Luxe Retreat

Finca Cortesin Hotel Golf & Spa, Spain

It is all about cool calmness at Finca Cortesín, an Andalusian idyll where jasmine and roses scent the air. In the foothills of the Sierra Bermeja, between Marbella and Sotogrande, this is the Costa del Sol without the glitz but with a lot of understated glamour. Set in a vast estate with one of the best golf courses in Spain, a superb spa and exquisite Mediterranean food, it is actually less than a decade old but looks like a traditional country house, thanks to the renowned interior designer Duarte Pinto Coelho, who sourced antiques from Spain, Portugal, Morocco and beyond. There are 67 suites and villas with four bedrooms, all with plenty of space and peace. From the moment guests arrive, they sense that everything will be taken care of as they sink into a chair in the shade of an ancient olive tree or dive into one of the pools.

Table To Book

BabaMoo

Located at Nishat Commercial, BabaMoo is just a month old cozy space and is functioning with the sole aim of providing comfort food to Karachiites. You will find potato and cheese as the key ingredients in almost the entire menu which the team is slowly but surely expanding. Playing with their theme, the chef has come up with eccentric gastronomical treats like candied apple donut and grilled cheese with vanilla glaze. Not having a sweet tooth, I started with crab cigars with roasted garlic and balsamic dip. The thinly juliened crab meat is encased in Chinese spinach, sprinkled with crushed red chilli and wrapped in a thin sheet which is fried to perfection – crisp golden and hardly oily. These cigars are light and delicious, escpecially with the dip which has a strong garlic flavour to it. Fried mac ‘n’ cheese balls were next to be served. The breadcrumb coating was so crisp and tasty and it was amazing how soft these were; the knife just sank in as I tried to cut one open. Inside filling is al dente ebow macronis engulfed in cheesy goodness. The balls were served with buffalo sauce that has a sour kick to it. Personally, I enjoyed them more with the roasted garlic dip. How can a comfort meal be complete without one indulging in some good old-fashioned mac ‘n’ cheese? At BabaMoo, you get a healthy serving of macronis tossed in a blend of mozerella, cheddar and parmasan cheese along with sun dried tomatoes and sprinkled with toasted breadcrumbs, served with different sides. I went for Texas chilli, a mix of saucy minced beef and beans. For someone who is a fon of cheesy food, the serving might do a lot on its own too, but for me, the elements worked the best when combined. The cheesiness of macronis and the sauciness of the beef just enhanced the flavours together. Their bestseller, Jacket potato is a must-try. The enormous-sized baked potato comes with loads of options of protein, sauces and different toppings that you can choose to customise your sizzler. From the ones that I picked, caramelised onions and creamed spinach toppings plus wasabi mayo and cilantro and chilli sauces are worth mentioning. They surely turned the well-baked potato into a treat, though their salsa could be a bit chunkier and stronger in flavours. Our verdict? BabaMoo is the place to go on one of your cheat days! – Sidra S. Khan

What’s in the menu?

Sushi

Sushi is a Japanese dish of specially prepared vinegared rice, usually with some sugar and salt, combined with a variety of ingredients, such as seafood, vegetables, and occasionally tropical fruits. Styles of sushi and its presentation vary widely, but the key ingredient is sushi rice. Some non-traditonal varieties of the dish also use brown rice calamari, and imitation crab meat while many others are vegetarian. Sushi is often served with pickled ginger, wasabi (not to be confused with horseradish paste), and soy sauce. Daikon radish is also popular as a garnish. Sushi is sometimes confused with sashimi, a related Japanese dish consisting of thinly sliced fish, or occasionally meat, and an optional serving of rice. The former originates in a Southeast Asian dish stored in fermented rice for possibly months at a time. The lacto-fermentation of the rice prevented the fish from spoiling; the rice would be discarded before consumption of the fish.