Last week, I brought to you, the story of two friends, Kamil and Sikander, who came together to open a health food cafe in Karachi. I was already a big fan of their crunchy, delicious salads that were available at Agha’s back in 2016. So once ‘Evergreen’ opened its doors to the world in September 2017, FUCHSIA decided to review the food and let you in on the ‘green’ secret. It was a sunny afternoon with sunlight streaming through the windows, complimenting the subtle yellow lighting and hanging lamps; creating a soothing ambience. Both owners were present, ensuring that all the customers were satisfied with their meals.
I decided to order an array of items off the menu and here are a few bites from my ‘Food experience’ at Evergreen: The Health Food Cafe.
Soups and Snacks
The Pumpkin Soup with Ricotta is Sikander’s family recipe. The soup is the perfect blend of roasted pumpkin seeds and homemade ricotta. It’s served with a slice of lemon, which adds a tanginess, enhancing the taste of the delicious pumpkin soup. This soup was a winner! I’m not a pumpk lover but I loved eating this.
Price: PKR 340
The Rainbow Hummus is probably the best hummus I’ve had in Karachi. The Beetroot and Ricotta dip was exquisite (even though I’m not a fan of beetroot), and the spicy Carrot Dip was another zesty treat for the taste buds. Despite the unique blend of flavors, they all worked well together. The whole-wheat pita strips and crudités partnered the hummus perfectly.
Price: PKR. 370
Beef Chimichurri bites are perfectly sliced pieces of beef, layered over lightly toasted fresh ciabatta with lemon parsley and homemade chimichurri sauce. This was pretty good but personally, I’m not a fan of beef so it wasn’t my favourite item. The beef was juicy and tender, and the toasted ciabatta added the perfect crunch to it. The Chimichurri Sauce was exquisite though and all beef lovers should try this appetizer.
Price: PKR.460
From the Salad Bar
I ordered a trio of salads from the eight on the menu. My favourite out of the three was the Date and Orange Salad. The fresh, crispy mixed greens, served with oranges, pears and an orange-fennel dressing was heaven in a bowl. The tangy, exotic flavour was a winner!
Date and Orange Salad: PKR. 590
My least favourite was the Roasted Cherry Tomato Salad, as I don’t particularly like cherry tomatoes. But for those who like roasted cherry tomatoes, baby mustard greens, aubergine, zucchini, olives, mint and parsley, you should try this.
Roasted Cherry Tomato Salad: PKR. 590.
I loved the presentation with The Apple-Brie Zoodle Salad. The fresh apples, walnuts, dried cranberries and fresh mushrooms on a bed of zucchini noodles made for an appetizing blend of flavours. I wasn’t a big fan of the mustard vinaigrette that came with it – it’s probably more of an acquired taste.
Apple Brie Zoodle: PKR. 590
Super Tip no. 1: (You can split your salad bowl and choose three from the eight salads on the menu for the price of one!)
Divide and Conquer: PKR. 590
Super Tip no. 2: You can also add grilled chicken breast for PKR. 120 or grilled steak for PKR. 150 for an extra boost of protein.
Wraps
The Caesar Salad Wrap consists of a generous amount of flawlessly grilled chicken with turkey bacon and creamy Caesar sauce wrapped in the crunchiest greens. This wrap did not taste like a salad; it was juicy, filling and so fresh. The best Caesar wrap in town!
Caesar Salad Wrap: PKR. 440
Grain Bowls
Yalla Bowl is deliciousness in a bowl! If you like Arabic food, you must try this healthy bowl of chicken with couscous, fresh roasted vegetables, hummus, olive tapenade, rocket and feta cheese. Served with Tzatziki yoghurt sauce, this is an actual meal in a bowl and its very satisfying to the taste buds. It will leave you feeling full, yet, not heavy, after the meal.
Yalla Bowl: PKR.630
Lean Burgers
The Thai Beef Burger is a perfectly grilled beef patty with a zesty taste of lime leaves and lemongrass. However, this one’s not for everyone. I wasn’t a big fan of the whole-wheat bun it came in, the peanut sauce, or the mixed greens inside. I’ll go for the chicken burger next time.
Price: PKR.720
Drinks
The Coconut Milk Lassi was something everyone was raving about. It’s made with coconut milk, coconut water, a blend of homemade greek yoghurt and organic honey. There are four flavours one can choose from; mint, turmeric, cardamom and cinnamon.
I chose the mint flavour, and …I was not a fan. I ordered the cinnamon flavour next which I actually liked! I personally love coconut and everything coconut. However, this drink didn’t come up to my expectations. Liked it, didn’t love it.
Coconut Milk Lassi: PKR.290
Service
The servers knew what to recommend and were very prompt with their service. Everything I ordered from the menu was fresh, and served hot. Even with the crowd, the staff handled orders efficiently.
Ambience and Interior
The interior of the cafe is mostly green. It’s sleek, simple, yet modern. The salad bar is a part of the cafe and visible to the customers. It’s extremely appealing to look at, just like the salads themselves.
Verdict: 4/5 Stars
If you’re looking for a health food cafe, a quick, yet healthy option for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even just for snacking; Evergreen will serve you well. It’s healthy food that actually tastes good. The servings are sufficient to fill you up, but you won’t feel stuffed. Evergreen has become my new go-to place to eat in Karachi. They are also serving breakfast at 8am and I can’t wait to try it out.
I would have liked to see more options on the mains and drinks menu. Also, the Keto menu is a work in progress at the cafe. Looking forward to how that pans out in the short to medium run!
For contact details and location, please visit: Evergreen on Facebook.
