered in all the restaurants in Dhaka or in Indian restaurants in the US. These do not even come close to the real thing made by the famous chefs in Dhaka who used to cook for large parties (weddings, etc.) in those large brass pots, behind the tent.

Did you know that you can cook awesome biryani in a plain ricecooker? I saw this youtube video of a Pakistani lady who showed how easy it is. With my diet thing in full swing, can't enjoy rich dishes, but it amazes me how simple some delicious dishes are to cook if you get the proper instructions.

In Bangladesh, any dish cooked by a "baburchi" in a clay pot on wood fire will taste infinitely better than restaurant offerings.

Yeah Towhid Bhai, I never understood why they call it Hajir Biryani, becauses the meat-to-rice ratio is pretty low. But, it tastes really good. I actually tried the one in NYC last year, and have to say, it was pretty good.

And here too, I do not like the way the South Asian restaurants cook their biryani; they either make it too spicy or make it just plain awful. Nothing beats the Kachchi Biryani of Dhaka!

^^ My mom taught me how to make Khichuri and Polao in the rice cooker. Polao too with vegetable oil and no ghee. But I forgot how to make them. :ohno:

And here too, I do not like the way the South Asian restaurants cook their biryani; they either make it too spicy or make it just plain awful. Nothing beats the Kachchi Biryani of Dhaka!

Indian food in most places I found to be too jhaal. And I cant eat toomuch jhaal.

There is such a thing as unique Bangladeshi(not Bengali) flavor. I have friends and colleagues from all over India and Pakistan and having eaten their food, noticed a distinct difference in taste. Our beef/goat curry, for example, has flavors that are quite different from similar Indo/Pak dishes. Even West Bengal fish recipes call for some ingredients different from Bangladeshi ones.

I wonder if the "Indian'' restaurants in Dhaka are plying the same kind of heavily spiced food that we find in the US. It'd be a shame if they did because authentic Bihari or Hyderabadi dishes are nothing like what our local India ''Gate, Palace, Mahal.... '' serve.

^^ I tried the biryanis at Santoor, Bukhara and Sajna in Dhaka and it seems that the taste of their biryanis is similar to what you get here in Indian restaurants.

^^
you guys are making me hungry!!

^^ I tried the biryanis at Santoor, Bukhara and Sajna in Dhaka and it seems that the taste of their biryanis is similar to what you get here in Indian restaurants.

Then they are bringing shame to Dhaka. Real biryani (regardless of the type, i.e. cooking method/style like Hyderabadi, etc.) does not taste anything like the tasteless stuff that passes as biryani in most Indian (subcontinent) restaurants around here. I believe most restaurants do not cook biryani since it calls for rather expensive ingredients and requires time, plus that fact that they do not know how much to make, if made ahead and whether some portions may go wasted.

There is such a thing as unique Bangladeshi(not Bengali) flavor. I have friends and colleagues from all over India and Pakistan and having eaten their food, noticed a distinct difference in taste. Our beef/goat curry, for example, has flavors that are quite different from similar Indo/Pak dishes. Even West Bengal fish recipes call for some ingredients different from Bangladeshi ones.

I wonder if the "Indian'' restaurants in Dhaka are plying the same kind of heavily spiced food that we find in the US. It'd be a shame if they did because authentic Bihari or Hyderabadi dishes are nothing like what our local India ''Gate, Palace, Mahal.... '' serve.

I prefer most Pakistani style of cooking meat dishes over Bangladeshi or Indian. I think they taste better, the meat does not smell (if it is goat/lamb/mutton), and is heartier. Of course, I acquired this taste after moving here.

Indian food in most places I found to be too jhaal. And I cant eat toomuch jhaal.

To borrow the rather popular political phrase of the time (US politics), it is time to man up, King Nothing! :lol: Real men can eat real hot food. :)

^^ My mom taught me how to make Khichuri and Polao in the rice cooker. Polao too with vegetable oil and no ghee. But I forgot how to make them. :ohno:

Time to call up mama, to get the recipe and write it down.

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2011/2011_04_18/content_zoom/2011_04_18_32_6_b.jpg

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2011/2011_04_18/content_zoom/2011_04_18_32_1_b.jpg

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2011/2011_04_18/content_zoom/2011_04_18_32_3_b.jpg

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2011/2011_04_18/content_zoom/2011_04_18_32_8_b.jpg

Source: The Independent

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2011/2011_04_23/content_zoom/2011_04_23_29_5_b.jpg

Source: The Independent

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2011/2011_04_23/content_zoom/2011_04_23_29_1_b.jpg

Source: The Independent

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2011/2011_04_23/content_zoom/2011_04_23_29_4_b.jpg

Source: The Independent

Time to call up mama, to get the recipe and write it down.

I need to do that. I have doubts about how good it will end up being tho. Cooking isnt smthg I like or am good at. Its more a females thing :P.

I need to do that. I have doubts about how good it will end up being tho. Cooking isnt smthg I like or am good at. Its more a females thing :P.

Now, wait a minute. A rather sexist comment coming from some who appears to be on the side of progressive thinking? :eek: Do you realize that most of famous chefs around the globe are men? Both Maruf and I like to cook, our wives, not so much.

^^ Thats an interesting situation both you and Maruf bhai are in. :). Yes most of the famous chefs in the world are men. Im all for equality but cooking is just something I dont like and am too lazy for it :lol:

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2011/2011_04_23/content_zoom/2011_04_23_29_4_b.jpg

Source: The Independent

WOW....Nice!

.....Im all for equality but cooking is just something I dont like and am too lazy for it :lol:

The era of the female in the humankind being the default cook is long past. When you get married, what if your wife feels exactly the same way about cooking as you do, i.e. too lazy for it? :)

KFC now open at 65 Paltan. Coming soon to Uttara!

http://www.edailystar.com/contents/2011/2011_04_30/content_zoom/2011_04_30_3_5_b.jpg

which is the best place for steak in dhaka (esp lamb steak) juicy mid-rare :)

which is the best place for stake in dhaka (esp lamb stake) juicy mid-rare :)

Steak implies beef. What you seek is usually referred to as lamb chops. The two good upscale steak restaurants in Dhaka that I've read about are Spitfire and Flambe. Both are in Gulshan.

Steak implies beef. What you seek is usually referred to as lamb chops. The two good upscale steak restaurants in Dhaka that I've read about are Spitfire and Flambe. Both are in Gulshan.

What about steakhouse? The hotels- Regency, Rupsha Bangla (Ex-Sheraton), Sonargaon, Westin, Radisson, Best Western, etc...

if I'm not wrong steak can be of any meat.. pork, veal, lamb or fish.. anyway is there any other place rather than Spitfire & Flambe. Actually went there many times. So looking for some new place. Btw thanks TIslam :)

What about steakhouse? The hotels- Regency, Rupsha Bangla (Ex-Sheraton), Sonargaon, Westin, Radisson, Best Western, etc...

SteakHouse is good but do you guys know any new place. Actually I love steak, so tried almost all the popular restaurants. I recently heard about this new place Verbanella.. any idea about this one?

if I'm not wrong steak can be of any meat.. pork, veal, lamb or fish.. anyway is there any other place rather than Spitfire & Flambe. Actually went there many times. So looking for some new place. Btw thanks TIslam :)

Like I stated earlier, steak implies beef, even though technically it is a particular cut of meat:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steak

In the western world, all steakhouses offer various cuts of beef and not any other kind of meat, fish or foul that may be called a steak. Lamb and pork are labeled as chops in the menu, never steak. One never finds a Filet Mignon, Porterhouse, Rib Eye, New York Strip, or T-Bone steak offered from anything else but beef.

SteakHouse is good but do you guys know any new place. Actually I love steak, so tried almost all the popular restaurants. I recently heard about this new place Verbanella.. any idea about this one?

How do you like your steak? I like mine rare or medium-rare.

@TIslam.. ok boss whatever you say.. :)

@King_Nothing.. it depends on the mood.. mid-rare and mid-well done :)

How do you like your steak? I like mine rare or medium-rare.

Must be the caveman in you! :lol:

I cannot eat anything that has blood pouring out. Ever notice the health warning for consuming a raw flesh (like sushi, rare meats, shell fish)?

SteakHouse is good but do you guys know any new place. Actually I love steak, so tried almost all the popular restaurants. I recently heard about this new place Verbanella.. any idea about this one?

Yeah verbanella is a new restaurant, supposed to be awesome, u can try it :)

Yeah verbanella is a new restaurant, supposed to be awesome, u can try it :)

http://lifestylebd.com/post/2010/image.axd?picture=2010%2f9%2fverbanella.jpg

Verbanella, the classiest restaurant in Gulshan, has opened to cater the best multi cuisine in town along with excellent service and food quality prepared by our Internationally Acclaimed Chefs. We wish to offer you our version of Oriental and Western Cuisine with an innovative touch which is guaranteed to match international standards.

Verbanella features hearty multi cuisine in a relaxed and unassuming setting near the Gulshan South Avenue. It is the perfect blend of ambience and exquisite gourmet dishes. It is an ideal setting for Lunches, Dinners, small business meetings and other events.

Verbanella serves a wide variety of gourmet food with the emphasis on the quality of the ingredients along with the imaginative use of them. We use the best quality oil, fresh vegetables, imported high quality Australian meat and fishes like Salmon and Tuna from Norway and New Zealand – walk into our restaurant for a pleasant gastronomic experience. Our kitchen is partially open through which you can witness the preparation of different dishes and the coordination process of different dishes coming to your table. Moreover, we are not about olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, black olives and portions. On the contrary, we have been busy exploring the continental food discovering outstanding foods and bring them to you.

Above all we want to be thorough in all that we do. We pay careful attention to the qualities of our culinary heritage, but also aim to create something new. We feel that the cooking at Verbanella is fairly ambitious but then again, oriental cuisine possess a certain purity, an essential simplicity and we firmly believe that the oriental cuisine has significant health benefits to offer as well. All these values are reflected in our menus, in the composition and presentation of each dish and the planning and preparation that underlies it all.

Plot# SE(H) 5A, Gulshan Avenue
Gulshan-1, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh
Ph# +880 28822292
Fax# +880 28822293
Web# www.verbanella.com.bd

Menu:

Appetizer

Oriental Beef Salad
traditional thai beef salad with kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass and a touch of lime juice and chilli
Tk. 480
Grilled Tuna Nicoise Salad
char grilled tuna steak along with green beans, hard boiled egg, tomato, onion, capers and potato
Tk. 500
Prawn Yum Woon Sen
spicy glass noodle salad mixed with prawn, chilli, kafir lime leaf and coriander
Tk. 500
Balsamico Grilled Vegetables
mixed seasonal grilled vegetables with herbs and balsamico reduction
Tk. 300

Chicken, Grape and Citrus Salad
grilled chicken, grapes and orange segment mixed with fresh green lettuce
Tk. 450
Garden Salad
fresh leafy lettuce, capsicum, tomato, onion and olive
Tk. 350
Chicken Satay
grilled chicken skewer served with traditional peanut sauce
Tk. 275
Prawn Fritter
deep fried prawn fritter with light and crispy batter with sweet chilli sauce and black pepper mayonnaise
Tk. 700
Yum Thale
Seafood salad thai style
Tk. 300
Lovegai Salad
Chicken thai style salad
Tk. 250
Som Tom
Thai style papaya salad
Tk. 225
Crostini
Tk. 550
Brushetta
Tk. 250
Potato Wedges
Tk. 250
Dips & Nachos
Tk. 350
Chicken Wings
Tk. 500

Soups

Tom Yum Goong
hot and sour spicy soup with fragrant kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass and fresh coriander and jumbo prawn served with garlic bread
Tk. 525

Wild Mushroom
rich flavored and creamy wild mushroom soup served with garlic bread
Tk. 450
Chicken Galangal
spicy hot soup with coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf and chicken served with garlic bread
Tk. 350
Grand Mother Oxtail
refreshing hot and spicy soup with tender oxtail meat and vegetable served garlic bread
Tk. 500
Tofu n Vegetable
vegetable broth with tofu and seasonal fresh vegetable served garlic bread
Tk. 350
Cream of Chicken
Rich creamy chicken soup served garlic bread
Tk. 400
Wanton Wakame
supreme chicken broth with wanton dumpling and wakame served with garlic bread
Tk. 400
Wanton Wakame
supreme chicken broth with wanton dumpling and wakame served with garlic bread
Tk. 400
Pizza & Pasta

Pizza
Divola
cheese, beef pepperoni, fresh chillies, capsicum and herbs
Tk. 550
Quattro Stagioni
cheese, beef becon, beef pepperoni, chicken breast, capsicum and eggplant
Tk. 800
Fruitti di Mare
cheese, assorted seafood, onion and herbs
Tk. 800
Napoletana
cheese, anchovies, capers, black olives and herbs
Tk. 550
Vegetarian
cheese, seasonal grilled vegetables, and fresh herbs
Tk. 500
BBQ Chicken
cheese, grilled bbq flavored chicken, onion, mushrooms and black olives
Tk. 550
Create Your Own Pizza
choose your own topping
cheese, beef pepperoni, fresh chilies, capsicum, beef bacon, assorted seafood, seasonal grilled vegetables, grilled bbq flavored chicken, onion, mushrooms, and black olives
Basic price Tk. 300
+ per topping Tk. 50
Pasta

Spaghetti Bolognaise
spaghetti served with minced beef and Italian tomato sauce
Tk. 550
Oriental Black Pepper Prawn Tagliatelle
tagliatelle pasta cooked with shrimp in oriental black pepper sauce
Tk. 750
Penne Arabiatta
penne pasta cooked with spicy tomato sauce, chilli and herbs
Tk. 550
Spaghetti Carbonara
spaghetti cooked with beef bacon, cream and parmesan cheese
Tk. 650
Lasagne
oven baked beef lasagne topped with mozzarella cheese
Tk. 750
Western & Asian

Sirloin Steak
220 gms grilled sirloin steak served with choice of sauté vegetable / mash potato / potato wedges/jacket potato with choice of black pepper sauce / BBQ sauce / mushroom sauce / mint sauce
Tk. 1650
T-bone Steak
220 gms grilled T-bone steak served with choice of sauté vegetable / mash potato / potato wedges with choice of black pepper sauce / BBQ sauce / mushroom sauce / mint sauce
Tk. 1550
Rib eye Steak
220 gms grilled Rib eye steak served with choice of sauté vegetable / mash potato / potato wedges with choice of black pepper sauce / BBQ sauce / mushroom sauce / mint sauce
Tk. 1400
Chicken Thigh
220 gms grilled chicken thight served with choice of sauté vegetable / mash potato / potato wedges with choice of black pepper sauce / BBQ sauce / mushroom sauce / mint sauce
Tk. 650
Rack of Lamb
220 gms grilled rack of lamb served with choice of sauté vegetable / mash potato / potato wedges with choice of black pepper sauce / BBQ sauce / mushroom sauce / mint sauce
Tk. 1750
Braised Lamb Shank
braised lamb shank with herbs, spicy garlic farm potato
Tk. 1100
Grilled Salmon Fillet Steak
grilled salmon fillet served with pasta, dill and capers sauce and sautéed seasonal vegetables
Tk. 1250
Chilli Coriander Seabass
pan-fried seabass fillet with hot and sour chili coriander sauce, French fries/wedges, fresh steamed vegetables
Tk. 1100
Lobster Thermidor
grilled lobster meat prepared with cream and mushroom, topping of mozzarella cheese served in 800gm lobster shell
Tk. 1850
Spicy Miso Beef
grilled beef meat grilled with sauté onions and potato with spicy fermented Japanese soya sauce
Tk. 1250
Kaeng Kawe Hwan Kai (Thai green curry)
braised chicken in coconut milk with fiery green curry
Tk. 675
Grilled Prawn
grilled jumbo bay prawns with green lettuce, long beans, shallot and garlic confit
Tk. 1150
Sliced Fish With Ginger & Mushroom
Thai Style curry
Tk. 325
Beef With Green Chili
cooked in Thai style
Tk. 350
Red Na Gung Tawn
special prawn with garlic & Pepper
Tk. 500
Phat Phak Ruam
vegetable with almonds
Tk. 325
Khao Phad Bai Krapaw Kai
special chicken thai fried rice
Tk. 450
Khao Phat Gai Phrik Kee
chicken chilli fried rice
Tk. 325
Wok

Nasi Goreng Special
wok fried rice with egg, chicken and shrimp accompanied with satay and sunnyside up egg
Tk. 650
Mee Goreng
wok fried noodles with egg, tofu, potato, bean sprouts, oyster sauce and chilli paste
Tk. 600
Chinese Fried Rice
wok fried rice with egg, shrimp, chicken, mixed vegetables and garlic
Tk. 475
Oriental Pineapple Fried Rice
fried rice with egg, chicken, shrimp, pineapple and green peas
Tk. 475
Braised Vegetable
seasonal vegetables braised with oyster sauce, black and straw mushroom
Tk. 500
Crispy Duck
served with black pepper noodles, onions and capsicum
Tk. 1050
Indian

Appetizer
Papdi Chaat
deep fried crispy pancakes served with potato topped with yoghurt & tamarind sauce
Tk. 200
Paneer Dulari
cottage cheese stuffed with dry fruits battered, deep fried
Tk. 300
Chicken Roll
Tk. 250
Nawabi Murg Chaat
favorite royal dish made with chicken vegetable and Indian spices
Tk. 350
Non Veg Kebabs

Nawabi Shashlick
jumbo prawns marinated, skewered with tomato, capsicum and grilled in Tandoor
Tk. 850
Shahi Murg
chicken filled with cheese, onion and dry fruits with cardomon grilled in tandoor
Tk. 400
Tandoori Grilled Murg
chicken grilled in tandoor with spices & herbs
Quarter: Tk. 220
Half: Tk. 400
Verbanella Mixed Grill
assortment of different kebab of fish, chicken & mutton
Tk. 850
Mutton Boti Kebab
boneless mutton cubes cooked in tandoor with spices and herbs
Tk. 415
Thali

Veg Thali / Non Veg Thali
Tk. 750
Murg Aur Gghost Ki Sowad

Chicken Tikka Massala
traditional British favorite chicken cooked in Indian style
Tk. 450
Aachari Ghost
boneless mutton cubes cooked in a traditional manner with mango pickle & yoghurt
Tk. 425
Adraki Dhaniya Murg
pieces of chicken cooked in ground ginger gravy and coriander
Tk. 400
Machlee

Pomfret Bhoona
whole pomfret cooked in tandoor
Tk. 425
Fish Tikka
cubes of boneless fish cooked in tandoor with spices & herbs
Tk. 500
Chawal ki Bazar

Hyderabadi Biryani / Lucknowi Murg Briyani / Dum Biryani
biryani cooked in a traditional way, mutton with special spices / chicken rice combination with spices & herbs cooked in dum style / basmati rice cooked with prawns flavored with saffron & mint
Tk. 450
Sabzi Pulao
rice cooked with seasonal vegetables
Tk. 325
Sada Chawal
steamed rice
Tk. 130
Dal Makhani / Tarka Dal
Tk. 250
Nan & Paratha

Plain Nan / Butter Nan / Garlic Nan / Mint Nan
Tk. 65
Plain Paratha
Tk. 75
Desserts

Crème Brulee
classic french baked custard with caramel crust
Tk. 425
Cheese Cake
creamy cheese cake with chocolate crust base
Tk. 425
Chocolate Mud Cake
rich chocolate cake with chocolate ganache
Tk. 500
Bavarian Cream
bavarian style mousse served with fresh fruits
Tk. 500
Cream Caramel
Tk. 325
Yogurt With Honey
Tk. 180
Pies With Ice Cream
Tk. 350
Fresh Fruit Plate (Seasonal)
Hlalf: Tk. 350
Full: Tk. 500
Beverage

Mineral Water

House Water (500 ML)

Tk.40
House Water (1500 ML)

Tk.50
Evian Mineral Water

Tk.150
Perrier sparkling water

Tk.200
Soft Drinks

Pepsi cola/light

Tk.65
Seven Up/light

Tk.65
Merinda
Tk.65
Soda Water
Tk.140
Tonic Water
Tk. 140
Bitter Lemon
Tk. 140
Ginger ale
Tk.140
Squash (Orange/ Lemon)

Tk. 100
Chilled Juice

Orange / Pineapple / Apple / Grape / Tomato / Tamarind / Mix Seasonal
Tk. 150
Freshly Squeezed Juice Seasonal
Tk. 220
Lassi

Sweet Lassi
Tk. 150
Salty Lassi
Tk. 150
Fruit Lassi

Tk. 175
Smoothies

Seasonal

Tk. 225
Chilled

Ice Lemon Tea

Tk. 70
Ice Coffee
Tk. 125
Cold Chocolate
Tk. 180
Milk Shake (Strawberry/Chocolate/Vanilla)

Tk. 150
Hot Beverage

Tea

Organic
Tk. 120
English Breakfast Tea
Tk. 70
Green Tea
Tk. 120
Flavored Tea (Citrus, Apple, Tamarind)
Tk. 120
Coffee

Espresso
Tk. 150
Double Espresso
Tk. 170
Cappuccino
Tk. 180
Café Latte
Tk. 200
Hazelnut Coffee
Tk. 200
Hot Chocolate
Tk. 180
Mocktail

Shorts
360 Degrees (Lime Juice, Lemon Squash, Grape Fruit)
Absolutely Fruity (Watermelon, Banana)
After Eight (Fresh Mint cream, Coco Milk)
Angry German (Blackberry, Lime Juice, Sault)
Brain Freeze (Orange, Grenadine)
Tk. 150
Long Drinks
Verbanella Special (Secret)
Cindrella (Soda, Lemon Squash, Orange Juice, Grenadine)
Mock Champagne (Apple Juice, Ginger ale, Lemon)
Virgin Marry (Tomato Juice, Fresh Lemon Juice, Tabasco, Sault, Worcestershire)
Fruity Majito (Soda, Lime, Mint, Brown Sugar, Cranberry Juice)
Sweet Sunrise (Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice, Grenadine)
Cubalibra (Coke, Fresh Lime Juice)
Sexy Virgin (Orange Juice, Cranberry Juice)
Shirley Temple (Lemonade, Grenadine)
Sparkling Pom Collins (Soda, Lemon Squash)
Apple Quencher (Apple, Soda, Lemon)

Tk. 250
Creamy Drinks
Virgin Pinacolada (Pineapple Juice, Cream, Coconut Milk)
Creamy Kiss (Vanilla Ice Cream, Coconut Milk, Grenadine Cream)
Grasshopper (Mint, Cream, Vanilla Ice Cream, Cinnamon)
Cock Float (Coke, Vanilla Ice Cream)
Tk. 225
Frozen Drinks
Nada Diquire (Strawberry Base)
Nada Margarita (Lemon Base)
Coco Colada (Pineapple Base)
Tk. 225
Ice-Cream
3 Scoops Ice Cream (Strawberry/Chocolate/Vanilla)
Tk.150
Special Ice Creams

Banana Love Boat (Splited Banana, Three Different Flavor Ice Creams, Cream, Chocolate Sauce, Strawberry)

Rose Lady (3 Scoops Strawberry Ice Cream, Orange, Fresh Strawberry, Cherry, Cream, Strawberry Sauce)

Dark Lady (3 Scoops Chocolate Ice Cream, Slice Of Orange, Nuts, Cream Chocolate Sauce)

White Lady (3 Scoops Vanilla Ice Cream, Slice Banana, Cherry, Cream, Strawberry Sauce)

Tropical Island (Chocolate And Strawberry Ice Cream, Pineapple, Banana, Cream, Cherry, Chocolate Sauce)

Verbanella Special (Secret)

That should be enough to persuade you.

Mexi Indian Café's Tasty Treats

Source: Bangladesh Monitor

http://www.bangladeshmonitor.net/images/news_photo/20110502172302mexi.jpg

Mexican food has carved quite a niche for itself in the local food scenario. Nachos, Tortillas and Tacos have become pretty popular among the food lovers here. So are the Dahi Fuchkas, Paapri Chaats and Kachoris- tempting treats of Indian origin.
These two popular cuisines have been put together on the menu at a place, which is very aptly named Mexi Indian Corner. It is a small café on a top floor at a very busy locale in Dhaka.

This café started in January 2009. The menu is a wide array of Mexican and Indian foods. The Mexican segment has a variety of Nachos, Quesadillas, Burritos and Tacos, Fajitas also come in quite a number of preparations like chicken, vegetable, steak or grilled chicken. Extra add-ons include cheese, sour cream, flour chips, beans and salsa.

Chaat, a very popular Indian snacks in served here in different combinations. Aloo Chaat, Dahi Fuchka, Rajkachori, Papri Chaat- these are the café's some of the most popular items. Around three dozen rolls are available, each different from the other in terms of taste and flavour.

Although egg, chicken and beef are the prime ingredients, the condiments and seasonings bring in all the difference in taste and make each one different from the other.

Kabab is also one of the major attractions in their menu. There is a variety of kababs, like : Reshmi, Hariyali, Boti, Tikka, Sheek, etc, all having chicken or beef or the basics. There is also a small non-veg segment in the menu that has dishes like Aloo Methi, Paneer Butter Masala, Kashmiri Aloo Dum, etc. on a lighter note, one can go for a soup-n-sandwich meal, coupled with one of the salads from the menu.

Mocktails, which are getting increasingly popular here also own a segment in the menu, along with the regular sodas and colas. Apart from their a-la-carte menu, one can opt for the set menus too. There is set menu both for Indian and Mexican cuisine, the Indian set menu being much popular than the other one.

The café is a cozy little place, high up on the fifth floor of Navana Tower Shopping Centre in Gulshan 1. Although it is not so large in the real sense, it can hold around 25 guests. There are regular guests who frequently visit this place, especially for their Fuchkas, Chaats, Tacos and Tortillas. It is open from 11am till 10.30 in the evening. It is indeed the perfect place for relishing tasty treats or just getting refreshed by one of their many different items- either Mexican or Indian.

Dhaka's new specialty restaurant Oh! Calcutta

Source: Bangladesh Monitor

_A Monitor Report
Dhaka : Bhapa Maach, Mochar Ghonto, Aloo Posto, Chanar Kaila_ well these are some of the traditional delicacies of Bengali cuisine, which have been long lost in obscurity, courtesy the fast and furious invasion of alien cuisines. To bring back the taste and tradition to the very people whose ancestors' creations were these de-licious foods, a new restaurant was launched in Dhaka recently.

Oh! Calcutta is one of the many stellar restaurants of a leading fine dining group of India, Specialty Restaurant. They also launched Mainland China, their most famous brand of Chinese restaurants in Dhaka, almost a year ago. Like Mainland, China, Oh! Calcutta is also their celebrated brand, which they are proud to present in Dhaka as promised.

The cuisine of Oh! Calcutta is a culinary testimony of the food and flavours, which are unique at this part of the subcontinent. The many facets of cooking, which have been developed through the centuries in this part of the world, vary from Jhaal to Jhol, Kosha to Kabab. The delicious influences can be traced back to the Nawabs and Maharajahs, but the unique trait that has been omnipresent through centuries is the passion for food. This lives on even today in the awesome cooking of Bengali dishes.

The fertile banks of the Ganges and the Padma, the deep forests of the Sunderbans and the teeming seafood of the Bay of Bengal are the common sources, which provide the tasty and delicious ingredients of Bengali cuisine. Be it Ilish, Koi, Rui or Rupchanda- the bounties of the rivers and the sea, enriches the traditional treats.

Kakra Chingri Bhapa, Roshun Bhapa Maach, Lonka Bhapa Murgi, Ada Lebu Bhapa Maach- are some of the specialties of the restaurant. Most of the fish are steamed or Bhapa, so as to retain the taste and flavor a slow cooking allows to do so. There is also an array of specialties for those who tend to favor the spicy type. There is Pabda Tel Borir Jhol, Pabda Tomatoer Jhal, Aam Diye Bhindi and to top it all- Kancha Lonka Torkari.

The vegetarian items are simply a treat by themselves, like Chaana Koraishooti chop, Mochar Ghento, Kalojeere Diye Phool Kopi Shorshay, Bhaja Moonger Dal, etc.

Their signature items include Daab Chingri, Kakra Chingri Bhapa, Dhakai Fish Tikka, Bhapa Narkol Chingri, Hing Aloor Dom, Aam Diye Bhindi, Chittagong Masala Murgi, etc.

Desserts are a must for any Bangla meal, so Oh! Calcutta is no exception. There are traditional treats like Malpoa, Bhapa Shon-desh and Rosogolla- each of which is simply irresistible.

Sprawled along the 6th floor of Kazi Heritage, House 49, Road 11, Banani the restaurant is a slice of contemporary and classic Kol-kata, blended uniquely and served in one platter. The interior, the crockery_ everything has a touch of Kolkata either in the form of black and white photographs on the wall or sketches of the landmarks on the crockery. The entire place can accommodate around 125 guests for lunch and dinner. Soft melodies of old Bangla songs coupled with Tagore tunes complete the ambience giving it a total Bangaliana touch.

Oh! Calcutta is the chain's first international outlet, outside India. The management plans to open outlets in Chittagong and Cox's Bazar too sometime in the future. But for now, according to the management this place in Dhaka is a tribute to the food lovers' passion, which transcends borders. Uniting all with the common bonding of taste and flavor of the awesome Bangla cuisine and making a place for it in the global menu- this is what Oh! Calcutta intends to do, and so far it has been quite a success in doing so.

Must be the caveman in you! :lol:

I cannot eat anything that has blood pouring out. Ever notice the health warning for consuming a raw flesh (like sushi, rare meats, shell fish)?

You need to eat your steak the way man and God intended it to be eaten :cheers:. If eating sushi has given Japanese ppl the highest life expectancy in the world I'll happily eat it. Actually the way the fish is cut and stored straightaway makes sure that there are no health hazards from eating it.

Would smoked salmon be considered raw fish too? Cos I absolutely love it. :)

You need to eat your steak the way man and God intended it to be eaten :cheers:. If eating sushi has given Japanese ppl the highest life expectancy in the world I'll happily eat it. Actually the way the fish is cut and stored straightaway makes sure that there are no health hazards from eating it.

Would smoked salmon be considered raw fish too? Cos I absolutely love it. :)

If God intended human beings to consume raw flesh than He would have given us the digestive and immune system like that of lions and tigers (animals that mainly eat raw flesh). :)

The Japanese in mainland Japan have the highest incidence of stomach cancer .... I wonder why? ...... (just guessing).

Food, especially meat and fish, should be cooked well enough to kill harmful bacteria and also make it easy on our digestive system. Our desi cooking is actually bad for us as we overcook everything including vegetables and also use copious amounts of oil and ghee. Longevity of life is actually an outcome of many factors of which food is only one.

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2011/2011_01_01/content_zoom/2011_01_01_29_3_b.jpg

Source: The Independent

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2011/2011_01_29/content_zoom/2011_01_29_29_5_b.jpg


Source: The Independent

Dhaka's new specialty restaurant Oh! Calcutta

Source: Bangladesh Monitor

_A Monitor Report
Dhaka : Bhapa Maach, Mochar Ghonto, Aloo Posto, Chanar Kaila_ well these are some of the traditional delicacies of Bengali cuisine, which have been long lost in obscurity, courtesy the fast and furious invasion of alien cuisines. To bring back the taste and tradition to the very people whose ancestors' creations were these de-licious foods, a new restaurant was launched in Dhaka recently.

Oh! Calcutta is one of the many stellar restaurants of a leading fine dining group of India, Specialty Restaurant. They also launched Mainland China, their most famous brand of Chinese restaurants in Dhaka, almost a year ago. Like Mainland, China, Oh! Calcutta is also their celebrated brand, which they are proud to present in Dhaka as promised.

The cuisine of Oh! Calcutta is a culinary testimony of the food and flavours, which are unique at this part of the subcontinent. The many facets of cooking, which have been developed through the centuries in this part of the world, vary from Jhaal to Jhol, Kosha to Kabab. The delicious influences can be traced back to the Nawabs and Maharajahs, but the unique trait that has been omnipresent through centuries is the passion for food. This lives on even today in the awesome cooking of Bengali dishes.

The fertile banks of the Ganges and the Padma, the deep forests of the Sunderbans and the teeming seafood of the Bay of Bengal are the common sources, which provide the tasty and delicious ingredients of Bengali cuisine. Be it Ilish, Koi, Rui or Rupchanda- the bounties of the rivers and the sea, enriches the traditional treats.

Kakra Chingri Bhapa, Roshun Bhapa Maach, Lonka Bhapa Murgi, Ada Lebu Bhapa Maach- are some of the specialties of the restaurant. Most of the fish are steamed or Bhapa, so as to retain the taste and flavor a slow cooking allows to do so. There is also an array of specialties for those who tend to favor the spicy type. There is Pabda Tel Borir Jhol, Pabda Tomatoer Jhal, Aam Diye Bhindi and to top it all- Kancha Lonka Torkari.

The vegetarian items are simply a treat by themselves, like Chaana Koraishooti chop, Mochar Ghento, Kalojeere Diye Phool Kopi Shorshay, Bhaja Moonger Dal, etc.

Their signature items include Daab Chingri, Kakra Chingri Bhapa, Dhakai Fish Tikka, Bhapa Narkol Chingri, Hing Aloor Dom, Aam Diye Bhindi, Chittagong Masala Murgi, etc.

Desserts are a must for any Bangla meal, so Oh! Calcutta is no exception. There are traditional treats like Malpoa, Bhapa Shon-desh and Rosogolla- each of which is simply irresistible.

Sprawled along the 6th floor of Kazi Heritage, House 49, Road 11, Banani the restaurant is a slice of contemporary and classic Kol-kata, blended uniquely and served in one platter. The interior, the crockery_ everything has a touch of Kolkata either in the form of black and white photographs on the wall or sketches of the landmarks on the crockery. The entire place can accommodate around 125 guests for lunch and dinner. Soft melodies of old Bangla songs coupled with Tagore tunes complete the ambience giving it a total Bangaliana touch.

Oh! Calcutta is the chain's first international outlet, outside India. The management plans to open outlets in Chittagong and Cox's Bazar too sometime in the future. But for now, according to the management this place in Dhaka is a tribute to the food lovers' passion, which transcends borders. Uniting all with the common bonding of taste and flavor of the awesome Bangla cuisine and making a place for it in the global menu- this is what Oh! Calcutta intends to do, and so far it has been quite a success in doing so.
some people i know went there to eat and told me, they suck and their food quality isnt that appealing, its more like for the nouveau riche who wants to fault around i had a 500 taka bhorta,

http://lifestylebd.com/post/2010/image.axd?picture=2010%2f9%2fverbanella.jpg

Verbanella, the classiest restaurant in Gulshan, has opened to cater the best multi cuisine in town along with excellent service and food quality prepared by our Internationally Acclaimed Chefs. We wish to offer you our version of Oriental and Western Cuisine with an innovative touch which is guaranteed to match international standards.

Verbanella features hearty multi cuisine in a relaxed and unassuming setting near the Gulshan South Avenue. It is the perfect blend of ambience and exquisite gourmet dishes. It is an ideal setting for Lunches, Dinners, small business meetings and other events.

Verbanella serves a wide variety of gourmet food with the emphasis on the quality of the ingredients along with the imaginative use of them. We use the best quality oil, fresh vegetables, imported high quality Australian meat and fishes like Salmon and Tuna from Norway and New Zealand – walk into our restaurant for a pleasant gastronomic experience. Our kitchen is partially open through which you can witness the preparation of different dishes and the coordination process of different dishes coming to your table. Moreover, we are not about olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, black olives and portions. On the contrary, we have been busy exploring the continental food discovering outstanding foods and bring them to you.

Above all we want to be thorough in all that we do. We pay careful attention to the qualities of our culinary heritage, but also aim to create something new. We feel that the cooking at Verbanella is fairly ambitious but then again, oriental cuisine possess a certain purity, an essential simplicity and we firmly believe that the oriental cuisine has significant health benefits to offer as well. All these values are reflected in our menus, in the composition and presentation of each dish and the planning and preparation that underlies it all.

Plot# SE(H) 5A, Gulshan Avenue
Gulshan-1, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh
Ph# +880 28822292
Fax# +880 28822293
Web# www.verbanella.com.bd

Menu:

Appetizer

Oriental Beef Salad
traditional thai beef salad with kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass and a touch of lime juice and chilli
Tk. 480
Grilled Tuna Nicoise Salad
char grilled tuna steak along with green beans, hard boiled egg, tomato, onion, capers and potato
Tk. 500
Prawn Yum Woon Sen
spicy glass noodle salad mixed with prawn, chilli, kafir lime leaf and coriander
Tk. 500
Balsamico Grilled Vegetables
mixed seasonal grilled vegetables with herbs and balsamico reduction
Tk. 300

Chicken, Grape and Citrus Salad
grilled chicken, grapes and orange segment mixed with fresh green lettuce
Tk. 450
Garden Salad
fresh leafy lettuce, capsicum, tomato, onion and olive
Tk. 350
Chicken Satay
grilled chicken skewer served with traditional peanut sauce
Tk. 275
Prawn Fritter
deep fried prawn fritter with light and crispy batter with sweet chilli sauce and black pepper mayonnaise
Tk. 700
Yum Thale
Seafood salad thai style
Tk. 300
Lovegai Salad
Chicken thai style salad
Tk. 250
Som Tom
Thai style papaya salad
Tk. 225
Crostini
Tk. 550
Brushetta
Tk. 250
Potato Wedges
Tk. 250
Dips & Nachos
Tk. 350
Chicken Wings
Tk. 500

Soups

Tom Yum Goong
hot and sour spicy soup with fragrant kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass and fresh coriander and jumbo prawn served with garlic bread
Tk. 525

Wild Mushroom
rich flavored and creamy wild mushroom soup served with garlic bread
Tk. 450
Chicken Galangal
spicy hot soup with coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf and chicken served with garlic bread
Tk. 350
Grand Mother Oxtail
refreshing hot and spicy soup with tender oxtail meat and vegetable served garlic bread
Tk. 500
Tofu n Vegetable
vegetable broth with tofu and seasonal fresh vegetable served garlic bread
Tk. 350
Cream of Chicken
Rich creamy chicken soup served garlic bread
Tk. 400
Wanton Wakame
supreme chicken broth with wanton dumpling and wakame served with garlic bread
Tk. 400
Wanton Wakame
supreme chicken broth with wanton dumpling and wakame served with garlic bread
Tk. 400
Pizza & Pasta

Pizza
Divola
cheese, beef pepperoni, fresh chillies, capsicum and herbs
Tk. 550
Quattro Stagioni
cheese, beef becon, beef pepperoni, chicken breast, capsicum and eggplant
Tk. 800
Fruitti di Mare
cheese, assorted seafood, onion and herbs
Tk. 800
Napoletana
cheese, anchovies, capers, black olives and herbs
Tk. 550
Vegetarian
cheese, seasonal grilled vegetables, and fresh herbs
Tk. 500
BBQ Chicken
cheese, grilled bbq flavored chicken, onion, mushrooms and black olives
Tk. 550
Create Your Own Pizza
choose your own topping
cheese, beef pepperoni, fresh chilies, capsicum, beef bacon, assorted seafood, seasonal grilled vegetables, grilled bbq flavored chicken, onion, mushrooms, and black olives
Basic price Tk. 300
+ per topping Tk. 50
Pasta

Spaghetti Bolognaise
spaghetti served with minced beef and Italian tomato sauce
Tk. 550
Oriental Black Pepper Prawn Tagliatelle
tagliatelle pasta cooked with shrimp in oriental black pepper sauce
Tk. 750
Penne Arabiatta
penne pasta cooked with spicy tomato sauce, chilli and herbs
Tk. 550
Spaghetti Carbonara
spaghetti cooked with beef bacon, cream and parmesan cheese
Tk. 650
Lasagne
oven baked beef lasagne topped with mozzarella cheese
Tk. 750
Western & Asian

Sirloin Steak
220 gms grilled sirloin steak served with choice of sauté vegetable / mash potato / potato wedges/jacket potato with choice of black pepper sauce / BBQ sauce / mushroom sauce / mint sauce
Tk. 1650
T-bone Steak
220 gms grilled T-bone steak served with choice of sauté vegetable / mash potato / potato wedges with choice of black pepper sauce / BBQ sauce / mushroom sauce / mint sauce
Tk. 1550
Rib eye Steak
220 gms grilled Rib eye steak served with choice of sauté vegetable / mash potato / potato wedges with choice of black pepper sauce / BBQ sauce / mushroom sauce / mint sauce
Tk. 1400
Chicken Thigh
220 gms grilled chicken thight served with choice of sauté vegetable / mash potato / potato wedges with choice of black pepper sauce / BBQ sauce / mushroom sauce / mint sauce
Tk. 650
Rack of Lamb
220 gms grilled rack of lamb served with choice of sauté vegetable / mash potato / potato wedges with choice of black pepper sauce / BBQ sauce / mushroom sauce / mint sauce
Tk. 1750
Braised Lamb Shank
braised lamb shank with herbs, spicy garlic farm potato
Tk. 1100
Grilled Salmon Fillet Steak
grilled salmon fillet served with pasta, dill and capers sauce and sautéed seasonal vegetables
Tk. 1250
Chilli Coriander Seabass
pan-fried seabass fillet with hot and sour chili coriander sauce, French fries/wedges, fresh steamed vegetables
Tk. 1100
Lobster Thermidor
grilled lobster meat prepared with cream and mushroom, topping of mozzarella cheese served in 800gm lobster shell
Tk. 1850
Spicy Miso Beef
grilled beef meat grilled with sauté onions and potato with spicy fermented Japanese soya sauce
Tk. 1250
Kaeng Kawe Hwan Kai (Thai green curry)
braised chicken in coconut milk with fiery green curry
Tk. 675
Grilled Prawn
grilled jumbo bay prawns with green lettuce, long beans, shallot and garlic confit
Tk. 1150
Sliced Fish With Ginger & Mushroom
Thai Style curry
Tk. 325
Beef With Green Chili
cooked in Thai style
Tk. 350
Red Na Gung Tawn
special prawn with garlic & Pepper
Tk. 500
Phat Phak Ruam
vegetable with almonds
Tk. 325
Khao Phad Bai Krapaw Kai
special chicken thai fried rice
Tk. 450
Khao Phat Gai Phrik Kee
chicken chilli fried rice
Tk. 325
Wok

Nasi Goreng Special
wok fried rice with egg, chicken and shrimp accompanied with satay and sunnyside up egg
Tk. 650
Mee Goreng
wok fried noodles with egg, tofu, potato, bean sprouts, oyster sauce and chilli paste
Tk. 600
Chinese Fried Rice
wok fried rice with egg, shrimp, chicken, mixed vegetables and garlic
Tk. 475
Oriental Pineapple Fried Rice
fried rice with egg, chicken, shrimp, pineapple and green peas
Tk. 475
Braised Vegetable
seasonal vegetables braised with oyster sauce, black and straw mushroom
Tk. 500
Crispy Duck
served with black pepper noodles, onions and capsicum
Tk. 1050
Indian

Appetizer
Papdi Chaat
deep fried crispy pancakes served with potato topped with yoghurt & tamarind sauce
Tk. 200
Paneer Dulari
cottage cheese stuffed with dry fruits battered, deep fried
Tk. 300
Chicken Roll
Tk. 250
Nawabi Murg Chaat
favorite royal dish made with chicken vegetable and Indian spices
Tk. 350
Non Veg Kebabs

Nawabi Shashlick
jumbo prawns marinated, skewered with tomato, capsicum and grilled in Tandoor
Tk. 850
Shahi Murg
chicken filled with cheese, onion and dry fruits with cardomon grilled in tandoor
Tk. 400
Tandoori Grilled Murg
chicken grilled in tandoor with spices & herbs
Quarter: Tk. 220
Half: Tk. 400
Verbanella Mixed Grill
assortment of different kebab of fish, chicken & mutton
Tk. 850
Mutton Boti Kebab
boneless mutton cubes cooked in tandoor with spices and herbs
Tk. 415
Thali

Veg Thali / Non Veg Thali
Tk. 750
Murg Aur Gghost Ki Sowad

Chicken Tikka Massala
traditional British favorite chicken cooked in Indian style
Tk. 450
Aachari Ghost
boneless mutton cubes cooked in a traditional manner with mango pickle & yoghurt
Tk. 425
Adraki Dhaniya Murg
pieces of chicken cooked in ground ginger gravy and coriander
Tk. 400
Machlee

Pomfret Bhoona
whole pomfret cooked in tandoor
Tk. 425
Fish Tikka
cubes of boneless fish cooked in tandoor with spices & herbs
Tk. 500
Chawal ki Bazar

Hyderabadi Biryani / Lucknowi Murg Briyani / Dum Biryani
biryani cooked in a traditional way, mutton with special spices / chicken rice combination with spices & herbs cooked in dum style / basmati rice cooked with prawns flavored with saffron & mint
Tk. 450
Sabzi Pulao
rice cooked with seasonal vegetables
Tk. 325
Sada Chawal
steamed rice
Tk. 130
Dal Makhani / Tarka Dal
Tk. 250
Nan & Paratha

Plain Nan / Butter Nan / Garlic Nan / Mint Nan
Tk. 65
Plain Paratha
Tk. 75
Desserts

Crème Brulee
classic french baked custard with caramel crust
Tk. 425
Cheese Cake
creamy cheese cake with chocolate crust base
Tk. 425
Chocolate Mud Cake
rich chocolate cake with chocolate ganache
Tk. 500
Bavarian Cream
bavarian style mousse served with fresh fruits
Tk. 500
Cream Caramel
Tk. 325
Yogurt With Honey
Tk. 180
Pies With Ice Cream
Tk. 350
Fresh Fruit Plate (Seasonal)
Hlalf: Tk. 350
Full: Tk. 500
Beverage

Mineral Water

House Water (500 ML)

Tk.40
House Water (1500 ML)

Tk.50
Evian Mineral Water

Tk.150
Perrier sparkling water

Tk.200
Soft Drinks

Pepsi cola/light

Tk.65
Seven Up/light

Tk.65
Merinda
Tk.65
Soda Water
Tk.140
Tonic Water
Tk. 140
Bitter Lemon
Tk. 140
Ginger ale
Tk.140
Squash (Orange/ Lemon)

Tk. 100
Chilled Juice

Orange / Pineapple / Apple / Grape / Tomato / Tamarind / Mix Seasonal
Tk. 150
Freshly Squeezed Juice Seasonal
Tk. 220
Lassi

Sweet Lassi
Tk. 150
Salty Lassi
Tk. 150
Fruit Lassi

Tk. 175
Smoothies

Seasonal

Tk. 225
Chilled

Ice Lemon Tea

Tk. 70
Ice Coffee
Tk. 125
Cold Chocolate
Tk. 180
Milk Shake (Strawberry/Chocolate/Vanilla)

Tk. 150
Hot Beverage

Tea

Organic
Tk. 120
English Breakfast Tea
Tk. 70
Green Tea
Tk. 120
Flavored Tea (Citrus, Apple, Tamarind)
Tk. 120
Coffee

Espresso
Tk. 150
Double Espresso
Tk. 170
Cappuccino
Tk. 180
Café Latte
Tk. 200
Hazelnut Coffee
Tk. 200
Hot Chocolate
Tk. 180
Mocktail

Shorts
360 Degrees (Lime Juice, Lemon Squash, Grape Fruit)
Absolutely Fruity (Watermelon, Banana)
After Eight (Fresh Mint cream, Coco Milk)
Angry German (Blackberry, Lime Juice, Sault)
Brain Freeze (Orange, Grenadine)
Tk. 150
Long Drinks
Verbanella Special (Secret)
Cindrella (Soda, Lemon Squash, Orange Juice, Grenadine)
Mock Champagne (Apple Juice, Ginger ale, Lemon)
Virgin Marry (Tomato Juice, Fresh Lemon Juice, Tabasco, Sault, Worcestershire)
Fruity Majito (Soda, Lime, Mint, Brown Sugar, Cranberry Juice)
Sweet Sunrise (Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice, Grenadine)
Cubalibra (Coke, Fresh Lime Juice)
Sexy Virgin (Orange Juice, Cranberry Juice)
Shirley Temple (Lemonade, Grenadine)
Sparkling Pom Collins (Soda, Lemon Squash)
Apple Quencher (Apple, Soda, Lemon)

Tk. 250
Creamy Drinks
Virgin Pinacolada (Pineapple Juice, Cream, Coconut Milk)
Creamy Kiss (Vanilla Ice Cream, Coconut Milk, Grenadine Cream)
Grasshopper (Mint, Cream, Vanilla Ice Cream, Cinnamon)
Cock Float (Coke, Vanilla Ice Cream)
Tk. 225
Frozen Drinks
Nada Diquire (Strawberry Base)
Nada Margarita (Lemon Base)
Coco Colada (Pineapple Base)
Tk. 225
Ice-Cream
3 Scoops Ice Cream (Strawberry/Chocolate/Vanilla)
Tk.150
Special Ice Creams

Banana Love Boat (Splited Banana, Three Different Flavor Ice Creams, Cream, Chocolate Sauce, Strawberry)

Rose Lady (3 Scoops Strawberry Ice Cream, Orange, Fresh Strawberry, Cherry, Cream, Strawberry Sauce)

Dark Lady (3 Scoops Chocolate Ice Cream, Slice Of Orange, Nuts, Cream Chocolate Sauce)

White Lady (3 Scoops Vanilla Ice Cream, Slice Banana, Cherry, Cream, Strawberry Sauce)

Tropical Island (Chocolate And Strawberry Ice Cream, Pineapple, Banana, Cream, Cherry, Chocolate Sauce)

Verbanella Special (Secret)

That should be enough to persuade you.
this restaurant had very good reviews, would i have tried it if i were in dhaka, alas next time!

this restaurant had very good reviews, would i have tried it if i were in dhaka, alas next time!

Oh yes..this restaurant is good..I tried their Thai food and was very pleased.Btw,where are u now?

^^
man, reading about Verbanella and Atrium made me want to go bangladesh right now

Do the lounges in Dhaka serve alcohol/ have a bar?? just curious!

Do the lounges in Dhaka serve alcohol/ have a bar?? just curious!
What do you mean by "lounges"?

Oh yes..this restaurant is good..I tried their Thai food and was very pleased.Btw,where are u now?
ah another good review, in canaduh!

Do the lounges in Dhaka serve alcohol/ have a bar?? just curious!
officially and legally no, under the table anything and everything happens

ah another good review, in canaduh!
So you're back being our (Maruf & mine) neighbor again? Returned to resume your schooling?

For Complete Dhaka restaurent review check this website

http://dhakalist.com/yellow-page/restaurant.html

What do you mean by "lounges"?

Kozmo lounge and all, where they have sheesha et al.....

So you're back being our (Maruf & mine) neighbor again? Returned to resume your schooling?
yes i am, yeap back to school, fooling around times over!

yes i am, yeap back to school, fooling around times over!

Are you Toronto? What is the name of your college/university? What are you studying (majoring in)?

Are you Toronto? What is the name of your college/university? What are you studying (majoring in)?
yeah in toronto,

studying business and major not decided yet

Kozmo lounge and all, where they have sheesha et al.....

Whether an establishment for dining and entertainment is called a club, a lounge, a restaurant, or any other thing, it requires a permit (license) to serve alcohol. No outright prohibition against alcohol exists in Bangladesh, as far as I know.

Whether an establishment for dining and entertainment is called a club, a lounge, a restaurant, or any other thing, it requires a permit (license) to serve alcohol. No outright prohibition against alcohol exists in Bangladesh, as far as I know.

"In Bangladesh, foreign passport holders of non-Muslim nations can drink in some licenced restaurants and bars (and expatriate clubs) and can purchase imported alcohol from 'diplomatic bonded warehouses' at a hefty rate of sales duty (Approx 300%). Holders of diplomatic passports and some other specially privileged persons (such as U.N. employees) have 'passbooks' which entitle them to buy imported alcohol from the same 'bonded warehouses' duty free. Often duty free and duty paid prices are shown alongside one another. Bangladesh nationals of any religion may purchase alcohol from special outlets with a medical certificate. Illegal homemade liquor (known as 'Mod' or 'Bangla') is widely consumed in rural areas. The (mostly Christian) Garo tribal folk also brew a strong rice beer called 'Choo'. Christians are permitted to use wine for Holy Communion."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition

^^ The description seems about right to me, I have never come across alcoholic beverages outside of Dhaka/ Gulshan Club, 3 0r 5 star hotels and shady underground bars spread across Dhaka city. None of the common hookah lounges like kozmo, Floor 7, Deja Vu e.t.c. serve alcohol..

The description seems about right to me, I have never come across alcoholic beverages outside of Dhaka/ Gulshan Club, 3 0r 5 star hotels and shady underground bars spread across Dhaka city. None of the common hookah lounges like kozmo, Floor 7, Deja Vu e.t.c. serve alcohol..

Looks like you are far from reality. As long as you have license you can serve alcohol. I had wine in Le Saigon, Soju (Korean Alcohol) in Arirang, Beer in Samdado. Thats just restaurants. Bars I drink at in Dhaka are Galaxy, Ehram, Shalley, Sakura and this other one in Gulshan. "Clubs" like Deja Vu and Fu-Wang all serve alcohol. 31st night parties at Aurum, Radisson, Westin all have alcohol. Of the bars Galaxy serves Carew only which is a Bangladeshi brand that makes Gin, Rum and Vodka. Bangladesh has itw own beer too.

From the warehouses, you can buy alcohol at duty free-prices only if you have a foreign passport thats true. Last time we used my friend's Saudi passport to buy from there :lol:

The best is if you are in the army. They get loads of booze for free at cheap rates.

That wiki link you provided is absolute nonsense.

^^ On papaer the law is licensed bars and restaurants can serve alcohol. Foreigners can drink there. Bangladeshis can drink if they have an alcohol license. But this law is not enforced so basically anybody can go and drink at the licensed places and u dont even have to be over 18.


This is just like homosexuality is illegal according to the Bangladeshi constitution. But no one has ever been arrested for it as far as I know.

Looks like you are far from reality. As long as you have license you can serve alcohol. I had wine in Le Saigon, Soju (Korean Alcohol) in Arirang, Beer in Samdado. Thats just restaurants. Bars I drink at in Dhaka are Galaxy, Ehram, Shalley, Sakura and this other one in Gulshan. "Clubs" like Deja Vu and Fu-Wang all serve alcohol. 31st night parties at Aurum, Radisson, Westin all have alcohol. Of the bars Galaxy serves Carew only which is a Bangladeshi brand that makes Gin, Rum and Vodka. Bangladesh has itw own beer too.

From the warehouses, you can buy alcohol at duty free-prices only if you have a foreign passport thats true. Last time we used my friend's Saudi passport to buy from there :lol:

The best is if you are in the army. They get loads of booze for free at cheap rates.

That wiki link you provided is absolute nonsense.

We may have to take your word for it since it appears that you are a person in the know, as far as the availability of booze in Dhaka is concerned. :)

The way I see it, Bangladesh isn't like any of those ME countries where they are overly and overtly concerned about restrictions on alcohol availability and consumption, and the enforcement of laws thereof. Which I believe, is the way it ought to be, even though I do not drink and take a rather dim view of people who behave as if life isn't worth living and they would die, if they cannot drink everyday or frequently enough.

We may have to take your word for it since it appears that you are a person in the know, as far as the availability of booze in Dhaka is concerned. :)

The way I see it, Bangladesh isn't like any of those ME countries where they are overly and overtly concerned about restrictions on alcohol availability and consumption, and the enforcement of laws thereof. Which I believe, is the way it ought to be, even though I do not drink and take a rather dim view of people who behave as if life isn't worth living and they would die, if they cannot drink everyday or frequently enough.
its not in enforcement because the people who consume such beverages in bangladesh are usually from the upper echelons of society, the cops wouldnt dare touch them, but if they know they can push you around and you have alcohol on you they will harass you to the fullest, getting hold of alcohol/narcotics and escorts are super easy in bangladesh

and the clubs mentioned by king all sell alcohol, usually people working in the customs warehouses sell to individual customers, they even deliver it to your house

props to you on that stance, my old man has the same stance to and pulls a reference of his oldman, when he went to england to study he didnt even touch a glass that came into contact alcohol and was would never be member of any gentle mans clubs or any other clubs and i should uphold such traditions as they have been for generations!

Looks like you are far from reality. As long as you have license you can serve alcohol. I had wine in Le Saigon, Soju (Korean Alcohol) in Arirang, Beer in Samdado. Thats just restaurants. Bars I drink at in Dhaka are Galaxy, Ehram, Shalley, Sakura and this other one in Gulshan. "Clubs" like Deja Vu and Fu-Wang all serve alcohol. 31st night parties at Aurum, Radisson, Westin all have alcohol. Of the bars Galaxy serves Carew only which is a Bangladeshi brand that makes Gin, Rum and Vodka. Bangladesh has itw own beer too.

From the warehouses, you can buy alcohol at duty free-prices only if you have a foreign passport thats true. Last time we used my friend's Saudi passport to buy from there :lol:

The best is if you are in the army. They get loads of booze for free at cheap rates.

That wiki link you provided is absolute nonsense.

Cool, I have to admit that I don't know much about the availibility of alcohol in Bangladesh. You may want to update the wiki link with the details.. might be helpful for foreigners trying to get information on this.

Which I believe, is the way it ought to be, even though I do not drink and take a rather dim view of people who behave as if life isn't worth living and they would die, if they cannot drink everyday or frequently enough.

Everyday? Haha thats an alcoholic. There are countries that drink beer like its tea such as Ireland, Germany, Czech Republic.

my old man has the same stance to and pulls a reference of his oldman, when he went to england to study he didnt even touch a glass that came into contact alcohol and was would never be member of any gentle mans clubs or any other clubs and i should uphold such traditions as they have been for generations!

So thats why u prefer to stick to marijuana? ;)

So thats why u prefer to stick to marijuana? ;)
i think that would fall under the narcotic category

not an addict in any thing, just do everything for fun :P

This is a restaurant thread, let's stick to restaurants

^^
agreed, talk about bars but not drugs ;)

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2011/2011_05_14/content_zoom/2011_05_14_29_7_b.jpg
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Source: The Independent

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So the letter (alphabet) "C" becomes "chi"?! The morons could have at least consulted with people more knowledgeable about language, phonetics. :ohno:

So the letter (alphabet) "C" becomes "chi"?! The morons could have at least consulted with people more knowledgeable about language, phonetics. :ohno:

Honestly though,we don't have an "s" sound in real Bangla, so they would have spelt it "shi"...which might be more confusing for native speakers than "chi."

Honestly though,we don't have an "s" sound in real Bangla, so they would have spelt it "shi"...which might be more confusing for native speakers than "chi."

I think "cha", the next alphabet after "cho" would produce a closer approximation.

Any Bangla linguist around here?

So the letter (alphabet) "C" becomes "chi"?! The morons could have at least consulted with people more knowledgeable about language, phonetics. :ohno:
i guess thats how they do it, bengalis have different ways of pronouncing, like they call sayeed soy-yod or chai'eed or side

many arabic/english words are pronounced very differently in the bengali language, its funny how hindi speakers pronounce the arabic words more accurately then bengalis

i guess thats how they do it, bengalis have different ways of pronouncing, like they call sayeed soy-yod or chai'eed or side

many arabic/english words are pronounced very differently in the bengali language, its funny how hindi speakers pronounce the arabic words more accurately then bengalis

Bangalees aren't the only people with this problem. Absence of certain sounds and lack of certain alphabets give rise to most of these problems. Arabic speaking people cannot pronounce or have a difficult time articulating words beginning with "p".

Learning arabic becomes more trickier for people in the subcontinent owing to the strong influence of Farsi (Persian), particularly in religion (Islam). Words like Ramzan, Waazu, are really the Farsi equivalent of Ramadan, Waddu, in Arabic. So, in effect in Bangladesh and probably most parts of India and Pakistan, we learn the Farsi version or Farsi accented Quran. My daughter is learning to read the Quran (eventually) at our local Masjid, where the teachers are all Arabs. When she recites the Suras, the words sound very different from what we were taught in Bangladesh.

What I notice however, is that children are great at emulation. When my daughter recites verses from the Quran, she sounds like an Arab, yet when she speaks English, she sounds like a Yankee. She has problems with Bangla sounds though, if we don't correct her continually. For example, they (English speaking Americans and our kids born here) drop the "h" from the words we spell with an "h", like Bhaat, Bhalo, Ghee.

When it comes to learning a foreign language (for anybody), one needs to become an active and attentive listener, and try to emulate the words as closely as possible (when articulated by the instructor/learning device), and try to minimize the built-in influence of his/her native tongue.

Bangalees aren't the only people with this problem. Absence of certain sounds and lack of certain alphabets give rise to most of these problems. Arabic speaking people cannot pronounce or have a difficult time articulating words beginning with "p".

Learning arabic becomes more trickier for people in the subcontinent owing to the strong influence of Farsi (Persian), particularly in religion (Islam). Words like Ramzan, Waazu, are really the Farsi equivalent of Ramadan, Waddu, in Arabic. So, in effect in Bangladesh and probably most parts of India and Pakistan, we learn the Farsi version or Farsi accented Quran. My daughter is learning to read the Quran (eventually) at our local Masjid, where the teachers are all Arabs. When she recites the Suras, the words sound very different from what we were taught in Bangladesh.

What I notice however, is that children are great at emulation. When my daughter recites verses from the Quran, she sounds like an Arab, yet when she speaks English, she sounds like a Yankee. She has problems with Bangla sounds though, if we don't correct her continually. For example, they (English speaking Americans and our kids born here) drop the "h" from the words we spell with an "h", like Bhaat, Bhalo, Ghee.

When it comes to learning a foreign language (for anybody), one needs to become an active and attentive listener, and try to emulate the words as closely as possible (when articulated by the instructor/learning device), and try to minimize the built-in influence of his/her native tongue.
wow MashAllah, i guess learning languages at an early age helps in keeping the original accents of all the languages learnt.


i am sure glad i dont have it like my old man, he tells me at his younger days he and his sibblings were forced to learn arabic, bengali, and urdu and during the school years english, the charm of farsi was lot by then :P

his old man could fluently speak arabic, bengali, english farsi and urdu


we just had to learn bengali and english thou a lot of effort was put in to make us learn arabic, we some how evaded that!

^^ Regarding the spellings, I had posted at one time many hilarious misspelled signs that were seen around commercial venues in Dhaka. The problem is a great many people back home are bad in spellings be it Bangla or English. As pointed out, people sometime tend to spell things in their native dialect and just like Engrish/Chinglish, can't get the English spellings right either. I really detest the writing of English with Bangla transliteration when there are very suitable Bangla words for the English term.

I was wondering something about the KFC restaurant in Dhaka and elsewhere in the subcontinent. Couldn't we come up with a similar fried chicken concept that has desi spices instead of the American kind? I really don't find KFC that appetizing except may be their grilled offerings.

^^ Regarding the spellings, I had posted at one time many hilarious misspelled signs that were seen around commercial venues in Dhaka. The problem is a great many people back home are bad in spellings be it Bangla or English. As pointed out, people sometime tend to spell things in their native dialect and just like Engrish/Chinglish, can't get the English spellings right either. I really detest the writing of English with Bangla transliteration when there are very suitable Bangla words for the English term.

Yes, I remember. They were hilarious.


I was wondering something about the KFC restaurant in Dhaka and elsewhere in the subcontinent. Couldn't we come up with a similar fried chicken concept that has desi spices instead of the American kind? I really don't find KFC that appetizing except may be their grilled offerings.

Isn't the peri peri chicken from Nandos supposed to be the anti-dote, i.e. more palatable to the desi tastes? Back in the days of kebab houses around Bangla Motors, most of the kebab places and Purnima in Gulistan (?) used to have what they called chicken fry. I would prefer those over KFC. BTW, have you tried Popeye's Fried Chicken?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QctKH6CRALo/TQHexYlvrWI/AAAAAAAAAxw/OB9VUdqPygU/s1600/KFC_After.jpg

Can you please tell me where this is being put up? Can't believe that a reputed business house like Transcom is doing something like this.

Can you please tell me where this is being put up? Can't believe that a reputed business house like Transcom is doing something like this.

I don't see any problem with it bro.. they have KFC in english on one side and in Bengali on the other. Even in China the names are in cantonese...

http://asiabizz.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/KFC-McDonalds-China.jpg

I was wondering something about the KFC restaurant in Dhaka and elsewhere in the subcontinent. Couldn't we come up with a similar fried chicken concept that has desi spices instead of the American kind? I really don't find KFC that appetizing except may be their grilled offerings.

They already have many restaurants like that in Dhaka...but having the real KFC is something different, it has more to do with global branding than anything else (taste, quality). KFC, mcdonalds, Starbucks, Burger King or Subway is expanding rapidly all over fast developing nations like India, China, Indonesia, the growing middle class just want to emulate the west.

Same goes for many other things, for example Sheraton is now Ruposhi Bangla in Dhaka. They have the exact same facilities as before but many people are changing hotel for their stay or wedding events because it no longer has the same brand name and prestige.

Can you please tell me where this is being put up? Can't believe that a reputed business house like Transcom is doing something like this.
i dont know i found the link on someones facebook

Can you please tell me where this is being put up? Can't believe that a reputed business house like Transcom is doing something like this.
and these localizations are part of yum indias campaign

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i was there the food sucked!

Nando's: healthy eating with a delicious twist

Over the last decade or so, Dhaka's culinary scene has been undergoing a steady transformation. As our consuming power grows, international brands have been attracted to our busy city. One such has been Nando's, the popular South African franchise that has as its flagship taste, the Peri-Peri flavour. It has been wooing Dhaka's foodies for over three years now, and Star Lifestyle this week is taking a look at this relatively new brand and what it has to offer to Dhaka's foodscape.

Service
You might not know it from eating at a lot of the country's eateries, but a huge selling point of any establishment is how comfortable and welcome its customers are made to feel. Before your taste buds are tingled by a restaurant's cuisine, the first thing you will experience is the staff's attitude, and it may colour the rest of your time at the joint either favourably or unfavourably.

In this regard, Nando's is streets ahead of most of the restaurants in Dhaka. Whether it be the Dhanmondi or Gulshan branch, the doors will be opened with a broad smile welcoming you fondly, and you will be guided to a table of your choice (if the place is not chock full, that is).

The other notable aspect is that none of the servers carry pads and pens to write down your orders. They have extensive knowledge of the wide array of food available in the menu, and will listen with rapt attention as you make your choice. They will even guide you through the choices so that you have the best chance of making the right decision. This makes the servers look more professional and lets you know that you are in capable hands, and the absence of the finality of pen and paper makes the process more casual, enabling you to relax.

There is a secret behind their excellent service, and perhaps a harbinger of change in social attitudes to working in restaurants. Most of the servers at Nando's are students working their way through university. This practice, common to most developed countries, had been alien to our culture till recently. What it does is engender a respect for the 'honest buck' and may even help to kill the cancerous notion that a type of work may be below a person's social standing.

The end result: You have a staff who are educated -- perhaps even more than you -- and who understand fully the credo of the customer always being right.

Ambience
The second thing to hit you as you enter a restaurant is its overall ambience. The ambience at Nando's is best described as light, casual and comfortable. The walls are light green,lending the place a happy feel. The music is early 90s rock, most of the time, neither too soft nor too loud. The seating is a mixture of tables, chairs and the comfortable, cosy booths.

As far as decor goes, it is a mixture of where the brand comes from and where it is currently. Niches in the wall are lined with South African artefacts, and are sure to delight tribal art enthusiasts. The Bangladeshi flavour is provided by paintings that adorn the walls. A lot of these paintings are done by young artists of the Charukala faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka.

Cleanliness is never an issue, especially for a brand that prides itself on its quality. Everything is spick and span, inviting you to go back for more.

Food
The business end of the review!

Talking with anyone involved with Nando's, or even a cursory glance at their official website, will tell you that combining healthy eating with scrumptious flavours is top of their list of priorities. It is not fast food, they say, it is good food, fast.

This reviewer's opinion is that Nando's has built a pretty strong bridge over the waters that separate fast food from fine dining.

First, the health aspect. Their suppliers are under strict orders to provide them with the best of local chicken, to the extent that Nando's controls what their chicken is fed. None of Nando's items are deep fried, instead being flame grilled to rid them of any excess fat they may have. You will know it when you leave the restaurant fully satisfied but not stuffed to the extent that you feel sick a precious balance that is a credit to the restaurant.

Now the most important part - the taste. As mentioned earlier, the brand's flagship taste is their Peri-Peri flavour, derived from the African Bird's Eye Chilli, which lends the food a layered taste with a spicy twist. Diners are given their say on how hot they would like their food: Lemon & Herb for the mild of heart, Mild Peri-Peri for those who want to dip their toes in the pool, Hot Peri-Peri for the ones who are accustomed to having their taste buds dance, and Extra Hot Peri-Peri for the wannabe Mexicans.

Apart from the Per-Peri, the marinade is what makes Nando's cuisine what it is. All chicken is marinated for 24 hours before serving. This gives their chicken, which is devoid of any excess fat, a surprisingly juicy and succulent taste. The health-conscious will be happy to know that the marinade is 100 per cent natural, containing no preservatives, no flavourants or colouring agents, and no added MSG. Their basting sauces are completely vegetarian.

In summation, the food tastes great, and the menu is extensive. You can go there multiple times and still look forward to sampling something new. On top of the main course and appetisers, which are top-notch, there is a diverse array of fruit juices and a very inviting desserts section.

Our suggestion for a course at Nando's: A Chicken Espetada Rustica -- tender, boneless pieces of marinated chicken placed on a skewer with sundried tomatoes -- with a side order of potato wedges and their delicious Perinese dip. Choose from the wide array of juices as refreshing beverage. For the dessert, their Lighten-up Chocolate cake will do just dandy.

Value for money
Some of the prices may seem a bit high. But that has to be balanced against the assurance of quality you get when you order something at Nando's. Besides, the menu is varied enough for one to come away feeling satisfied within a budget of Tk500. We feel that it is okay to pay a certain price if the sellers keep their promise. And Nando's certainly do combine great taste with healthy food, which, in these days of excessive calories, artificial flavouring, salt and sugar, is not something to be scoffed at.

Our rating: 4/5

By STS
Photo Courtesy: Nando's
Source: The Daily Star, Lifestyle Supplement

Grab a spoon

There are many things that Dhaka dwellers may be unhappy about -- traffic will be near the top of most people's lists, rampant poverty and crime will be there too along with the lack of recreation; the list goes on and on. But one aspect of our lives that we can claim with a measure of pride to be as good as anywhere else in the world, and much cheaper to boot, is the availability and the joys of ice cream.

Yes, we are indeed blessed to be able to enjoy this most delicious delight. Not only do we have quality ice cream parlours like Club Gelato, Movenpick, Cream & Fudge Factory and Baskin Robbins, we also have excellent brands such as Igloo, Polar and Kwality that offer a wide array of frozen delights. Think the chocolatey joy of a Chocobar, or the rejuvenation provided by the various flavours of lollies.

Then there are the ice cream cakes, with layers of rich chocolate suspended in a heavenly mixture of vanilla and strawberry, topped with cherries. Ice cream also provides scope for amateur improvisations -- my uncle grates peanuts and mixes them with his bowl of vanilla with sprinklings of coffee and a dollop of honey for good measure. My nephew dips French fries in his chocolate ice cream, while a crazy friend has his vanilla with tomato ketchup. To each his own I guess; I just go for Hershey's syrup with my bowl of chocolate.

There is something about this dessert, which humans have been enjoying since the early A.Ds, that drives away the blues. In fact, you will be hard pressed to find another food item that appeals equally to the innocence of toddlers, the rebellion of adolescence, the pessimism of adulthood and the wisdom of old age. Chocolates, probably but then again, you do not have ice cream chocolate, but you do have chocolate ice cream.

How? If you're an alien being, you might ask the question, otherwise it's inexcusable. Let us count the ways, or flavours, to be more precise. That torchbearer of pop culture, US TV's popular sitcom 'Friends' carried a gem on the subject when Ross was wondering if there was only one woman for each man. This is what Joey had to say:

“Ross, relax that's like saying there's only one flavour of ice-cream for you. Let me tell you something Ross, there's lots of flavours out there. There's rocky road, cookie dough and bing! Cherry vanilla. You can get them with jimmies or nuts, or whipped cream. Welcome back to the world, grab a spoon!”

You can pretty much gauge the personality of someone by their favourite ice cream flavours. Let's get the two most obvious ones out of the way. If you are asking someone below the age of 30, chances are they will say chocolate. And if you ask people of middle age they will more often than not plump for vanilla. That is probably why our markets are inundated with these two flavours.

According to icecream.com, chocolate ice cream lovers “are competitive and accomplished”, a love for strawberry-flavoured ice cream “reveals a thoughtful, logical person who carefully weighs each option before making decisions” and a vanilla enthusiast is surprisingly a “colourful, dramatic risk taker who relies more on intuition than logic”.

These characterisations are quite interesting because when you think of chocolate, you think the joys of youth, and vanilla well, the word itself carries undertones of plainness. Here's some cream for thought, maybe we like the flavours because they are a counterbalance to our traits. So, a colourful, dramatic risk taker may choose the 'safety' of vanilla, and a logical, thoughtful person may find some release in the light-headed, sweetness of strawberry.

In the end, it is safe to say that ice cream is the food item that best symbolises the small pleasures of life. As we trundle through our existence, the things we remember most are not our daily chores and responsibilities but what we do to get away from them. In the same way, a scoop of vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, mango whatever's your poison -- brings the joys and whims of childhood rushing back. Ice cream carries little or no food value, it is just indulgence for indulgence's sake, and no matter how much of a weight-watcher or disciplinarian you are, you know there's a place for that.

“My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it's on your plate - that's my philosophy” Thornton Wilder.

Amen to that.

By STS
Source: Daily Star, Lifestyle supplement

Oasis in the jungle


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Mermaid Cafe in Dhaka? The brand that was born on the seaside of Cox's Bazaar and exemplifies the laid-back charms of Bangladesh's premier luxury destination, has now moved to a location that is the very antithesis of the country's beautiful, soul-quenching southern coast.

The less said about the trials of life in the capital, the better. Suffice to say that it is neither unusual nor pessimistic to entertain grave doubts about whether a brand that has made itself synonymous with the natural beauty of Cox's Bazar can make its place in the harsh concrete jungle of Dhaka.

To that end, the owners could hardly have picked a better spot than the city's posh neighbourhood of Baridhara, where the honking of cars and the grime from their exhausts seem distant. House 9 of Road 9 is a plot shrouded in the green of trees lining the boundary. Upon entering and with a little suspension of disbelief, patrons can coax themselves into thinking that they have left the city behind.

The decor and ambiance of the place certainly helps. Before one enters the restaurant proper, there are six small screens by the doorway featuring scenes from the original cafe hundreds of kilometres away, just to help people get in the mood. The al fresco seating arrangements in the front yard, complete with a juice and ice cream bar, accomplish much the same purpose.

Those familiar with the Mermaid brand and their eco resort near Cox's Bazaar will know that ecological considerations come high on their list of priorities, and measures taken in that regard serve the dual purpose of helping the environment as well as lending a back-to-basics feel, the last of which is needed in large doses in our city existence.

A lot of the noble exercise of recycling is in evidence here, but their real success has been in marrying this ideology with the need to maintain a classy atmosphere. Great care has been taken to fashion tables out of drums from seafaring vessels and from logs that have not been cut from live trees but were found lying on the ground.

Lamps have been made by puncturing holes in drums and also with the simple yet charming use of dalas (perforated round bamboo trays) placed over bulbs to provide some soft illumination to go with the overall understated decor of the place.

But the coup de grace as far as driving home the eco-friendly message and the marine undertones are concerned, are the floorboards taken from dismantled ships. This little bit of imagination is what sets the place apart. The full-fledged restaurant is also a gallery. Numerous paintings adorn the walls with their prices displayed, so that diners can have a look around and do a little art shopping if they so choose.

Another highlight is the sun deck on the second floor boasting a sheesha bar, with a sloping straw-thatched roof that really completes the chilled-out 'beach' atmosphere that seems to be the true selling point of this brand. The deck looks out on the front yard with its ample greenery. If the rest of the place does not drive away your anxiety the sun-deck will surely do the job.

It is no accident that the food has been left so late in the piece, as almost any Bangladeshi culinary enthusiast will know of the high standards of Mermaid's Cox's Bazaar eatery, and they will be happy to know that those standards have been faithfully adhered to in their Dhaka incarnation. The menu is extensive, taking the best of European Continental cuisine and, as the Cox's Vetki Steak will testify, a taste of Bangladesh as well.

The head chef, Naorose bin Ali, who learned his trade in Australia recommends the Red Snapper, Pomfret and Lobster from the seafood section, the Spicy Thai Chicken and Grilled Chicken with Mushroom Sauce for the meat lovers and the Creme Brulee for the dessert junkies.

At a glance the menu may seem pricey, but Ali explains that it is because of the high quality they strive to maintain. “All the cheese I use is imported, as well as the virgin olive oil, herbs, Italian tomatoes and steak which comes from Australia. Also, the seafood comes directly from Cox's Bazaar,” explained the chef.

A sampling of his work will tell you that the prices are justified, and anyway, it is not just the food, excellent as it is, that you are there for; it is also the experience of being at a beachside restaurant in the middle of a harsh and unforgiving city. You can't put a price on that.

For reservations at the Mermaid Gallery Cafe, please call 01841416468-9 or email to email@mermaidgallerycafe.com

By STS
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Coffee Time: North End Café


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Tired of still not having tasted fresh coffee? Dying to find that right taste that has eluded Dhaka for so long? Then its time for a trip to the newly opened North End Café, the latest addition to Dhaka's burgeoning coffee culture.

Situated at Kha-47-1, Pragati Sharani, Shahzadpur, North Badda, the locality should not really be a cause for doubt. North End Café is 'the' experience when it comes to coffee and we'll tell you why.

North End Café serves fresh coffee, roasted right in the roasting area of the shop, the first of its kind in Bangladesh. The coffee beans arrive from all over the world, providing an extensive selection to choose from, such as from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Indonesia and Kenya, to name a few.

However, in addition to that, North End Café ensures that every blend of their coffee contains 20 percent local coffee beans gathered from Chittagong Hill Tracts. This in turn makes them the sole provider of local coffee and the perfect blend of traditional essence with a global feel is just what is required for arguably the best coffee experience.

Rick Hubbard, the Roaster and Barista of North End Café admits to being passionate about coffee but states that this is not the only driving factor behind North End Café; rather he sees it as a base to further augment the market for the company.

“I am not in the market as a competitor of the other coffee places, rather I want to help them if they need help.” Rick informs us. As a former manager of Starbucks Coffee with numerous certificates authenticating his expertise, Rick may indeed be the right man to inject the dynamism that the coffee sector in Bangladesh craves.

“North End Café serves as an example of how a coffee shop should be and our main business is as the first and only coffee roasters in Bangladesh.” Rick explains.

However, this should not deter customers from visiting North End Café. With a growing reputation among the expatriate community, the Café may just be three weeks old but it already has a regular clientele. And this is largely due to the delicious coffee experience that they deliver.

Unlike what's available elsewhere, North End Café serves drinks where the actual flavours of the latte, mocha or plain espresso aren't subdued by the heavy dosage of a creamy layer or too much milk.

The espresso, specifically, is the one where the real taste of the coffee is most prominent, fresh and powerful while the Mocha is tailored for those with a sweet tooth. Although North End Café tries its best to incorporate as much local ingredients and products as possible, they strive even harder to provide the best coffee experience.

Before we put off potential customers who must already be thinking about the prices, its apt to mention that the drinks are actually quite affordable starting from a mere Tk65 to less than Tk200. And while you sip your own cup of coffee you can actually see the coffee being roasted and the latte being dexterously prepared.

Complementing the coffee, Chris Hubbard, the pastry chef, has other mouth-watering dishes up her sleeve. The most famous and sought after are the cinnamon rolls, which continue to be sold out every day. This deserves a special mention because such a treat is very hard to come across elsewhere and the expertise with which it is executed cannot be described in words. Priced at a mere Tk110 each, calling it a scrumptious steal would be quite an understatement.

Apart from envisaging a momentous shift in the coffee landscape, North End Café also offers classes for coffee and pastry lovers such as Coffee Appreciation 101, Beginner Barista Training and Great Pastries at Home, conducted by Rick and his wife Chris. Rick's dedication to the coffee trade in general, especially his focus on training his staff so that they can one day start their own coffee shops, shows an unselfish determination and although he readily calls it a for-profit business, the added element of the social business model is very evident and worth lauding.

Head out right now and give it a try or wait for Saturday when the place really starts buzzing. Opening hours 7am-8pm and closed on Fridays.

By Osama Rahman
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed
Source: Daily Star, Lifestyle supplement

Dessert at your doorstep


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Anahita Ahmed, a business lecturer at BRAC University and a young entrepreneur at heart has stepped into a territory very dear to all our hearts. DESSERTS!

She has introduced 'Des'ree Desserts' the first ever Bangladeshi online bakery. Living by the motto 'life is uncertain - hence always eat desserts first', Des'ree Daily Desserts is here to satiate all sweet cravings you can contemplate.

Des'ree is different, not only because of its choice of desserts but also because of its creator. “It initiated as a spark of rebellion against my mother who is a splendid baker but never wanted to teach me,” says Anahita, “She had the valid reason of my breaking the utensils and the irrational fear that I might poison my family in the process of learning to bake!”

“Once I started, however, I loved the boundless opportunity that baking allows. Baking became my passion, my emotional release, my creation of all that is positive in my world.” The rest as they say is history. Soon friends and family were drowning her with requests to bake a special something for a birthday or an anniversary or even Eid.

“A year ago I left for Sydney and people were constantly telling me from here how much they miss my desserts. I thought, 'Hmm if they are missing it, I must be good,' hence when I came back I decided to spread the joy of desserts to every sweet tooth that is starving for a special treat.”

So she set off to create a medium to reach 'all those sad, sweet-deprived souls' and went online. “Des'ree is not highly professional as some of the other bakeries in the city, but is rather homely,” Anahita declares proudly. “I won't promise you the perfect 4” by 4” brownies or lemon squares but I will promise you that everything I put into my creations is put there with utmost care and consideration and that there will be no compromise with taste.”

Des'ree goodies, as stated, are baked from the best ingredients, keeping it free from preservatives as much as possible. Handcrafted to order, Des'ree products are delivered fresh within hours of being baked to guarantee the delectable taste. Home-deliveries within Dhaka city are free of charge.

Des'ree's initial offerings are seven different types of Brownies - Original, Mocha, Berry, Peanut Butter, Death-by-Chocolate, Rocky Road, Cheesecake and Blondie. The brownies have a moist, fudgy texture and a luxuriously deep chocolate flavour. Served plain with a glass of cold milk or with a scoop of your favourite ice cream, these are simple and honest -- satisfying the most intense cravings.

It is just perfect for hostess gifts, corporate favours, housewarmings, bridal/baby showers, Eid/Christmas, birthdays, reunions, to say thank you or even to say sorry. If for none of the above, then just to send yourself a gift!

“Who am I looking to serve? Young professionals who don't have the time to bake but deserve the taste of homemade delicacies, those who never perfected the art of baking and require some inspiration from their taste buds and those who live for sweets and would die for that perfect dessert.” Whether you fit into these categories or not, Des'ree truly deserves a try-out. It's cheaper than the other outlets out there, it's tastier and it's made especially for you.

It creates your own dessert desire, “incorporating any 'special' requests you might have”.

By Raisaa Tashnova
Photo credit: Des'ree
(To contact Des'ree you can email desreedesserts@gmail.com with your details, time of delivery & address. Or call at 01754079229. All deliveries around Dhaka are free of charge. There are special offers available.)
Source: Daily Star, Lifestyle supplement

Café 33: great food, great music and a great party

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We love food. If Dhaka exemplifies anything, it's our love for food. Fast food shops, cafes and restaurants are springing up on every street and block just to feed the frenzy. But, every once in a while, out of nowhere emerges a place that offers something so different that it immediately creates an everlasting impression. The food only strengthens that impression and urges you to return soon. Café 33 does just that.

Located at 3, New Baily Road, on the 3rd floor, Café 33 styles itself as the total collection of famous food from all over the world. However, there's a catch. Although food from all over the world is served, there lies an obvious fusion with a formal dining experience, thus making for a somewhat black-tie relaxed ambience. If that is unique, then the menu has another thing coming for you. The menu itself is a recipe book of sorts, containing information on various items whilst also providing a detailed account of the item one is ordering, listing all the ingredients. The dishes can also be customised to the customer's preferences, which is yet another unique aspect of the whole thing.

But before we sink our teeth into the scrumptiousness on offer, let's consider how we can while the time away while we await the delicacies. Café 33 is a true music café. Boasting the best Bose sound system available in the city, along with a stage area complete with an electronic drum set and all the works, Café 33 plays all sorts of music. The walls are plastered with the faces of musical greatness while some display the most popular lyrics. The plates are no different, with lyrics printed on them so you can sing along while you dine. Live music performances feature the big names while also serving as a platform for up and comers, with one strict rule: Sing the songs you write, don't provide covers. Of course, one can, if they choose, sing English songs, but the tunes aren't restricted to popularity only as Spanish and French songs are also played, which blends well with the variety of cuisine on offer.

The restaurant is divided into two sections; smoking and non-smoking. Both areas can be considered a wonderful display of architectural splendour, with lights, furniture and everything else imported. There is an excellent combination of natural and artificial light, with whole walls overlooked in place of windows. Brown tables serve clients on brown sofas and for a few moments, one loses himself to the soft tunes and the taste of pure food, forgetting that all of this is taking place right in the middle of Dhaka.

Going back to the menu then, where more wonderful things remain. Café 33 is called such for a specific reason. There are 33 foods to choose from, 33 flavours of drinks and 33 flavours of sheesha. There is also a gender distinction displayed in the plates and glasses served to the male and female clientele. Guys get the hunk glasses while the girls are served the cute glasses. Then of course, back to the wide selection of delicacies to choose from. Simon Gomes, the famous chef who used to delight taste buds at the Dhaka Westin, ensures that no one goes back home dissatisfied and there are many choices to tingle your taste buds. How about trying out the Hot Dog? Sounds too simple? Well then, prepare to be surprised. The Hot Dog in question is the actual hot dog, complete with the actual flavour, available in the streets of America. All the ingredients are natural and in most cases, imported, providing the highest quality possible. It will be like no Hot Dog you have tasted before and yes, it will be filling. It takes 13 things to make this Hot dog, including garkins, natural tube and red kidney. Sounds exotic enough?



If Hot Dog isn't what you are looking for, how about some Dum Bong, a treat containing five different mushrooms? Then there's the famous Arabic Baba Ganoush, the oft-heard Caesar Salad, Nachos and the highly enticing Sentiment of Japan. There's just too many to choose from, from the streets of Japan, Italy, France and even Middle-Eastern delights.

So do we stop here? No. After the main course, comes the dessert and drinks. Tiramisu or Boishakhi Feast? Or perhaps take the self-conscious way out and stick to the Fresh Fruit Platter? Ease it all down with authentic Cappucino Nienta or any of the 10 choices of coffees to choose from. Of course, if it's more pleasure your taste buds require, there are numerous other drinks to choose from. May we suggest the Dragon Fruit Juice then, containing actual Dragon-Fruit? Whether it's the fruit drinks, the coffees or even those for the cream lovers, authentication is there at every bite.

Simon sums it up pretty well when he states that 'Café 33 offers people the experience of True Food.' Indeed, food is music to the body and at the beats Café 33 is playing, it seems we can dance for quite a while. Although the prices may be higher than expected, the food does it justice and a few bites will make you realise how inexpensive it is. Take a trip down to Café 33 next time you are in the mood for something original, different and authentic. Your taste buds and your ears will not be disappointed.

By Osama Rahman
Photo location : Sazzad Ibne Sayed
Photo food courtesy: Cafe33
Source: The Daily Star, Lifestyle supplement

Khazana Mithai

The 19th century was a period of awakening for undivided Bengal. From fine arts to commerce, from culture to industry, from literature to science, there was a glorious flowering of exuberant excellence. The spirit of this era touched the world of confectionery too.

Khazana, the city's popular Indian restaurant, took inspiration from the period when opening their second sweetshop "Khazana Mithai" at the Gulshan 2 circle. Their first sweet store is located on Gulshan Avenue, and both outlets live up to the high standards the brand has established since the opening of its restaurant at Gulshan.

Khazana Mithai will specially cater to wedding ceremonies & corporate events with their specialty 'mishti'. The variety of delights on offer include sweets made from the very best Nolen Gur and the purest cow milk.

Assorted gift boxes: Motichur-ke-Laddu, Kaju Barfi, Son Papri, Rasmalai, Chamcham, Gulab Jamun, Kalakand, Motipak, Chanar Payesh, Rajbhog,Rosogolla, Suger-free Sponge Rasogolla and Misti & Plain Doi.

New outlet: Shop No 122, Plot 10, Taher Tower, Gulshan Circle 2, Gulshan Avenue Outlet: House # 12, Road No #55, Gulshan Avenue #01611000080 -LS desk

Source: Daily Star, Lifestyle supplement

Dhaba in new avatar


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When it comes to Indian food in Dhaka, Dhaba at Banani-11has been the one-stop destination for food lovers for quite some time now. It has been eight years since the restaurant started business, and over that time it has delighted patrons with authentic Indian street cuisine including such favourites as dahi phucka, brain masala, beef punjabi; all devoured with one of a wide selection of naan or paratha. Frequenters to the popular eatery might have gotten an unpleasant shock when, during the month of Ramadan, they found an empty building where there once used to be a bustling of customers and waiters. Worry not all Indian food-lovers, Dhaba is still in our midst; only now it is in a new location, and has added more strings to its bow.

Ishrat Alamgir, one of the partners, said of the move, “Our lease had ended at the original location. We would not have made this current one so big if we did not have the space,” she said, referring to the new three-storey building in Banani Road 12. The increased space has created an opportunity for the restaurant to expand, and Alamgir and her partners have set about doing just that.

First off, Dhaba can now hold a maximum of 250 patrons, a huge increase from its previous capacity. Most importantly, though, the range of cuisine has expanded from being exclusively Indian to include Thai and Chinese cuisine.

“The ground floor is the original cafe, serving Indian food,” explained Alamgir. “The first floor is for fine dining, and here we serve Chinese and Thai cuisine.”

And fine dining it is, with an extensive menu covering both cuisines. The menu contains a full complement of appetisers from both cuisines. The Thai soup, chicken corn soup, the wonton soup and the Dhaba special seafood soup are all highlights. There is also a comprehensive selection of chicken, beef, prawn, fish, and even the exotic crab. The Dhaba special grilled/fried crab with lime sauce is one of the best dishes of the house.

“There are also provisions for a buffet on request,” added Alamgir. “It's not on a large scale, but at least fifteen to twenty patrons are required for the buffet table to be set up.“

With the second floor, the partners have embarked on another departure from their old avatar. “The second floor is a family rendezvous space for parties as well as conferences. We are hoping that in this season of weddings and celebrations, people will use it as a venue for get-togethers,” said Alamgir.

“Except one gentleman, all partners are women, and we make sure the quality is there,” said Alamgir, and it is hard to disagree, as any food you sample from the new menu or old one will leave you asking for more.

Dhaba, from a one-dimensional restaurant, has grown into a multi-dimensional eatery, and it is now a one-stop destination for diners of most tastes, with the exclusion of Italian cuisine. Those disheartened by its sudden closure on Banani Road 11 can now rest assured that a better, bigger venture lies just around the corner.

By STS
Dhaba's new address: House 104, Road 12, Block E, Banani (beside Prescription point).
Phone: 9890136, 01726750979
Photo courtesy: Dhaba
Source: Daily Star, Lifestyle supplement

^^
Jason Kazi has been hard at work with all these food finds in Dhaka. Thank you!

Makes me feel like flying in and try all these new food places. :(

^^
Jason Kazi has been hard at work with all these food finds in Dhaka. Thank you!

Makes me feel like flying in and try all these new food places. :(
not all of them have good reviews, from friends i have heard their portions are low, prices are high and the most important thing taste is no where near where they are charging u

these are most of a show off place

Nando's and Dhaba are both good, I ate there countless times...

yeah at nandos they told me they flew in their chicken from south africa..

dhaba? lulz... no comments

^^
as usual, dope bhai has his negative comments ;)

give me something positive to say about it and i will i call it like how i see it,

give me something positive to say about it and i will i call it like how i see it,

Last December when I was in Dhaka, we tried Mainland China, the revolving Chinese restaurant in Uttara. I thought both the ambiance and quality of the cuisine was very good. They had some interesting and unique appetizers that we liked. It was however, very pricey and the waiters were rather pushy in trying to persuade me to order a lot of food (in quantities). We ended up with quite a few doggy bags.

Last December when I was in Dhaka, we tried Mainland China, the revolving Chinese restaurant in Uttara. I thought both the ambiance and quality of the cuisine was very good. They had some interesting and unique appetizers that we liked. It was however, very pricey and the waiters were rather pushy in trying to persuade me to order a lot of food (in quantities). We ended up with quite a few doggy bags.
for me taste of the food comes first, i am willing to sacrifice on everything else, the other thing is consistency in the taste, i havent tried it yet, my friends were telling me they basically serve hakka chinese, and they have had better hakka in toronto then that place there and its part of the indian company that also owns oh calcutta.

Oh always remember bengalis believe push selling, be adamant about what you want and raise an eyebrow they will back off

everyone was talking about Vannerbella (i hope i got the spelling right)

for me taste of the food comes first, i am willing to sacrifice on everything else, the other thing is consistency in the taste, i havent tried it yet, my friends were telling me they basically serve hakka chinese, and they have had better hakka in toronto then that place there and its part of the indian company that also owns oh calcutta.

Oh always remember bengalis believe push selling, be adamant about what you want and raise an eyebrow they will back off

everyone was talking about Vannerbella (i hope i got the spelling right)

I can't say it's exactly Hakka, which today, is an admixture of many regions in China, but most of the dishes in their menu were either Hunan, or Mongolian.

I wasn't really going to allow the waiters have their way, except that it is difficult to gauge appetite of people and the average quantity served by a certain restaurant when you've been there the very first time. Doubly so, when the neighboring tables were yet to be filled. So, when your waiter tells you, you should order that many of this dish to serve that many people, you tend to error on caution and agree. If it proves to be wrong, you know better next time.

As for Dhaka restaurants, I wouldn't be too dismissive. I've had the worst Thai in Bangkok and London, lousy Indian in Paris, and terrible Italian in Hong Kong . The average run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurants in most US cities are bland and tasteless. Only a few stand out and we always try to eat at those places. I haven't had Italian, Mexican, or what they call continental fare (in South Asia) in Dhaka, so I have no comparison base.

I can't say it's exactly Hakka, which today, is an admixture of many regions in China, but most of the dishes in their menu were either Hunan, or Mongolian.

I wasn't really going to allow the waiters have their way, except that it is difficult to gauge appetite of people and the average quantity served by a certain restaurant when you've been there the very first time. Doubly so, when the neighboring tables were yet to be filled. So, when your waiter tells you, you should order that many of this dish to serve that many people, you tend to error on caution and agree. If it proves to be wrong, you know better next time.

As for Dhaka restaurants, I wouldn't be too dismissive. I've had the worst Thai in Bangkok and London, lousy Indian in Paris, and terrible Italian in Hong Kong . The average run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurants in most US cities are bland and tasteless. Only a few stand out and we always try to eat at those places. I haven't had Italian, Mexican, or what they call continental fare (in South Asia) in Dhaka, so I have no comparison base.
isnt hakka more or less desi'fied chinese cuisine of any region? you might as well compare the portions you got there and other places, the people who gave me the reviews are super conscious about the taste of the food,

from my personal experience each region has its own specialty of food, i only try local food i didnt like local english (london) food, or chinese (hong kong), but i enjoyed the food in singapore and malaysia

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^^
what the hell is that? :D

the restaurant all my khadok friends had good reviews about, the food tastes good and its consistent

http://www.verbanella.com.bd/

^^
what the hell is that? :D
its a restaurant in bd :P

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Bellagio houses 5 restaurants,3 of which have opened so far.Its restaurants are some of Dhaka's most exclusive and expensive.

Bellagio(exterior)

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Wasavi..(with water flowing all over its glass ceiling)

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The food...

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Bellagio houses 5 restaurants,3 of which have opened so far.Its restaurants are some of Dhaka's most exclusive and expensive.

Is the name supposed to make you feel as if you're in Las Vegas? :)

^^
hahahahahah good one TIslam bhai :lol:

Is the name supposed to make you feel as if you're in Las Vegas? :)
its actually the other way around, the vegas folks stole the name of these people, you'd be surprised at the amount to money these restaurants charge, i say this because they like to charge sky high with mediocre quality, quality seems irrelevant these days in bd

its actually the other way around, the vegas folks stole the name of these people, you'd be surprised at the amount to money these restaurants charge, i say this because they like to charge sky high with mediocre quality, quality seems irrelevant these days in bd

The food and beverage industry in Bangladesh isn't entirely to blame for lack of quality. The concept of quality in products and services needs to be instilled in people who work in their respective industries. In the absence of standards based culinary and hospitality (teaching) institutions where quality is always stressed, I do not expect to see better quality.

Quality has not always been in the forefront and in many areas/respect still isn't in the US (I can't speak for Canada). The US automobile industry has not been known to produce quality products until of late. It is because of this lack of quality the imports, especially the German and Japanese cars made so much inroads in this country. As far as the service industry is concerned, it is still quite spotty.

Back in the 1990s there was a big thrust to educate people about quality when TQM (Total Quality Management) and ISO 9000 (9001 etc.) became a big deal. It seemed like most businesses and even government and semi-government entities like the universities got involved in some type of training for quality.

I had to undergo two such trainings but guess what? Do we really follow all that were taught to us? Hardly. We just went back to business as usual once the trainings were over and the certificates had been issued. Human nature is very difficult to tame or mold.

KFC now open at 65 Paltan. Coming soon to Uttara!

http://www.edailystar.com/contents/2011/2011_04_30/content_zoom/2011_04_30_3_5_b.jpg

How many KFC outlets are there in Dhaka ? Are there any other outlets in any other city other than Dhaka ? KFC seems to be doing well in Bangladesh

How many KFC outlets are there in Dhaka ? Are there any other outlets in any other city other than Dhaka ? KFC seems to be doing well in Bangladesh

KFC is definitely popular in Bangladesh. If I'm not mistaken, the outlets are in Dhaka and Chittagong.

The food and beverage industry in Bangladesh isn't entirely to blame for lack of quality. The concept of quality in products and services needs to be instilled in people who work in their respective industries. In the absence of standards based culinary and hospitality (teaching) institutions where quality is always stressed, I do not expect to see better quality.

Quality has not always been in the forefront and in many areas/respect still isn't in the US (I can't speak for Canada). The US automobile industry has not been known to produce quality products until of late. It is because of this lack of quality the imports, especially the German and Japanese cars made so much inroads in this country. As far as the service industry is concerned, it is still quite spotty.

Back in the 1990s there was a big thrust to educate people about quality when TQM (Total Quality Management) and ISO 9000 (9001 etc.) became a big deal. It seemed like most businesses and even government and semi-government entities like the universities got involved in some type of training for quality.

I had to undergo two such trainings but guess what? Do we really follow all that were taught to us? Hardly. We just went back to business as usual once the trainings were over and the certificates had been issued. Human nature is very difficult to tame or mold.
tqm is highly used in high end services and goods, a lot of five star hotels still use it, so does companies like prada, hermes, lv to name a few

these restaurants in dhaka place themselves at the peak of the chain, their target is the super rich which make 1% of the population at best, it saddens me even in that niche market quality is of no concern

KFC is definitely popular in Bangladesh. If I'm not mistaken, the outlets are in Dhaka and Chittagong.

How many outlets are there now in total in Dhaka ?

tqm is highly used in high end services and goods, a lot of five star hotels still use it, so does companies like prada, hermes, lv to name a few
TQM matters and makes an impact in lowering the production errors thereby assuring quality. But such statistical methods cannot be employed haute cuisine, since no two dishes turn out exactly the same owing to inexact measurements.


these restaurants in dhaka place themselves at the peak of the chain, their target is the super rich which make 1% of the population at best, it saddens me even in that niche market quality is of no concern

I believe you are unduly harsh towards the restauranteurs in Dhaka. There is nothing inherently wrong in targeting the 1% of the population, since that is the norm, the world over. How many people do you think can afford to shell out $300 per person, which is the average cost at the top five (best) restaurants in the US? If you argue that the food is the best in those top rated restaurants, many, especially people from our part of the world would beg to differ, because they serve items and dishes that we would consider exotic, like wild boar, cow's tongue, goose liver (foie gras), etc.

While the taste of food is quite subjective and differs with a person's own sense and tastes in food, I see nothing wrong looking at the pictures of Bellagio, the restaurant in Dhaka. The decor, ambiance and the food, all look quite impressive to me.

^^ I tried out Wasavi when I was in Dhaka in June, excellent ambiance and the food was delicious too! Would definitely recommend to anyone willing to spend the buck..

TQM matters and makes an impact in lowering the production errors thereby assuring quality. But such statistical methods cannot be employed haute cuisine, since no two dishes turn out exactly the same owing to inexact measurements.



I believe you are unduly harsh towards the restauranteurs in Dhaka. There is nothing inherently wrong in targeting the 1% of the population, since that is the norm, the world over. How many people do you think can afford to shell out $300 per person, which is the average cost at the top five (best) restaurants in the US? If you argue that the food is the best in those top rated restaurants, many, especially people from our part of the world would beg to differ, because they serve items and dishes that we would consider exotic, like wild boar, cow's tongue, goose liver (foie gras), etc.

While the taste of food is quite subjective and differs with a person's own sense and tastes in food, I see nothing wrong looking at the pictures of Bellagio, the restaurant in Dhaka. The decor, ambiance and the food, all look quite impressive to me.
true quality cannot be measured in the haute cuisine, i am not saying targeting 1% is wrong you misinterpreted. I said since the target the top 1% of the country their quality isnt up to that mark in most cases, i never said food is the best in the us, it is in some countries in europe from what i hear and some middle eastern countries and japan, and not meeting up expectations is not from me but people who i know went to eat there and who are hardcore foodholics :P

sure the decor and all is impressive, but its the name that pisses me off, why rip of a name thats already famous somewhere else i dont like this kind of ambushing, shows the lack of creativity on part of the owners, they could have come up with a different name, they are just like owners of united airways bd.

in bangladesh there is a trend imported and expensive is good and becomes a status symbol, you will find many people going to india to shop, stuff that you can find in bongo bazar for 1/100the price, it was also perceived in the cell phone market that "made in finland" was superior to the "made by nokia made in china/india" ones and a lot of businesses made a lot of money changing stickers and are still doing so

when you were in bangladesh how many restaurants did you find worth going repetitively and how consistent was the food? and the so called top elite of restaurants of bd, do you think they'd score as high as the position themselves if the top food critics of the ny times reviewed them?

true quality cannot be measured in the haute cuisine, i am not saying targeting 1% is wrong you misinterpreted. I said since the target the top 1% of the country their quality isnt up to that mark in most cases, i never said food is the best in the us, it is in some countries in europe from what i hear and some middle eastern countries and japan, and not meeting up expectations is not from me but people who i know went to eat there and who are hardcore foodholics :P

I can accept that you don't think the expensive restaurants quality is up to mark. But then again, it is subjective since it is a matter of individual concept of standards, preferences and tastes, isn't it? Some are easily pleased while nothing impresses others (like you sir).

Since the US is a microcosm that represents nearly all cultures and cuisine types, one can find cuisines and restaurants of all types with a wide spectrum of price ranges and quality, again, quality being rather subjective. I may think it is ridiculous to pay $150/person at a restaurant that serves pig's feet, and is rated highly just because it is owned by a world famous chef, others may certainly disagree.

Europeans are certainly hard nosed about their food. These days, London, England, appears to be all the rage for haute cuisine, from what I read. I don't really know what to make of it. While the average "Indian" restaurant all over UK is a cut above the better ones in the US, I am yet to find a decent Chinese or Thai restaurant in London.


sure the decor and all is impressive, but its the name that pisses me off, why rip of a name thats already famous somewhere else i dont like this kind of ambushing, shows the lack of creativity on part of the owners, they could have come up with a different name, they are just like owners of united airways bd.

I don't exactly know when this transformation occurred since I left the country before the age of internet and mobile phones. When I visited Dhaka in the late 1990s, I was surprised to see so many restaurants, fast food places, etc., with American names, i.e. names of popular American restaurants, chains or otherwise. Nor I do not know why the "copy cat" mentality became ingrained in Bangladeshi psyche. Especially all things American (US). To me it seems like they suffer from a severe case of insecurity!


in bangladesh there is a trend imported and expensive is good and becomes a status symbol, you will find many people going to india to shop, stuff that you can find in bongo bazar for 1/100the price, it was also perceived in the cell phone market that "made in finland" was superior to the "made by nokia made in china/india" ones and a lot of businesses made a lot of money changing stickers and are still doing so

Bangladeshis aren't the only ones. To me, it appears that the whole subcontinent is 100% sold on the notion that all things foreign and imported that local ones.


when you were in bangladesh how many restaurants did you find worth going repetitively and how consistent was the food? and the so called top elite of restaurants of bd, do you think they'd score as high as the position themselves if the top food critics of the ny times reviewed them?

Before I left Dhaka permanently, there weren't that many restaurants of so many varieties. Most restaurants were predominantly Chinese, not even Thai. There were a handful of non Chinese like Red Button. If you wanted a decent shrimp cocktail or a hamburger, you had head to the Sheraton. But since I was a poor 7th/8th grader, all we could afford was an occasional Chinese at the Shanghai.

You'd be surprised by the ratings of the New York Times food critics, and therefore what they could come up with, if they had to critic the food scene in Dhaka. Remember, they review restaurants of all type and all price ranges. Some hole-in-wall types often get rave reviews strictly for taste and/or price, and not so much for anything else (location, ambiance, decor, staff behavior, etc.).

While we're discussing food quality -- let's not confuse quality of cuisine with either (a) proper hygiene or (b) 'flashiness' coming from restaurant ambiance, The mentality of a section of food patrons in Dhaka (sometimes due to a combination of ill gotten wealth i.e. graft-money and frequently lack of education and cosmopolitan exposure as well) causes the restaurants to present their product in the way they do and charge as much.

First lets talk hygiene. I can bet that the most top-rated Bangladeshi restaurant in Bangladesh (charging the average month's salary in Bangladesh for dinner equivalent to high grade gourmet restaurants in Dubai, Singapore or NYC) would not even get a rating of 'C' if considered within the California food code (http://www.longbeach.gov/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=30586). We probably don't want to go there. In fact the infractions for which Bangladeshi restaurants get fined by the rarely mobilized mobile courts (like using unapproved adulterants in food) -- would surely void a restaurant's license in California and cause criminal lawsuits. We don't have any enforcement of food handling hygiene in Bangladesh. Nil.

Second -- the way restaurants are perceived and graded are quite different in Bangladesh and the West. Eating out is far more prevalent (and more than an occasional pastime) in the West compared to Bangladesh (in fact the whole subcontinent) where eating out became common only after the late sixties of the last century. My experience has been is that the price of a dinner/lunch has little to do with actual quality in the West. TIslam is right in that 'hole-in-the-wall' places can serve great food, I am a walking connoisseur myself of these establishments and know these joints in my 'Mahalla' well.

The cleanliness and hygiene of food preparation (as well as hygiene of facilities) is so uniform and taken for granted in the West that those are no longer factors (unlike Bangladesh). Food innovation and presentation together with attentiveness of service is more valued in the West. That is where a 'hole-in-the-wall' place in the West can trump a gourmet restaurant.

My perception about high-Taka 'gourmet' restaurants in Bangladesh is that they are not places to go enjoy a comfortable meal with friends and family. Rather they are places to go and blow money needlessly to enjoy the so called 'ambiance' and reward yourself by spending some of the 'ill-gotten' wealth while oblivious of the social ills of the rest of Bangladeshi society around you. Now I am not saying all restaurants are like this. But charging Tk. 7000 (USD 100) and up per person for dinner is highway robbery in Bangladesh for the restaurateurs (for the cuisine offered) and speaks volumes about the ignorance of the type of patrons going to these establishments. This type of phenomenon where low-grade cuisine is sold for exorbitant prices would not fly in any other location other than Dhaka. I guess true restaurant critics are few and far between in this city. Hopefully the restaurant scene will mature a little more in the future (people with money will gain more sense) and the restaurateur criminals will move on.

Those were my two cents -- and off the pulpit for now.

While we're discussing food quality -- let's not confuse quality of cuisine with either (a) proper hygiene or (b) 'flashiness' coming from restaurant ambiance, The mentality of a section of food patrons in Dhaka (sometimes due to a combination of ill gotten wealth i.e. graft-money and frequently lack of education as well) causes the restaurants to present their product in the way they do and charge as much.

First lets talk hygiene. I can bet that the most top-rated Bangladeshi restaurant in Bangladesh (charging the average month's salary in Bangladesh for dinner equivalent to high grade gourmet restaurants in Dubai, Singapore or NYC) would not even get a rating of 'C' if considered within the California food code (http://www.longbeach.gov/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=30586). We probably don't want to go there. In fact the infractions for which Bangladeshi restaurants get fined by the rarely mobilized mobile courts (like using unapproved adulterants in food) -- would surely void a restaurant's license in California and cause criminal lawsuits. We don't have any enforcement of food handling hygiene in Bangladesh. Nil.

Second -- the way restaurants are perceived and graded are quite different in Bangladesh and the West. Eating out is far more prevalent (and more than an occasional pastime) in the West compared to Bangladesh (in fact the whole subcontinent) where eating out became common only after the late sixties of the last century. My experience has been is that the price of a dinner/lunch has little to do with actual quality in the West. TIslam is right in that 'hole-in-the-wall' places can serve great food, I am a walking connoisseur myself of these establishments and know these joints in my 'Mahalla' well.

The cleanliness and hygiene of food preparation (as well as hygiene of facilities) is so uniform and taken for granted in the West that those are no longer factors (unlike Bangladesh). Food innovation and presentation together with attentiveness of service is more valued in the West. That is where a 'hole-in-the-wall' place in the West can trump a gourmet restaurant.

My perception about high-Taka 'gourmet' restaurants in Bangladesh is that they are not places to go enjoy a comfortable meal with friends and family. Rather they are places to go and blow money needlessly to enjoy the so called 'ambiance' and reward yourself by spending some of the 'ill-gotten' wealth while oblivious of the social ills of the rest of Bangladeshi society around you. Now I am not saying all restaurants are like this. But charging Tk. 7000 (USD 100) and up per person for dinner is highway robbery in Bangladesh for the restaurateurs (for the cuisine offered) and speaks volumes about the ignorance of the type of patrons going to these establishments. This type of phenomenon where low-grade cuisine is sold for exorbitant prices would not fly in any other location other than Dhaka. I guess true restaurant critics are few and far between in this city. Hopefully the restaurant scene will mature a little more in the future (people with money will gain more sense) and the restaurateur criminals will move on.

Those were my two cents -- and off the pulpit for now.
ah you hit the nail on the head!

..........
My perception about high-Taka 'gourmet' restaurants in Bangladesh is that they are not places to go enjoy a comfortable meal with friends and family. Rather they are places to go and blow money needlessly to enjoy the so called 'ambiance' and reward yourself by spending some of the 'ill-gotten' wealth while oblivious of the social ills of the rest of Bangladeshi society around you.
.............

Probably so. Also, from what I have observed, these are the places where people (usually men) take other people (girlfriends, mistresses, clients, prospective clients, government officials, politicians, and so on) to entertain them for some ulterior motive(s). If you get the drift .....

I can accept that you don't think the expensive restaurants quality is up to mark. But then again, it is subjective since it is a matter of individual concept of standards, preferences and tastes, isn't it? Some are easily pleased while nothing impresses others (like you sir).

Since the US is a microcosm that represents nearly all cultures and cuisine types, one can find cuisines and restaurants of all types with a wide spectrum of price ranges and quality, again, quality being rather subjective. I may think it is ridiculous to pay $150/person at a restaurant that serves pig's feet, and is rated highly just because it is owned by a world famous chef, others may certainly disagree.

Europeans are certainly hard nosed about their food. These days, London, England, appears to be all the rage for haute cuisine, from what I read. I don't really know what to make of it. While the average "Indian" restaurant all over UK is a cut above the better ones in the US, I am yet to find a decent Chinese or Thai restaurant in London.



I don't exactly know when this transformation occurred since I left the country before the age of internet and mobile phones. When I visited Dhaka in the late 1990s, I was surprised to see so many restaurants, fast food places, etc., with American names, i.e. names of popular American restaurants, chains or otherwise. Nor I do not know why the "copy cat" mentality became ingrained in Bangladeshi psyche. Especially all things American (US). To me it seems like they suffer from a severe case of insecurity!



Bangladeshis aren't the only ones. To me, it appears that the whole subcontinent is 100% sold on the notion that all things foreign and imported that local ones.



Before I left Dhaka permanently, there weren't that many restaurants of so many varieties. Most restaurants were predominantly Chinese, not even Thai. There were a handful of non Chinese like Red Button. If you wanted a decent shrimp cocktail or a hamburger, you had head to the Sheraton. But since I was a poor 7th/8th grader, all we could afford was an occasional Chinese at the Shanghai.

You'd be surprised by the ratings of the New York Times food critics, and therefore what they could come up with, if they had to critic the food scene in Dhaka. Remember, they review restaurants of all type and all price ranges. Some hole-in-wall types often get rave reviews strictly for taste and/or price, and not so much for anything else (location, ambiance, decor, staff behavior, etc.).
no bangladesh is just unique in this sense, i have heard from people who have visited bombay delhi karachi and lahore, that the scale of robbery in those cities do not match that of dhaka

and you must take note of the fact that $100 in the us is not the same as $100 in bangladesh, where minimum wage is $10/hr in bangladesh the average person earns $100 a month

there is nothing that can justify the high prices they are putting up, its a case of mogher mulok

no bangladesh is just unique in this sense, i have heard from people who have visited bombay delhi karachi and lahore, that the scale of robbery in those cities do not match that of dhaka

Not sure what you mean. Do you mean actual incidents of robberies or the general tendency to fleece customers?


and you must take note of the fact that $100 in the us is not the same as $100 in bangladesh, where minimum wage is $10/hr in bangladesh the average person earns $100 a month

High-end markets be it for consumer goods or food, as no correlation to a country's affluence, lack of thereof or minimum wage. The super rich who have money to burn are always catered to, by up market goods and services, whether it is in Bangladesh, or Belgium.


there is nothing that can justify the high prices they are putting up, its a case of mogher mulok

Why not? I can have a darn good steak with all the trimmings, in Brooklyn, say for 20/30 bucks. The same steak will cost be $50/60 in an upscale steakhouse in Manhattan's lower eastside. So, why is it alright for such price variation in New York city but not in Dhaka? After all, those swanky places in Gulshan have to pay for everything at least double the price for everything from rent, to staff salaries, to maintenance, don't they? How else are they going to recoup their cost if they cannot passed it down to the customer/client?

I do not believe that these restauranteurs are not smart enough so as not to price themselves out of the market. Look at it this way, if most people think the prices are too high, these high-end restaurants will fail. It is as simple as that.

Not sure what you mean. Do you mean actual incidents of robberies or the general tendency to fleece customers?



High-end markets be it for consumer goods or food, as no correlation to a country's affluence, lack of thereof or minimum wage. The super rich who have money to burn are always catered to, by up market goods and services, whether it is in Bangladesh, or Belgium.



Why not? I can have a darn good steak with all the trimmings, in Brooklyn, say for 20/30 bucks. The same steak will cost be $50/60 in an upscale steakhouse in Manhattan's lower eastside. So, why is it alright for such price variation in New York city but not in Dhaka? After all, those swanky places in Gulshan have to pay for everything at least double the price for everything from rent, to staff salaries, to maintenance, don't they? How else are they going to recoup their cost if they cannot passed it down to the customer/client?

I do not believe that these restauranteurs are not smart enough so as not to price themselves out of the market. Look at it this way, if most people think the prices are too high, these high-end restaurants will fail. It is as simple as that.
robbery as in, they pay their stuff super low, their quality is bad, labeling local beef as imported beef to charge more, and other very dubious schemes.

you failed to understand my point, a $100 meal is outrageous in bangladesh, thats like a $100000 dollar meal in the states, now lets put in the production factors, do you expect the same materials to be used in both the restaurants? the craftsmanship of the chefs, the same?

they are just taking advantage of the "dami khabar jaiga" psyche, how do many restaurants in bd do you see surviving for a long time? they fade away after 5-7 years

robbery as in, they pay their stuff super low, their quality is bad, labeling local beef as imported beef to charge more, and other very dubious schemes.

Isn't that a sweeping generalization? I cannot be persuaded to believe that such is the case in every instance (every establishment).


you failed to understand my point, a $100 meal is outrageous in bangladesh, thats like a $100000 dollar meal in the states, now lets put in the production factors, do you expect the same materials to be used in both the restaurants? the craftsmanship of the chefs, the same?

You are getting tripped up with currency conversion ratio. By that token, the five star hotels of international chains in Dhaka ought not to be charging near about the same room rate as, say in Atlanta or Detroit. I would argue exactly the same point except from the opposite angle. Restaurants, especially up market ones, are not operated in a production model (mass scale), nor are the ingredients the same. For example, you cannot expect one of those steak houses to offer you a USDA prime, or an Australian lamb chop, at the same price of locally available meat? Ditto for sushi.


they are just taking advantage of the "dami khabar jaiga" psyche, how do many restaurants in bd do you see surviving for a long time? they fade away after 5-7 years

Unless you are in a position to physically check out (eat) each and every of those "dami khabar jaiga" in Dhaka, and then provide a break down of what you ate, and how much it should really cost to (re)produce that dish, with locally available ingredients, your position is a hard sell.

Since you appear to pooh pooh everything that Bangladesh has to offer, the following article would probably receive your nod of approval: :)

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=141547&date=2011-07-04

Isn't that a sweeping generalization? I cannot be persuaded to believe that such is the case in every instance (every establishment).



You are getting tripped up with currency conversion ratio. By that token, the five star hotels of international chains in Dhaka ought not to be charging near about the same room rate as, say in Atlanta or Detroit. I would argue exactly the same point except from the opposite angle. Restaurants, especially up market ones, are not operated in a production model (mass scale), nor are the ingredients the same. For example, you cannot expect one of those steak houses to offer you a USDA prime, or an Australian lamb chop, at the same price of locally available meat? Ditto for sushi.



Unless you are in a position to physically check out (eat) each and every of those "dami khabar jaiga" in Dhaka, and then provide a break down of what you ate, and how much it should really cost to (re)produce that dish, with locally available ingredients, your position is a hard sell.

Since you appear to pooh pooh everything that Bangladesh has to offer, the following article would probably receive your nod of approval: :)

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=141547&date=2011-07-04
tell me this how many establishments from your time do you see still active?

on the hotel context, they do follow an international standard, otherwise they wouldnt be able to find a managing company of international repute, it is those companies that do the pricing, and it the high end hotel sector in dhaka, there is a major shortfall of supply vs demand.

Again you fail to see my point, most of these restaurants in bangladesh, deceive people claiming to have imported meat in their products, comprende?

next time in dhaka, i shall make a video document of everything and most often you will find these fine as restaurants being fined by the mobile courts, and rest of the times the owners are so influential that the mobile courts avoid them

tell me this how many establishments from your time do you see still active?

Skyroom comes to mind, although I don't whether it continues to be in business since the suicide of the managing partner.


on the hotel context, they do follow an international standard, otherwise they wouldnt be able to find a managing company of international repute, it is those companies that do the pricing, and it the high end hotel sector in dhaka, there is a major shortfall of supply vs demand.

That cannot be an incentive enough to maintain standards and go by the book. After all, majority of the staff as well as middle to lower management are Bangladeshis. Sometimes even the GM is a local. In absence of constant monitoring by the foreign management company (like Westin), who is to say (or verify) standards are being maintained? Who validates 24x7, that the meals being served in those establishments are not made from substandard ingredients? Do they get inspected by the mobile courts? Who can guarantee that the owner of the Westin does not have a deal going with the mobile court folks?


Again you fail to see my point, most of these restaurants in bangladesh, deceive people claiming to have imported meat in their products, comprende?

Actually, I don't. I just maintain that such cannot be the case for every single restaurant while I do not discount that many are dishonest.


next time in dhaka, i shall make a video document of everything and most often you will find these fine as restaurants being fined by the mobile courts, and rest of the times the owners are so influential that the mobile courts avoid them

That ought to be the proof in the pudding. :)

Mainland China,Uttara

http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i327/mirzazeehan1989/040320111172.jpg

http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i327/mirzazeehan1989/040320111167.jpg



The Kabab Factory,Uttara(newly opened!)

http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i327/mirzazeehan1989/030420111397.jpg

http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/i327/mirzazeehan1989/030420111396.jpg

Double post

Inside Smoke
"If music be the food of love, play on.”

http://www.thedailystar.net/lifestyle/2011/07/01/Page%202.jpg%2001.jpg

That's probably the first thing you spot when you step onto the top floor of House #98, Banani 11. As your eyes move ahead, you see the words “Music Café” stylishly written in vibrant but soothing red lights. Just above that, you read, “Smoke.”

Welcome to Smoke, the newest, coolest music cafe in town.

Attempting to satisfy the tastes and moods of different guests, the place is divided into three different sections: the juice bar, the open terrace and, after a short flight of iron stairs, a cosy room with glass walls.

The dimly lit juice bar features a wide array of drinks, including refreshingly original and extravagantly chilling (non-alcoholic) mocktails, their mystique partly owing to the meticulously and creatively produced syrups imported from France. The classic “bar” style seating arrangements, where drinks are served over the counter while the guests are seated on stools, helps set the right mood.

Beside the juice bar is a terrace for those who prefer to enjoy their meals under the open sky. With beautifully decorated plants creating a relaxing atmosphere, the place is a pleasant one to have some fresh air.

The room upstairs is the largest one, though. And an interesting one too. “Most of the walls are made of glass. Since this is the top floor, during the day, you have a rather splendid view of the sky. But during sunset, as the light fades away, the visuals on the walls start coming alive. This is the best time to see these walls, where a surreal play of light comes into play.”

The effect is superb, partially because the figures on those walls are of the greatest musicians the world has seen. The music legends of the '70s, '80s and early '90s are portrayed on those walls. One of the sides features George Harrison and his song, “Bangladesh.”

The theme itself is directly related to the target demographic. “There are a lot of families pouring in. But another huge chunk of our guests are corporate people, working for businesses, embassies, etc. We attract a more serious, professional lot,” informed one of the owners. Thus, many of their guests are above 30, the generation who get nostalgic listening to the music of those golden eras.

Therefore, Smoke is a magnificent option for those coming to relax their nerves after a day's work. The couches and chairs are also duly designed to achieve that, and so is the collection of magazines one can read while sipping the coffee they are so proud of, using one of the finest blend of beans.

“Smoke” refers to the smoke of the food. “We don't sell shisha or encourage smoking in any way. Opening a café named Smoke doesn't mean that. We want to change this perception. Smoke can be interpreted in a different meaning, referring to the smoke of food and drink.” the owner says passionately.

And, true to its name, the café features many hot and smoky Mexican and Italian items. Try their tacos, nachos or burritos, or their sizzlers. Don't forget their special hot and juicy burger. More importantly, whatever you take, have a glass of one of their exquisite drinks to complete the experience.

By M H Haider
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Source: The Daily Star Lifestyle Magazine

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This is making me hungry!!! Thank you for the post.

This is making me hungry!!! Thank you for the post.

Hear! Hear! I 2nd you on that, hopefully when the season ends here in Bulgaria late September I will be in BD to taste the delights that are on offer.

Hear! Hear! I 2nd you on that, hopefully when the season ends here in Bulgaria late September I will be in BD to taste the delights that are on offer.

Welcome to SSC....good to know we have fellow Bangladeshis living in Bulgaria as well:cheers:

Welcome to SSC....good to know we have fellow Bangladeshis living in Bulgaria as well:cheers:
they say you can find potatoes, punjabis and bengalis at every corner of the globe

they say you can find potatoes, punjabis and bengalis at every corner of the globe

Welcome to SSC....good to know we have fellow Bangladeshis living in Bulgaria as well:cheers:

Thank you for the welcome, but I do not live in Bulgaria mirzazeehan, I have been coming over to Bulgaria for the 3rd season now, I just work here for 4-5 months of the summer managing an Indian restaurant in Sunny Beach, Nessebar, Burgas.
I am a British Bangladeshi and have been in the Indian food industry since 1985 when I left school.
I think we as Bengalis have this unique talent for hospitality, that is why in the UK there are more than 17,000 Indian restaurants and takeaways of which the majority are owned/ managed by us Bengalis. I love our food, and it is very convenient to work and get fed at the same establishment. I wouldn't trade this profession for anything else.
I agree that you will find Bengalis in every corner of the globe dopekhor.:):okay:

Welcome aboard ABU MOHAMMED ZAHID. where in the uk are you come from? I am based in south east (Reading, Berks)

Hi Beer51,
I live 200miles north of London, Scunthorpe, and speaking of Royal Berkshire I used to work all around that area..... Oxford, Reading, Caversham, Abingdon, Wokingham, Newbury and a little further south Crawley, Bexley Heath, Shoreham, Brighton.
These were my hayday era, but I'm an old man now.
You can catch up on me on Facebook, and when I return to the UK I might just bump into you.

Thanks ABU MOHAMMED ZAHID but i am not on face book. Whats Bulgaria like?

Not to worry, just look me up on google and you can find out what I've been doing here. The infrastructure is still in its early stages after communism, but it is getting there with all the British ex-pats and other Europeans investing here for the weather and a retirement place.
But a word of advice, it is not for Muslims, I am finding it very difficult to source halal food.
The Bulgarians have done away with what was part of the Ottomon Empire.

And I forgot to mention most of the food outlets are not to write home about.

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Source: The Independent

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Source: The Independent

So glad for the posts jason; I just moved to Bangladesh and finding a good place is plenty hard. Keep posting!

i went 2 bitter sweet but i didnt like da food.interior is really good

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Source: The Independent

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Source: The Independent

https://www.facebook.com/pages/DineDhaka/247765611930860

As i saw everyone of you post your personal reviews...i thought you might find this group interesting...they are not review group...rather they the people who dine in the restaurants review it...it's a pretty cool idea! they are launching their website soon! do check it out!

FOOD DIARY
Mermaid Gallery Café
→ Eram

What is the first place that pops up in your mind when you think ‘seafood’? Is it a place where a fresh assortment of exquisite seafood is available along with other dishes rarely seen in Dhaka? Nothing in specific? Well, there’s one restaurant that’s quite well-known, yet a little unheard of to some of the Dhakaites; in the quite neighbourhood Baridhara is a cosy stunning place called Mermaid Gallery Café. Sounds familiar? It’s in fact a chain from the exotic Mermaid Eco Resort in Cox’s Bazar, and now they are here in Dhaka to give you a whiff of the beach; offering some delectable fresh food from the sea.

Upon entering Mermaid Gallery Café, you will feel as though you’ve stepped in a place far away from the jam-packed city. The pebbled ground, wooden steps, trees and plants lightly swaying in the air will sweep you away the minute you enter the café. On the right, there’s a place for sheesha lovers, while on the left lies an impressive little juice bar. Shades of green and yellow and the natural hue around the juice bar set a dramatic tone in the area. The eco-friendly atmosphere will calm your senses when you take your first sip on a chilled glass of lemonade. As you walk further inside, you’ll see that each of the rooms as well as the furnishers are designed to go with the unique ambience of the whole café. One thing you’ll notice when you enter the building are the abstract oil paintings hanging on every wall of the outlet. Rony Ahmed, the man behind the art work, exhibits his work within the café, giving it a whole different contemporary blend to the natural experience. Keeping the theme alike, the décor and settings have been altered in each of the rooms.

Now let’s move our focus on what we really came here for. The menu is varied and offers some dishes not seen very often in cafés or restaurants. A one-on-one with executive chef Naorose Bin Ali gives us a little taste of things to come. Starting from the juice bar, all the juices here are freshly made from fruits; each glass contains a nutritious amount of fruit blended with a bit of ice. Coffee lovers can blend within the aroma of Starbucks, Maxwell House and Marks & Spencer coffee. Snacks include fish-n-chips, fresh tuna sandwich and an almost forgotten dish in the city called Poutine, which is basically French fries topped with a gravy chicken sauce and mozzarella cheese. Diners can indulge in an interesting list of entrées, ranging from Calamari rings – deep fried squids mixed with spices and Semolina added with a mayo sesame dip – to crabs baked and smothered with homemade Cajun dressing and thousand island dip. Salads include BBQ assorted pasta salad, Thai beef salad and fresh seafood salad made with crabs and squids mixed in with a delicious salad dressing. One of chef’s pick is the Cox’s Bhetki steak, a grilled bhetki served with capsicum caper delight sauce, will fulfil all your desire for having the perfect fish steak. Other sea food main courses include baked red snapper, tuna steak, grilled chicken, lasagne Bolognese, mozzarella eggplants, and fresh seafood pasta to many more scrumptious exhilarating items. The dessert lovers have something to look out for; other then these really soft delicious crepes with your choice of fruit fillings, there’s an item containing burnt cream consisting of a rich custard base and topped with a contrasting layer of hard caramel, an absolute piece of delight called Crème Brûlée. Crème Brûlée comes in two flavours: strawberry and blueberry.

Culinary arts specialist Naorose Bin Ali confirms all the fishes are brought from Cox’s Bazar and are prepared fresh for the café. They go with a much healthier option by choosing extra virgin olive oil in all the dishes, which elevates the flavours even more. Most ingredients are imported from Australia. Thus prices may seem a little high, but they are well justified; just take a look at what they are offering and how they are brining it on your platter. Do you really have much to complain?

So what are you waiting for? Call you friends up and meet them at Mermaid Gallery Café for a night to feast, unwind and a have similar experience of the beach without having to travel all the way!

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Fake whopper alert

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Dhaba-Movenpick synergy

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Good news! You can now enjoy your favourite Movenpick ice cream at one of your all-time favourite eateries, Dhaba. On 26 September, Dhaba introduced an outlet of Movenpick on the top floor of its Banani branch. Bibi Russell, the fashion maestro, inaugurated the ceremony.

The Dhaba-Movenpick journey has kicked off with the outlet offering six mouth-watering flavours from the Swiss ice cream brand. “We hope we may be able to expand that after seeing the customers' response,” informed Ishrat Alamgir, one of the partners of Dhaba.

Movenpick ice cream is indeed a cool addition to Dhaba. “There is a misconception among some people that Dhaba specialises in Indian food. This is completely incorrect. Our menu comprises of a rather diversified array of cuisines and types of food items,” Ishrat further informed.

Banani's Dhaba is a three-storied building. Dhaba doesn't just offer different types of food items, variation can also be found in terms of ambience. The ground floor is a buzzing café, the first floor is a quiet and sophisticated place for fine dining whilst the top floor will now be a haven for ice cream lovers. The top floor is very cosy and homely, providing a simple and gracious ambiance.

Dhaba, in its own right, stands proud as one of the hubs for food lovers. So does Movenpick. Getting the two brands under the same roof makes it an even more attractive place to hang out with friends or spend quality time with your family more than ever before.

It's been quite some time since Dhaba has moved from Banani-11. Dhaba is currently located in House # 104, Road # 12, Block E, Banani.

The residents of Uttara are offered delicious pizzas and wonderful dine-in experience right at their doorstep as Pizza Hut opened its latest and fifth outlet there yesterday.

Pizza Hut has successfully managed to serve its 6-lakh customers over the last seven years with a range of specialised appetisers, pastas, and desserts alongside pizzas.

The franchise made its foray into Bangladesh with the flagship restaurant in Gulshan in December 2003 and was the first international restaurant chain in Bangladesh.

“Our newest outlet comes as a treat to pizza lovers in Uttara so that their favourite pizzas are now never too far away. I hope our customer will love eating with us as much as we love delighting them with new creations, great food, and a great fine dine-in experience", said Akku Chowdhury, managing director and CEO, Transcom Foods Ltd.

"I ensure our customers our commitment to great quality, excellent service, and outstanding dining experience every time".

Following its grand success in Dhaka, Pizza Hut opened the Chittagong outlet in September 2005. The one in Uttara is the fifth and latest outlet.

The launching of two outlets -- Pizza Hut and KFC -- witnessed a gala celebration at the Pizza Hut Uttara premises yesterday, attended by actress Bonna Mirza, model Sharmeen Lucky, and actress Munmun and the women's football team.

Transcom Foods Ltd, a subsidiary of Bangladesh's leading business group, Transcom, operates Pizza Hut. Transcom Foods Ltd is also the franchisee of world famous KFC -- the Kentucky Fried Chicken.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=209624

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How many Pizza Hut outlets are there in Bangladesh ? Can someone list them down
How many KFC outlets are there in Bangladesh ?

How many Pizza Hut outlets are there in Bangladesh ? Can someone list them down
How many KFC outlets are there in Bangladesh ?

Pizza Hut
7 Outlets
Gulshan-1, Chittagong, Dhanmondi, Baily Road, Uttara, Cox's Bazaar and Mirpur

KFC:
9 Outlets
Gulshan-1, Chittagong, Old Dhaka, Dhanmondi, Purana Paltan, Banani, Mirpur, Uttara and Cox's Bazaar

Pizza Hut and KFC Delivery available from Mirpur

^^
u missed KFC in Dhanmondi

Pizza Hut
7 Outlets
Gulshan-1, Chittagong, Dhanmondi, Baily Road, Uttara, Cox's Bazaar and Mirpur

KFC:
8 Outlets
Gulshan-1, Chittagong, Old Dhaka, Purana Paltan, Banani, Mirpur, Uttara and Cox's Bazaar

Pizza Hut and KFC Delivery available from Mirpur

So that means both KFC and Pizza Hut have a presence in 3 cities in Bangladesh Dhaka, Chittagong and Cox's Bazaar. Is Mirpur a seperate city ? Or is it a suburb of Dhaka ?

^^ Suburb of Dhaka. Pretty huge one.

^^ Suburb of Dhaka. Pretty huge one.

It's a neighborhood of Dhaka. A suburb of Dhaka would be Purbachal, Ashulia, Savar, etc.

Pizza Hut
7 Outlets
Gulshan-1, Chittagong, Dhanmondi, Baily Road, Uttara, Cox's Bazaar and Mirpur

KFC:
9 Outlets
Gulshan-1, Chittagong, Old Dhaka, Dhanmondi, Purana Paltan, Banani, Mirpur, Uttara and Cox's Bazaar

Pizza Hut and KFC Delivery available from Mirpur

Which of the following areas of Dhaka are considered to be the posh and upscale areas ?

Is Mirpur like the largest area in Dhaka by population ? It seems to be almost like a little city in itself

^^ Mirpur is sort-of its own city. I grew up in Mirpur, and back in the day, people from Mirpur would say "I am going to Dhaka" to refer their visit to Dhaka proper. But now, Mirpur is very much inside Dhaka.

As for posh areas, the usual suspects are Gulshan, DOHS, Banani, Baridhara (the poshest), Uttara, Nikunjo, Bashundhara and Dhanmondi. I would also include places like Bailey Road and Wari to the list, where a lot of 'old-money' people live.

Which of the following areas of Dhaka are considered to be the posh and upscale areas ?

Is Mirpur like the largest area in Dhaka by population ? It seems to be almost like a little city in itself

They're all just neighborhoods...

Pizza Hut
7 Outlets
Gulshan-1, Chittagong, Dhanmondi, Baily Road, Uttara, Cox's Bazaar and Mirpur

KFC:
9 Outlets
Gulshan-1, Chittagong, Old Dhaka, Dhanmondi, Purana Paltan, Banani, Mirpur, Uttara and Cox's Bazaar

Pizza Hut and KFC Delivery available from Mirpur

To the best of my knowledge there are only 5 full-fledged Pizza Hut outlets- Gulshan, Dhanmondi, Bailey Road, Uttara and Chittagong. The one in Mirpur is just for delivery/pickup and there isn't one in Cox's Bazar.

However, they can easily open an outlet in Motijheel, Elephant Road and Kawran Bazar. Motijheel and Kawran Bazar are huge business districts which lack restaurants offering this kind of food.

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^^ Wow, 5th grade kids have iPhones now!

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Dhaba-Movenpick synergy

Good news! You can now enjoy your favourite Movenpick ice cream at one of your all-time favourite eateries, Dhaba. On 26 September, Dhaba introduced an outlet of Movenpick on the top floor of its Banani branch. Bibi Russell, the fashion maestro, inaugurated the ceremony.

The Dhaba-Movenpick journey has kicked off with the outlet offering six mouth-watering flavours from the Swiss ice cream brand. “We hope we may be able to expand that after seeing the customers' response,” informed Ishrat Alamgir, one of the partners of Dhaba.

Movenpick ice cream is indeed a cool addition to Dhaba. “There is a misconception among some people that Dhaba specialises in Indian food. This is completely incorrect. Our menu comprises of a rather diversified array of cuisines and types of food items,” Ishrat further informed.

Banani's Dhaba is a three-storied building. Dhaba doesn't just offer different types of food items, variation can also be found in terms of ambience. The ground floor is a buzzing café, the first floor is a quiet and sophisticated place for fine dining whilst the top floor will now be a haven for ice cream lovers. The top floor is very cosy and homely, providing a simple and gracious ambiance.

Dhaba, in its own right, stands proud as one of the hubs for food lovers. So does Movenpick. Getting the two brands under the same roof makes it an even more attractive place to hang out with friends or spend quality time with your family more than ever before.

It's been quite some time since Dhaba has moved from Banani-11. Dhaba is currently located in House # 104, Road # 12, Block E, Banani.

By M H Haider

Source: Daily Star

Aranya Café

Those who have walked the stingy streets of Old Dhaka, have been mesmerised by the enticing smell and sight of the exotic traditional food out there, the sight of which can immediately give your taste buds a run. But for the rest of us who live in the outer parts of the city, visiting Old Dhaka for a food frenzy is a time consuming and exhausting schedule that can only be carried out once in a while. Everyday classes and late work hours seldom leave us with time to relish the richness of authentic Dhaka cuisine.

Aranya Café has spotted this gap and come forward to provide us Old Dhaka food lovers the same taste at a convenient location. Tucked away in a small corner at Banani, beside the Aranya fashion house, the café is a paradise for those who like their food. Their menu boasts the Old Dhaka heritage with varieties of kebabs and parathas dominating the list. Their Gajar Halwa is almost divine for those with a sweet tooth, and the sober Bakarkhani is a perfect complement to the overriding sweetness. They also provide local paneer, which you seldom spot at traditional restaurants.

Aranya started with the vision of using natural dye in all their clothing. Keeping that in mind, the café has been set up with a very natural theme that is not just soothing to the eye but to the heart as well -- bamboo shaded ceilings and wooden chairs and tables work as perfect complements to the green light and green walls. "The colour for the walls represents the shade of Horitoki, a component of natural dye. Hence, the décor and the mood of the café are completely in coherence with Aranya's mission," said Audhora Madhuri who is in charge of managing the café.

Adorning the walls are paintings, drawn using natural dyes which are up for sale. So, while eating if your eyes wander around to catch a piece of art, you might just be able to buy it and take it back home.

As Audhora puts it, their target customers are anyone and everyone. But their focus is on people rooted in Old Dhaka , who now live around the Gulshan and Banani area due to professional reasons and seldom get to visit their roots.

For those who refrained from devouring the food due to hygiene reasons or claustrophobic attacks, can now visit this café and get the same food at a lesser price with much better quality of food and environment.

Each and every one of their cooks have been handpicked from Old Dhaka and are experts in this form of cuisine. They provide a very reasonable price range so that students from nearby universities can also enjoy their service. Their upcoming plans include that of a Pitha Festival during winter that will display all sorts of traditional rice cakes at one place, and will be carried in proportion to demand.

Aranya café is trying to be different from the rest by reviving the diminishing interest in Old Dhaka cuisine, by targeting the general masses.

By Afrida Mahbub
Photo: Muntasir Mamun Imran
Photo courtesy: Estanbul Hoque

Source: Daily Star

KFC @ Cox's Bazar

The world's favourite franchise restaurant KFC has never fallen short of delighting finger lickin' lovers across Bangladesh with their mouth-watering dishes and innovative eating experiences. And now, they have taken things a step further by launching their newest outlet at a place that can easily be called Bangladesh's favourite tourist destination, Cox's Bazaar, and another in the thriving Uttara.

These new outlets make up an impressive total of 11 outlets across the country including 9 in Dhaka, 1 in Chittagong and now 1 in Cox's Bazaar. KFC's ever-expanding network of finger lickin' goodness is all part of their vision to one day delight the entire nation with the colonel's recipes.

“Cox's Bazaar makes it 10. Also, it makes us proud to be the first international brand in Cox's Bazaar -- a place known worldwide. Our vision is to be the highest quality of quick serving experience in Bangladesh, where friends and family can enjoy a great tasting recipe at affordable prices. I ensure the food lovers will enjoy our 11 secret spices recipe, first-rated services and overall outstanding dining experience,” said Akku Chowdhury, Managing Director & CEO, Transcom Foods Ltd adding that the launch of the 2 outlets (Pizza Hut and KFC) in Uttara makes it their 11th outlet.

As part of KFC's campaign to give back to its community, a recent partnership with the Bangladesh Football Federation has yielded a new program. From this year, KFC will be sponsoring the Women's Super League football tournament; the teams were invited to the grand opening at Uttara.

Source: Daily Star

'Nando's Peri Peri Chicken at your doorstep'

Those who love the Peri Peri taste, but don't always have the time or energy to brave the Dhaka traffic, are in for a treat. On November 11 Nando's launched their home delivery service for the first time in Bangladesh.

"Starting a home delivery service from Nando's was a dream that I had and now I am turning it into a reality to further add value to our customer's experience,” says Mr. Ahmed Abu Insaf, COO Nando's Bangladesh. Nando's pulled out all the stops on launch day; all the home delivery orders were delivered in a Mercedes Benz which was escorted by two motorbikes sporting the Nando's flag.

There are currently two Nando's outlets in Dhaka and they are delivering the famous Peri Peri Chicken to the residents of guests who will be ordering Home Delivery.

Currently, Nando's is providing Home Delivery in the neighbouring areas of the restaurant. They are calling these locations 'Hot Zones'. The 'Hot Zones' around Nando's Gulshan are Gulshan 1, Gulshan 2, Baridhara and Banani. The 'Hot Zones' around Nando's Dhanmondi are Lalmatia and Dhanmondi.

Nando's Home Delivery service can be availed everyday between 12 pm to 10 pm. The Home Delivery will be absolutely free if the bill size is above Tk. 1000. If the bill size is below Tk. 1000 the service charge of Tk. 50 will be applicable.

The Delivery Hotline for Nando's Gulshan is 01841996644

The Delivery Hotline for Nando's Dhanmondi is 01814113322

LS Desk

Source: Daily Star

Pizza Hut Delivery

Pizza Hut, the famous fast food brand has undertaken a new venture, a delivery service. For this they have opened a dedicated outlet in Mirpur section 12, an outlet that is different from the other five Pizza Hut outlets in the city.

“The outlets we have are Enhanced Dining options, where we concentrate on providing a good dining experience,” said Akku Chowdhury, Managing Director & CEO, Pizza Hut. “But this new venture is focused on delivery.”

The Mirpur outlet -- a 24-seater -- will be simpler compared to Pizza Huts we know. Nine kinds of pizzas will be offered for delivery in the three different crusts -- pan pizza, stuffed crust and cheesy bites. Limited appetizers will also be up for delivery, including the favoured garlic bread.

The delivery zone falls within a 2km radius or an 8-minute drive from the outlet. MP Illias Molla and Akku Chowdhury inaugurated the service on Sunday. Customers availing this service will receive pizza within 30 minutes after placing their orders

Source: Daily Star

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Kozmo wisens up

The third Kozmo outlet opened its doors to foodies and schmoozers on November 25. Kozmo has become a considerable brand in the Dhaka social circuit. With Kozmo Wisdom Café, Arif Hafiz (CEO of Kozmo) intends to take it further.

Directions: As you enter Bashundhara, go past the GP head office, turn right, and keep going till the end of the road. Turn right, then take the first left, and you're there.

Hafiz explained why Kozmo “wisened up” and more.

Why “Wisdom Café”?
Hafiz: In olden days, writers, poets and storytellers would exchange views with one another and readers at inns. That tradition continued when cafés emerged in the urban social scene. In Dhaka, this trend is missing. I wanted to reintroduce that tradition.

Why Bashundhara?
Hafiz: It's an emerging zone. It houses universities, corporate offices and thriving residential areas.

What sets Wisdom Café apart from the other Kozmo outlets?
Hafiz: Kozmo has been promoting Bangladeshi musicians since its inception. Regular performances are held at both the Dhanmondi and Banani outlets. At Wisdom Café, we'll hold readings, discussions, book and album launches and short film screenings.

What also sets this outlet apart is the set-up of the joint; it's certainly roomier than its siblings and the vibe is very cosy. It's also divided into different sections.

Basement Café is rather informal where you can just kick back and strike up a natter over a steaming bowl of tom yum.

Zen Theatre has comfortable seating arrangement to make your movie watching experience memorable.

The mezzanine floor is dedicated to Eastern and Western philosophers, writers and icons -- from Tagore to Freud. You can meander with your cup of basil tea and if you fancy, step out and enjoy the cityscape from the rooftop.

Digital display boards flash words and sayings -- covering spirituality, trivia and humour. Every drink comes with a disposable coaster with an intriguing axiom. Kozmo Wisdom Café promotes the free flow of information and knowledge, and wants its clients to make the most of their time at the establishment. It's fun and frolic meeting awareness halfway.

With that particular intention (sharing knowledge) in mind, Hafiz has put up a book corner at the outlet. Put a book in and borrow one -- all in good faith.

Coming back to gastronomic delights: Kozmo Wisdom has a Soup & Sandwich Corner that allows you to make your own sandwich.

By Karim Waheed
Photo: Arif Hafiz

Source: Daily Star

CapriCorn's World

Tucked away in the far corner of the floor CapriCorn's World is not what you would expect a food joint at Bashundhara to be. Sprawling over a 12000 square feet area on Level 8 Capricorn's offers a more than pleasant change if you want an appealing environment to dine in.

It boasts a menu consisting of over 300 items. The items belong to different segments of the joint with sandwiches, smoothies, shakes and ice-cream from Movenpick is available at the coffee bar. The seating arrangements beside the coffee bar include coffee tables with day-light flooding in setting a pleasant atmosphere for reading your newspaper or working on your laptop while sipping a cup of tea.

You can avail your main course from 35 different combos consisting of chicken, beef and fish, naan and rice based meals. Apart from that burgers, hot dogs and the likes are also available if you are in the mood for a light meal.

At its entrance CapriCorn's also has a bakery corner where a range of bread, cakes and pastries are available. One can also order desired cakes here.

What sets this place apart is the fact that it has been designed to not only serve to your palate but, also to entertain you. It is equipped with a 23-feet LED screen for the entertainment of visitors and at the far end of the premises is the arcade area with numerous games for children and teenagers alike. And It does not end there! On visiting the place you will also find a gift shop and a chocolate corner sporting all your favourite chocolates.

Well thought out and beautifully designed CapriCorn's is a must-visit with your family and friends. It was inaugurated on the 27 October, 2011.

By Karishma Ameen

Source: The Daily Star

Mélange : for coffee, conversations and more

Cafes and lounges are the new genre restaurants which have become pretty popular in Dhaka in recent times. These places are totally different in terms of their décor and dining. As these places are casual yet stylish, the young crowd opts for these restaurants when it comes to their meets or parties. Most of the city neighbourhoods now have at least one café, if not more, that is the place for the local teens to meet.

Mélange is a new café that debuted in Dhaka only this June. Nestled in a cosy corner in Banani Rd. 24, it is a place for good times with good food. The food is a fusion of the main cuisines from around the world. There is a little bit of this coupled with a little bit of that, that fills up their menu.

The appetisers are mainly an assortment of rolls, satays, and salads. Soups are followed by main dishes. Steaks, Grills and Seafood are the main ingredients that make up the prime dishes at Mélange. Rice, Noodles, Curry and Veg Dishes are the regular items which comes along with their other delicious dishes. Chicken Taco, Chicken Quesadilla, Black Pepper Chicken---- these are a few of their specialities. The beverage section of the menu is pretty rich, with a variety of colas and punches. Different flavors of tea, like mint, cinnamon, lemon, masala, peach, ginger etc. coupled with equally varied coffee flavours makes it quite an array of hot and cold drinks. The Punches and Shakes come in lot of flavours, which is a real favourite of the young crowd. Smoothies and the regular soft drinks complete the very varied and tempting Drinks segment of the menu.

Mélange has one dining hall, along with a number of small cubicles, where one can go in for their own tete-a-tat. These are Allure, a place done up with a trendy theme. The next one is Labnani, which has a sort of Oriental touch to it. This is a cosy little nook, where 20 guests can lounge around under a starry sky. Yes! This segment has a canopied roof, which is beautifully lit with little starry lights,that adds a magical glow to the place. Maracus, at the end of the corridor is the place to be when one is at Mélange. One feels like one has stepped into the eras of the regalia, when sequined canopies and curtains and cushions adorned the interiors. This dimly-lit dining segment is the stellar attraction of the place, as it really emanates an aura of a different time-zone.

Mélange has an accommodation of around 100 guests, the main dining hall , Honeycomb being able to seat around 40 guests. This place is a non-smoking zone. The entire place is done up with different themes for each of its sections. Like the fusion in food, the interior is also a mosaic of different styles and trends.
Mélange is open from 12 noon till 11 in the evening. It is in Rd 24, Block K, Banani, (Tel: 0175-969-5578), at the corner of the Banani Playground, just off Kemal Ataturk Avenue. For a place, which is a little different in terms of food and décor, where one can relish both the features and enjoy every moment of it Mélange is the place, as it offers coffee, conversation and more.

Source: Bangladesh Monitor

Pan Tao : For authentic Thai cuisine

Thai cuisine has been dominating the international culinary scene for decades. Bangladesh is no exception, although authentic Thai food has stepped in only in recent times. Since Chinese is the most popular non-local cuisine here, very few restaurants have dared to venture with only Thai cuisine. Pan Tao is one of those very few pla-ces in Dhaka and the most recent one to offer authentic Thai food.
Pan Tao opened only in October this year. Having an accommodation for aro-und 90 guests, it is a nice and cosy place for relishing the real taste of Thai food.

As it says in the menu, for Thais, meals are informal affairs involving families and friends, sharing a variety of dishes. A typical Thai meal centres around rice, with many accompaniments, which are served throughout the meal.

Appetizer, soup, salad are the main entrée's, here at Pan Tao. Crab, Prawn and Squid are some of the main dishes, so are Chicken, Beef and Duck. Each item has the Thai name tagged along it. Steamed Fish in Hot Pot, Chicken/Prawn with Special Curry Steamed in Banana Leaf. Grilled Whole Chicken with Sticky Rice_ these are a few of its special dishes.

The dessert segment is rich with ice creams, cakes and puddings. One can also taste typical Thai desserts like Sticky Rice with Mango, Sago with Fruit and Coconut Milk. These are truly Thai and has unique taste and flavour attached to these.

The Pan Tao menu is a treat itself, not because of its delicious dishes, but the facts stated at the beginning of the menu. Thai cooking is an essential combination of all the five fundamental tastes (hot, sweet, sour, salty and bitter).

These unique tastes are brought about by using some typical Thai ingredients and spices, which are now pretty common in many parts of the world. Basil leaf, Chili, Tamarind, Co-conut are some of the common ingredients while Kaffir Lime, Galangal, Green Egg-plant are the unusual yet typical Thai ingredients which produces tasty Thai dishes. The Pan Tao menu has a brief graphic description, some of the common but essential Thai ingredients which definitely spice up both the menu and the appetite. It is indeed quite a treat to know about these taste makers, for which the restaurant deserves a hearty thanks from its valued clients.

Pan Tao is in Road 12, Banani, just near to Prescription Point (a health care centre). It is indeed a stylish dine-out, perfectly done up with orchids and typical Thai glass wares_ so that the entire place looks and feels very Thai. It is open for lunch and dinner, where one can have a taste of real Thai cuisine.

_Asma Ali

Source: Bangladesh Monitor

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2011/2011_12_31/content_zoom/2011_12_31_29_4_b.jpg

Source: Independent

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2012/2012_01_07/content_zoom/2012_01_07_29_8_b.jpg

Source: The Independent

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2012/2012_01_21/content_zoom/2012_01_21_29_2_b.jpg

Source: The Independent

Source: The Independent
^^
Very Nice....

Looks like authentic Mexican fare to me. However a Quesadilla is simply a nice burrito covered with melted cheese (of the spicy jalapeno variety). The word 'queso' means cheese. If they named the restaurant after this food -- their quesadilla better be really good.

^^
Very Nice....

Looks like authentic Mexican fare to me. However a Quesadilla is simply a nice burrito covered with melted cheese (of the spicy jalapeno variety). The word 'queso' means cheese. If they named the restaurant after this food -- their quesadilla better be really good.

From my experiences in Central America (was there for 3 yrs), a quesadilla is a flat fried or baked tortilla (atta rooti) with cheese. Sometimes other things are added like chicken or pork.

Here's what a quesadilla looks like:http://mexicanfoodrecipes.us/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/cheese-quesadilla.jpg

While a burrito is a rolled tortilla with rice and beans, chicken other things inside.

Here's what a burrito looks like: http://www.tacotimenw.com/Images/menuitems/classic-burrito.png

This is the second authentic Mexican restaurant in Dhaka after El Toro's fame.

Oh! Calcutta?

I meant, Oh really? An 'Oh! Calcutta' in Dhaka? Hmmmm. Or to make a total Hing-Aloor-Dom of an explanation for my title: I meant, may I plead naïve ignorance for asking, what is an Indian chain restaurant doing in Dhaka? A restaurant, I hasten to add, that I really like. But, here in Dhaka?

Perhaps it is the paucity of my imagination, but why can't I visualise the reverse: perhaps a restaurant named 'Oh! Dhaka' in Delhi, or a 'Kosturi' in Kolkata? Maybe there are Bangladeshi enterprises, shops and restaurants flourishing in India. I just don't know about them, and would love to be enlightened on this.

But hey, let us start afresh. This article is meant to be an appreciation of a fairly recently opened restaurant in Dhaka offering a cuisine that is Bengali and familiar, yet different and exotic at the same time.

Two months ago, while passing through Dhaka, I had the pleasure of being taken by a friend to the 'Oh! Calcutta' restaurant, which, in a generic sense, was not unfamiliar to me. I had been to their Delhi branch a few years ago, though never to the original Kolkata eatery. So, I knew that an 'Oh! Calcutta' experience meant a taste of authentic 'Opaar Bangla' or Calcatian food, combined with the culinary legacy of other ethnic and cultural groups that had drifted into the gastronomic orbit of this colonial and cosmopolitan megacity of Poshchim Bongo.

I wanted to revisit some of the dishes that were part of the menu of the 'Oh! Calcutta' at Nehru Place in Delhi, especially the Railway Chicken curry. The whole idea of partaking of food flavoured with any kind of history, colonial in the case of the Railway curry, is something that appeals to me. I also recalled the evocative way each dish was described in the Delhi menu. I had salivating memories of their Aam Kashondi Kakra (Crabmeat cooked in a mango-flavoured mustard gravy with young ginger); the Mocha chop (Banana flower croquettes); the Daab-Chingri (prawns in green coconut cream curry) rounded off with an Attar Payesh (custard-apple milk pudding).

We took the lift up to the Dhaka branch in Banani, (Road 11, House number 49) and got off at the sixth floor. Upon entering the restaurant, I noticed that it was not as elegant as the Delhi one, but welcoming and cosy. The service, however, was amazing. Courteous and personalised attention by the staff, who gently and smilingly guided us through the ordering process, and the quality of the food, convinced me to make a second visit.

Both times I was impressed by the variety and uniqueness of the food. I was surprised that quite a few of our friends had been negative about the restaurant and discouraged me from the place, saying the food was too 'everyday' or 'too sweet' given the alleged propensity of West Bengalis for adding a pinch of sugar to every dish.

However, our experience was a delight. Perhaps we ordered the right food, but I found each dish subtle yet aromatic, or spicy yet balanced. Most dishes were mouth-watering and beautifully presented; but a few were absolutely outstanding.

Of these, I would mention the Gondhoraj Bhetki, tender white fish scented with a flowery lime. I could have eaten just that. Unfortunately, we had gone a little crazy and headily ordered too many things. Still, among the food and drink I recall most vividly on both my visits, I would highly recommend the following: starting the meal with either the Daabka (a sort of virgin Mojito drink of green coconut juice and mint) or the Aam Pora shorbot (Green mango drink); then moving to a starter of the Chana Koraishutir chop (cottage cheese and peas croquettes) and the Gondhoraj Bhetki; then on to the main course, which could be any or all of the following: Luchi with Jhinge Aloo Posto (ridge gourd and potatoes with poppy seeds); plain rice with Anarosh Ilish (Hilsa fish and pineapple); or Bhapa Dhonepata Ilish (Hilsa steamed in banana leaf with coriander leaves) or Kakra-Chingri Bhapa (Crabmeat and shrimps steamed with mustard and green chillies). The Kosha Mangsho was delicious too, though not unique (and shouldn't it be Koshano Mangsho?).

The desserts we tried were excellent: both the Bhapa Shondesh and the Daaber Shondesh were dabs of pure sin on a bed of green banana leaf; and the Malpoa, a delicate crepe in syrup with a piquant pinch of black pepper and fennel in the batter. The Lichur Payesh or milk pudding of lychees is also a delectable ending to a meal to remember.

At least both my meals were memorable, and the courtesy of the staff in patiently helping us choose the perfect combination from a poetic menu, made our dining experience truly an exclamatory one: Oh! Yes! Calcutta.

By Neeman Sobhan
Source: Daily Star's Lifestyle supplement

From my experiences in Central America (was there for 3 yrs), a quesadilla is a flat fried or baked tortilla (atta rooti) with cheese. Sometimes other things are added like chicken or pork.

.............

This is the second authentic Mexican restaurant in Dhaka after El Toro's fame.

If Mexican food is popular or gaining popularity in Bangladesh, I wonder my Transcom isn't opening any Taco Bell. As I understand they do hold the franchise license for it.

If Mexican food is popular or gaining popularity in Bangladesh, I wonder my Transcom isn't opening any Taco Bell. As I understand they do hold the franchise license for it.

Mohammed Foods and Allied Pvt Ltd, Transcom, MGH Group, Opex and Sinha and CP Group brought foreign restaurants to BD. Taco Bell, I'm guessing, is not opening because of the scarcity and high cost of beef? And honestly, its pretty bad food.

Mohammed Foods and Allied Pvt Ltd, Transcom, MGH Group and CP Group brought foreign restaurants to BD. Taco Bell, I'm guessing, is not opening because of the scarcity and high cost of beef? And honestly, its pretty bad food.

Well, KFC and Pizza Hut are not purveyors of haute cuisine, either. For a discriminating and health conscious person, Taco Bell, is a lesser evil, as one can find some vegetarian, yet nutritious meals, considering their generous use of rice and beans.

The very concept of western style fast food gets turned on its head, as the same run of the mill restaurants in foreign lands, are neither fast nor cheap. The novelty of these places must be so great that Dhaka folks appear not to get enough of them.

If Mexican food is popular or gaining popularity in Bangladesh, I wonder my Transcom isn't opening any Taco Bell. As I understand they do hold the franchise license for it.

Taco Bell is pretty cheap and I know many bangalis who like it..so i think transom will end up bringing it to bd once its done opening as many pizza huts and kfcs it can...or maybe even sooner!

If Mexican food is popular or gaining popularity in Bangladesh, I wonder my Transcom isn't opening any Taco Bell. As I understand they do hold the franchise license for it.

Taco Bell barely exists outside the US. Australia doesnt have one even though Mexican food is quite popular there. I've heard Taco Bell doesnt exist Mexico either. Its a horrible bastardized form of Mexican food tbh.

Taco Bell barely exists outside the US. Australia doesnt have one even though Mexican food is quite popular there. I've heard Taco Bell doesnt exist Mexico either. Its a horrible bastardized form of Mexican food tbh.

I have to agree -- Taco Bell has spawned lots of jokes.

In any case, healthy Mexican is a bit upscale.

'El Pollo Loco (http://www.elpolloloco.com/default.aspx)' (The crazy Chicken) is a local favorite with office workers. I think the basics are there and there is no need to pay a Mexican franchise outfit to get good Mexican food in Dhaka. Just start your own franchise by hiring a few ex-managers from El Pollo Loco. Franchising is a bad idea in an unknown place like Dhaka anyway.

http://www.edailystar.com/contents/2012/2012_01_27/content_zoom/2012_01_27_23_7_b.jpg

This brings the total to 4, Barista Lavazza outlets in Dhaka.

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/contents/2012/2012_01_28/content_zoom/2012_01_28_29_11_b.jpg

Cream & Fudge Factory launches six new creations
-A Monitor Report

Dhaka: The Cream & Fudge Factory launched six new creations at its Banani outlet on January 30. Television personalities Toukir Ahmed and Bipasha Hayat introduced the brand new mouth watering creations besides the existing 23 signature items already on the menu.
With these additional six creations, which are priced at Tk 175, their guests will have a wider assortment of creations from which they can choose.
ICE Retail initiative's ice cream stores have a unique concept. The customer selects their favourite flavours and the ice cream presented to them in their choice of mix-ins of nuts, fruits, candies and fudge.
In addition to allowing customers to create their own combinations, The Cream and Fudge Factory has a menu of proprietary and innovative creations made at the stores for customers to enjoy fresh.
Along with these one-of-a-kind ice cream creations they also serve creamy milkshakes and a variety of the finest quality coffee.
The Cream & Fudge Factory, Bangladesh launched its flagship store at Banani on March 12, 2011. Ever since its launch, Dhaka ice cream lovers have come from all parts of the city to indulge in its superior quality ice cream and innovative creations.
The response from their guests has been overwhelming and the high demand urged them to open a second outlet on the October 23, 2011 at New Bailey Road.
They plan on opening their third and fourth store this year at locations such as Uttara and Dhanmondi.

Source: Bangladesh Monitor

Pasta and pizza at Don Giovanni

Pizzas and pastas have become very popular among the local food lovers in the last few years. This is mainly because these have different tastes and flavours, which are alien to our local cuisine. Many restaurants in Dhaka now have these in their menu. Also there are some restaurants in Dhaka which have only Italian menu, centering on these favourites. Don Giovanni is one such place which serves Italian food along with Continental cuisine.
Don Giovanni opened only a few months back, rather reopened. Earlier, they were at a different address. Now they have moved further south towards Gulshan-1. The menu is as varied as the old one.
There are more than a dozen varieties of pizzas to choose from, starting from Margherita, Mexican Hot, to Hawaii and Oriental Hot and Bolognese. There is also Stagioni, which has three different toppings in three different segments. Bruchetta, Fried Cheese, Garlic Bread are some of their tasty appetizers.
Along with different preparations of spaghetti and macaroni, Don Giovanni prepares its own pasta everyday like Ravioli, Gnocchi, Tortelloni, Canelloni etc. These are again served with cheese, vegetables, meat sauce, as per the guests requirement. Squid, Sole, Shrimp dominate the fish segment of the menu. Chicken, beef and vegetables have a number of preparations to choose from.
Amongst the few selected desserts in the dessert section, there is Tiramisu---the classic Italian mousse cake. Also crepes, ice creams and mousse are there, being equally tempting.
Don Giovanni is open from 11:30 am till 11pm. Even if it is not for a meal, one can step in for a delicious pizza or a bowlful of piping hot pasta anytime during their working hours. The place is spacious and open. This allows a lot of light to flow around.
Around 120 guests can be accommodated throughout the two-storied restaurant. The top floor has a smoking zone at the balcony. There are also two private rooms there, where small private parties can be held.
Don Giovanni is in Road-123, Gulshan-1, at the last corner of the road that has South East Bank at its first corner. It is a wonderful place for parties and get-togethers, where one can also ask for take-aways and free home deliveries.
-Asma Ali

Source: Bangladesh Monitor

Note the edited Cafe Italiano post above.

http://www.edailystar.com/contents/2012/2012_01_27/content_zoom/2012_01_27_23_7_b.jpg
MG]

One more place to hang out at banani road no 11!:cheers:

With so many restaurants,
,Sheesha lounges,cafes & boutique stores coming up at road 11 every now and then,I kinda feel that banani 11 will be become dhakas most happening and entertaining street,like they have "Jalan alor" in kuala lumpur," JBR Walk" in Dubai.Besides,we also have "23" Commercial Towers coming up by this road no 11,so there will be a lot of space available for more recreational venues to pop up!

Taco Bell barely exists outside the US. Australia doesnt have one even though Mexican food is quite popular there. I've heard Taco Bell doesnt exist Mexico either. Its a horrible bastardized form of Mexican food tbh.

Since when did Dhaka become such a hip city, that all the named and famed food vendors would be flocking to it? I merely asked about TB since it is part of the Yum Foods franchise and appears to have become popular in India. Add to that Mexican cuisine's own popularity among Dhaka folks. I would not expect people with discriminating palates to frequent any fast food joints, at all. Yet Dhakaites cannot seem to get enough of KFC and Pizza Hut!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/industries/yum-brands-predicts-another-round-of-restaurant-expansion-overseas-turnaround-at-taco-bell/2012/02/07/gIQAgoPZwQ_story.html

I have to agree -- Taco Bell has spawned lots of jokes.

In any case, healthy Mexican is a bit upscale.

'El Pollo Loco (http://www.elpolloloco.com/default.aspx)' (The crazy Chicken) is a local favorite with office workers. I think the basics are there and there is no need to pay a Mexican franchise outfit to get good Mexican food in Dhaka. Just start your own franchise by hiring a few ex-managers from El Pollo Loco. Franchising is a bad idea in an unknown place like Dhaka anyway.

I know Mexican food is the most popular and favorite of many, and more so in the west and south west of US, it is my least favorite. As you are probably aware, Detroit has a very large Mexican community with its own Mexican Town (aka Mexican Village). Whenever I go there for an occasional lunch (close to my office), I cannot help but marvel at the amount of meat being consumed by most patrons.

Thai cuisine @ Sawasdee

Sawasdee @ The 8, House 24, Road 2, Gulshan 1
The 8 launched its first Pan Asian Menu on 14 February, 2010. They are now glad to announce the launch of their new Thai restaurant 'Sawasdee'.

The menu has been crafted by Thai Chef Luam. In order to accommodate this cuisine, they have reverted to family style serving portions. The individually plated dishes of their original menu can still be found under the Chef's Specials. Chef Luam will also be updating these items from time to time, in keeping with our tradition of changing the menu seasonally. On the occasion of Valentine's and its launch, Sawasdee will be offering 15 percent discount only to Lifestyle readers from 14 - 20 February. Just bring along a copy of Star Lifestyle to avail this special discount.

For reservations please call: 9892458 or 01927558888.

Khazana's newest treasures

Of candles, balloons and flowers
This Valentine's, Khazana has arranged special buffet lunch and dinner at Tk.999 ++, starting with a complimentary and enchanting mocktail they call, Lovers Delight. Being in sync with the mood, the interior will be decorated with candles, balloons and flowers. If you are still thinking which place to go today, then pick up the phone and dial 8826127, 8821965 or 01711476379 to make reservations.

Kebabs legendary
Right after the day of Valentine's, from 15 February that is, Khazana will start a Kebab & Paratha Festival. With an extensive mouthwatering plethora of kebabs and parathas, the extraordinary gastronomic event will present the authentic taste of legendary kebabs and Indian breads from in-house chefs Gajendra Singh and Kamal Waris.

This time around, the kebabs will be cooked not only in tandoor (clay oven) but also in tawa and stone.

Moreover, there will be special kebabs for the vegetarians too. Some of the kebabs that will be served at the festival include chelo kebab, angoori jheenga, bhutta kebab etc. A complimentary Coke will be served; Coca Cola is the beverage partner of the festival. The fiesta will take place from 15 February to 21 February, 2012.

Sweet story
After the immense success of Khazana Mithai in Gulshan, another outlet of Khazana Mithai has opened in Uttara: Zahsan Plaza, House #1, Road #1, Sector #1.

Avishek Sinha, the director of operations of Khazana Mithai Ltd said, “We have successfully served our guests in Gulshan with our sweets and service and now we will also cater to all the corporate and social events needs of Uttara guests. Special 'dalas' and packaging experts are there to fulfill customer needs.”

Some of the specialties of Khazana Mithai include Motichur-ke-Laddu, Kaju Barfi, Soan Papri, Rasmalai, Chamcham, Gulab Jamun, Chanar Payesh and many more.

By M H Haider

What happened to all the shisha places? Even Regency stopped serving them. Anyone knows of any good shisha place?

the moral code of society stopped them

the moral code of society stopped them

What does that mean (what do you mean by that)?

As a staunch anti smoking person, I frown upon anything that has to do with smoking however, I fail to see what moral code clashes with shisha lounges?

What does that mean (what do you mean by that)?

As a staunch anti smoking person, I frown upon anything that has to do with smoking however, I fail to see what moral code clashes with shisha lounges?
because parties from sexes socialize there in an anti bengali way and indulge in so called "oshamjik bebhohar"

because parties from sexes socialize there in an anti bengali way and indulge in so called "oshamjik bebhohar"

What's so special about a hooka lounge that give rise to such issues? People don't get high from tobacco, do they?

What's so special about a hooka lounge that give rise to such issues? People don't get high from tobacco, do they?
you have kids making out cuddling and stuff like that which is so not bengali

you have kids making out cuddling and stuff like that which is so not bengali

Come on! It is 2012, for crying out loud! Is that a good enough reason to shut them down? Is Bangladesh turning into a Taliban country? So, an establishment has to cease to exist for the inadequacies of adults who own/run it? Would it be a task so insurmountable, not to allow kids, or for that matter nobody under 18/21 into such places of entertainment? Do they not screen adults only movies in the cinemas? Are they aware of what goes on in the dark, inside a movie theater? So, would the cinema halls be next in the list?

^^ I heard that some shisha places also served certain drugs, and that may have led to their closure.

Yea, someone also told me about the drug issues. This is absolutely annoying because there are certain kids who tries to emulate the West (only the absolute worst things) and brings down everyone else with them. I am new to Bangladesh, growing up in the US I have almost no knowledge of Bangladesh. However, the trend I am seeing here annoys the hell out of me.

^^ I heard that some shisha places also served certain drugs, and that may have led to their closure.

Well then, those that did ought to be prosecuted. Why just shut them down or prevent any new ones to open?

It will never work because the children of eminent businessmen, politicians and MP's are the ones who use these hookah bars, some probably own them and their parents try to enact these lockdowns and protests against hookah.

because parties from sexes socialize there in an anti bengali way and indulge in so called "oshamjik bebhohar"

This is an absolutely ridiculous view. Bangladesh was founded as a free country where individual freedoms and liberty were gauranteed. And also there is nothing anti bengali in smoking shisha or indeed the other "sins" you qouted such as making out. Bengali isn't some endangered culture that it needs to be protected by law. It is a large dynamic everchanging society that is constanting developing and evolving.

The culture that young bengalis have today is indeed different from the ones that their parents followed but that does not make it anti bengali in anyway because the culture those very same parents followed is different from their parents still. We shouldn't stop society from growing, developing and adapting to the times just because some people are too narrow minded and are afraid of new things. When you try to control culture, all you end up doing is stagnating all of society. And if we stagnate we will never succeed as a nation. Sure shisha sounds like a small thing, but it sets a precedent that government can tell people what they can or can't do and is against the founding principles of the nation.

you have kids making out cuddling and stuff like that which is so not bengali

Actually according to them its anti-Islamic hence "anti-Bengali"

However, the trend I am seeing here annoys the hell out of me.

What trend? Theres not much to do in Bangladesh and alcohol is difficult to get hold off and expensive hence the drugs!

Spaghetti Jazz

For all its tradition, the newly relocated Spaghetti Jazz must at least be given credit for keeping up its classic menu and maintaining the title of being one of the oldest Italian restaurants in Dhaka.

Though it moved just a few minutes' walk away from its original location that it held for over 18 years, loyal customers will miss its old-school style that used to include photographic decorations of music and jazz right as you entered the cozy spot. If you do manage to find the place (on the Gulshan 2 circle on the side of the lighting stores, find narrow alley and go up the elevator), enlarged photos of Jazz musicians and red/pink painted walls will greet you when you enter, with new, large scale murals occupying the walls around the dining area. The ideal place to dine would be near their ceiling to floor window from which you can view the commercial landmark that is Gulshan 2 Circle. It remains one of the few restaurants in town that has avoided the too-bright fluorescent lighting and kept the candle light theme.

Though the restaurant emphasizes 'authentic Italian', its menu seems to keep it safe, with uncomplicated 'comfort' food. With a selection of breads, appetizers, simple homemade pastas and proteins to of course, pizzas, the menu will not be too unfamiliar to the basic pallette.

Along with mocktails with titles like Strawberry Kiss, beginning with a soup or a traditional appetizer is a start. We decided to try the all classic garlic bread, which turned out to be not so much bread but essentially a basket of thin, pizza-like crust with a strong garlic base, crunchy enough to taste the layer of cheese and butter. It pairs well with their (maybe too basic) sauce-based pasta dishes such as the Tagile Telle Penna which comes in a piping hot bowl in which the homemade pasta rests in a bed of warm white cream sauce with pieces of chicken and mushroom.


For the carnivore, the roast beef with brown sauce or the pepper steak are good choices, with its combination of Italian and local influences. The earthy flavor in the chicken with aubergine cheese also keeps up with the comfort food theme. Pesce Alla Siciliane is a fish dish cooked Sicilian style with tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and oregano that can go with their selected few vegetable options, such as the croquette potatoes (which turned out are just a fancier versions of a boiled potato).

If you want brick-oven baked pizza, the Jazz is apparently the customer favourite. The thin crust comes with tomatoes, shrimp, cheese, eggs, anchovies, capers, and garlic, any one of which can be replaced with the likes of corn, onions, or peppers. However, if you enjoy flavour, we recommend keeping the jar of pepper flakes and parmesan cheese close by.

Unlike many restaurants in Dhaka, Spaghetti Jazz has an actual dessert menu. The sweet-tooth in all of us must leave a bit of room with choices like crepes, chocolate mousse, to panna cotta with chocolate sauce on the menu, all around 400 taka.

As for service, Spaghetti Jazz is one of the very few restaurants in the city where you will see female servers uniformed in white crown-headpiece to fit the atmosphere. This was certainly a nice change in an industry dominated by men. That aside, while the waiters could be a bit more assertive, don't turn to them to ask for recommendations off the menu. You are on your own on this one.

Though the Italian long-time favourite has moved from its original home, loyal customers will be met with the same menu and jazz musical background. Our rating: 3/5

By Olinda Hassan
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed
Source: Daily Star Lifestyle