Bar B Q Tonight is one of the few Pakistani restaurants in Dhaka, and they have done a marvelous job of not only representing the underrepresented Pakistani cuisine in the city with a menu curated by a Pakistani chef, but also kept the authenticity alive in their dishes.
From the kadhai chicken and achari aloo to the daal makhni, and kandahari naan, we were blown by how familiar yet unique all their dishes were, and the Pakistani touch truly came through.
Bar B Tonight is a Pakistani brand and a franchise.“We have been open in Dubai, Singapore and Malaysia for a while, and we are working with Pakistani cuisine, particularly for the owner’s fondness for Pakistani food,” said Saiful Islam Palash, the manager.
Food
For our meal we had kadhai chicken, kandahari naan, daal makhni, and achari aloo.
The kadhai chicken was marvelous. Subtly spiced, yet had just enough flavour to keep us salivating.
The chicken and the capsicum were simmered in an utterly delicious tomato-based thickened gravy, which was rich without being overly spiced. We truly felt that that was a masterful feat to achieve.
This sauteed down chicken was moist, easily falling off the bones, making the protein the star, with the gravy being a close second.
The gravy was wonderfully subtle, yet impactful in the most comforting way, and in a way that this chicken still felt unique and familiar at the same time.
Then, we had the achari aloo, which was another heartwarming curry of potatoes and achar (pickles.)
We hoped that this potato ensemble would be comforting from the first bite, and they delivered just that.
The achar mixed in with the potatoes was like a hug on a plate. The aroma of the tangy mango pickle engulfed our senses, and the soft potatoes, generously doused in the Achari gravy left us feeling thoroughly satisfied.
The combination of the potatoes and the achaar truly hit home.
Accompanying the achari aloo and the kadhai chicken were the daal makhni and the kandahari naan.
The kandahari naan was a true surprise.
It had been a while since we had relished naan this much.
This slightly nutty, utterly flaky, warm and delicious carb fix not only went well with the rest of the dishes but also stood out on their own.
At one point, we were convinced we could easily enjoy this naan on its own, though we truly relished the naan with both the kadhai chicken and the achari aloo.
Both the kadhai chicken and the achari aloo went well with a little bit of the simple plain raita (yogurt) and the coriander chutney that they served on the side as a condiment.
The raita added a slight cold tang that came from the yogurt, while the chutney brought a strong, well seasoned hint of coriander. Wrapped in the kadahari naan, with the chicken and the aloo, they made for thoroughly delectable morsels.
The daal makhni too, was comforting, and felt almost home-made. However, our issue with it was that it was left a little too simple in comparison to the rest of the meal, it was slightly light on the flavour, and we had to add a squeeze of lemon for the umami-goodness of the slow-cooked daal makhni to truly come though.
While the consistency was maintained well, we just wish the flavour of the daal makhni itself was a little more memorable.
For dessert, we had kulfi and faluda. While the kulfi was a little too sweet for our liking, the faluda was an utter winner of a dessert.
With the mix of vermicelli, icream, roohafza, and jelly, it made for an enjoyable end to an otherwise utterly delicious meal.
The price range for a meal at Bar B Q tonight is Tk1,500 to Tk6,000 per person. All the dishes are 1:4.
Ambience
Located on Gulshan Avenue, Bar B Q Tonight is spacious and has a grand, fine-dining feel to it, with large circular lamp chandeliers. They have brown and beige seats and predominantly wooden floors and walls.
The walls are complete with vintage-style traditional framed artwork and pictures in keeping the traditional Pakistani aesthetic.
Challenges
Opened in 2017, Bar B Q Tonight is often confused with Bar B Q Tonite in Dhanmondi, Palash clarifies that they are a franchise, while the one in Dhanmondi is a Bangladeshi brand and the two are completely different.
“We are a franchise, and they are a Bangladeshi brand. If you notice, our names are also spelt differently. While we spell it ‘Tonight,’ they spell it as “Tonite,” and that is another way to avoid the confusion.
Bar B Tonight enjoys a loyal customer base. During the pandemic, they sustained through delivery service through foodpanda, according to Palash.
“We have had regular customers from the beginning, even after we changed our location from SA Tower, they made it a point to come back,” said Palash. “During the pandemic, we kept our sales going through Foodpanda,” he added.
Verdict
The kandahari naan, achari aloo, and kadhai chicken are all must-haves.
If you want to experience true Pakistani cuisine in Dhaka, head on over to Bar B Q Tonight, without a doubt in your mind.
