FUCHSIA Heads Over To The Karachi Street Food Festival 2018

Here’s What You Need To Know

If the first day of the first Karachi Street Food Festival could be summed up in one word, it would be ‘slow’; perhaps owing to the first day when people wait for the reviews to decide whether they want to try something new, or to the fact that this is the festival’s very first year and it needs time to build foodies’ confidence, but somehow it hasn’t managed quite yet to earn the same fervour from people as Coke Fest or Karachi Eat. I reckon the second and third day ought to be better. Held at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Park, Clifton, the food festival has plenty of stalls of different types of cuisine for you to cover. The huge park has been decorated by fairy lights; there are a couple of dance floors (just floors with disco lights though, no music around it), a life-size dart game, an odd shawl stall I spotted and a stage where the closing ceremony is supposed to be held, I’m assuming.

Lots And Lots Of Stalls Wait For You Under Open Sky Amidst Twinkling Fairy Lights

There are a few benches and some seating arrangement that was just enough on the first day but is going to be in terrible shortage if the festival manages to pull in more crowd on the remaining days. But one thing the ground was lacking and needed badly – trash cans! Let’s face it, Karachiites will probably litter either way, but in this case they are almost forced to litter because there are hardly any trash cans in sight.

Having said that, stall holders are ever so courteous and will excitedly tell you all about what they are offering if you decided to have a conversation, ask a few questions while you wait for your order to be ready. From the few stalls we managed to cover yesterday, these are the ones we really liked.

Wrappetite

Their black and red burger buns caught our attention at first sight. As soon as you enter that area, the aroma from their stall would occupy your thoughts. Made absolutely fresh right in front of you, their burgers look straight out of the Master Chef kitchen. It is not huge which is a good thing considering you want to try it but also keep room to try other stuff. We tried the one with chicken in it, which was absolutely juicy. The small amount of chilli sauce they put in there adds a good kick to the palette!

Food Fusion

Making their debut at any food festival ever, everyone’s favourite cooking video site also put up a stall with a bunch of items, of which we tried the Katori Chaat. Chana, meethi dahi, chopped onions, tomatoes and coriander, served in a bowl of paapri, topped with sev. Those who want to try the staple street food but want to keep the flavours on the lighter side should try this.

M’s Pantry

For those who can’t survive without spice in their food, their khattay aalu it is! Very sour, perfectly spicy and served with a big piece of paapri whose crunch contrasts really well with the mushiness of boiled potatoes. With a great tasting dish, you get the added bonus of a pleasant conversation with the sweetest young lady! A little tip – do keep a water bottle handy, unlike our team members who were crying rivers right from the first bite, and hence, even forgot to take a picture of the food.

Waffles Mania

Head over to this waffle station for some sweet craving post-dinner. The sweet, biscuit-ty aroma is enough to hypnotise any one who is passing by. They offer warm waffles on a stick with a number of different toppings to choose from; Nutella, sprinkles, crushed flakes among a few.

Takht-e-Chai

It is absurd to think that any gathering in Pakistan, much less a food festival, can be concluded without people enjoying some chai. Right in the middle of a section, different stalls have merged together to get the chai lovers high on their favourite drug. There are also takhts with cushions, so sipping chai with friends can feel just like home! We tried the matki chai that was served in small earthenware pots that were first cooked on coal grates. That enhanced the flavour of it beautifully – distinct to food cooked in villages where they use the same utensils.

Let us know what you tried and how you liked it!

Check out our Events Planner to find out what else is on in your city this weekend! Or get the simplest, quick and easy Chapli Kabab Recipe.   Catch Food Fusion as they talk about their stall at Karachi Food Festival!