While the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 jolted the restaurant sector, cloud kitchens began to rapidly establish themselves as ordering-in was the only thing people could do.
IKitchen was one of those cloud kitchens born during the pandemic offering cuisines from the Middle East to Bengali food.
While they got a positive response for most, people really took to Lahori food. "We were serving a lot of other cuisines at the time, but Lahori cuisine had the best response," said Ikitchen founder Romi F Ahsan.
“The brick and mortar restaurant is a gesture of gratitude to the people who developed a taste for Lahori food,” added Romi F Ahsan.
Food
In keeping with Pakistani customs, one of their specialties is lajawab mutton nihari, a meaty stew made of mutton shank and bone marrow rich in texture but low in species.
Unlike paya, which emphasizes the bone marrow broth, nihari is a more delicate combination of rich, thick broth with slow-cooked meat as the star. The dish's taste might have been improved with a little less salt, but that was the only drawback.
This recipe will fill you up as you chow down on the rich morsels and some tawa-fried laccha paratha, but it's so good that you'll be grinning from ear to ear even if you only sip on this delicately spiced stew.
Then, when this chana masala meal is placed on the table, the brilliant reds and greens atop the mostly dark broth are a sight.
Their chana masala with puri (light unleavened whole-wheat flatbread) also has a slightly spicy scent that draws your attention. The meal really won us over with its very reviving spicy broth.
Your Lahori experience will be fully realized if you match the puris with the chana, which features dry-roasted spices, thick cream, and a strong nutty flavour.
The Nawabi plate has nine different kinds of kebabs, including the traditional chicken tikka, reshmi, malai, and boti.
Their meat selections included beef bihari, seek, and mutton gula kebabs and the Lahori-flavoured aromatic rice with a somewhat sweet texture was served around the mouth-watering kebabs.
The mutton gula kebab may have been a bit less dry, even though each kebab had its distinct texture and was superior to the others.
Pomfret, king prawns, and three varieties of Naan, including butter, garlic, and kashmiri, were also included on the king-size plate.
Even though this platter mainly consisted of kebabs, the enormous king prawn stole our hearts.
There is a true talent for subtle seasoning, which is evident in all the dishes served, and the fragrant rice is the ideal side dish for the meaty, high-protein platter.
Given our soft spot for rice over naan, we will recommend you pair your morsels with the rice.
Last but not least, among their sweet offerings is their halwa puri, another authentic dish that features the traditional pairing of puris with carrot halwa.
In contrast to the Bengali or Indian versions, the Pakistani version is an entirely smashed mush with a more robust use of Gawa ghee and badam (nuts), which is precisely what they provided.
A lunch at Lahore by IKitchen costs between Tk1,000 and Tk2,500 per person and most of their meals may be shared.
Ambience
The restaurant, tucked away on Banani 11, welcomes you with emerald green and white furnishing. There are drawings of finely adorned Mughal doors on the walls to give it a classic and ethereal touch.
On the walls are green shrubs. With the addition of a black and wooden seating arrangement outside, which is not only aesthetically pleasing but also allows the use of charcoal smoke for cooking, the view from an outdoor space becomes a true head-turner.
Challenges
This establishment, operational for four months as of January 2023, broke even within the first two.
“Thanks to our loyal consumers and their trust in us, we broke even within the first few months,” said Ahsan.
People's palates may be more acclimated to Indian or Bengali food, but it does not prevent the restaurant from maintaining the actual flavour of the cuisine they are serving.
“You must accept that 10–20% of the consumers might not enjoy or acquire a taste for the cuisine we provide,” he said.
"That occurs when you serve a dish that is not well known. But even though we know many restaurants resort to doing so since locals are more accustomed to that spice palette, we're sure to provide just Lahori food, not Indian or Bengali," he added.
Verdict
Want to experience something new while still close to the subcontinental flavours? Your ideal chance to sample Lahori food and enjoy the variety that many South Asian cuisines have is at Lahore by Ikitchen .
Their nihari and channa masala with puri are must-haves.