After opening a number of restaurants around the world, the Lebanese food chain has landed in Pakistan. With already two branches in Karachi, people of Lahore and Islamabad could also be tasting the authentic middle Eastern cuisine soon. My lunch at Paramount started with the smoothest hummus there is and a fresh puffed up pita along with Tabouleh salad which is made of finely chopped parsley, onion and tomato tossed in lemon juice, olive oil and fine wheat. I have never really understood foodies’ fascination with hummus and so, wasn’t expecting much in terms of taste. But I was surprised that I quite enjoyed all these items, especially in combination. The reason why, perhaps, even the simplest dishes taste refreshingly good is that the restaurant imports all its ingredients, from salt to oil, from Lebanon. Since this was my first time trying out this kind of cuisine, I relied heavily on the suggestions of the staff. So, I ordered Tabliya Saj Chicken Wrap – which has a filling of shredded chicken French fries and pickles. The wrap is grilled and served with fries and tahini dip. The wrap would have tasted better had it not been over-grilled. The pita was a bit charred and the chicken quite dry.

The Shishtawouk plate had such a wonderful burst of flavours, that each element came as a surprise. The chicken was well seasoned and cooked to perfection. Even though the rice were simply boiled, I could noted a hint of special aroma and taste. The garlic dip, too, was full of flavours and complemented the rice and chicken well. Do try their Lebanese lemonade; a twist on your regular lemonade with a hint of rose water. Of course, the baklava deserves a separate visit on its own!
– Sidra S. Khan