Our top picks from Karachi Eat 2020

Karachi’s most anticipated event for foodies is finally under way, with the Karachi Eat Festival 2020 kicking off on Friday at Beach View Park. 

This year the event features more than 100 stalls, with the largest multinationals to new home-based chefs showcasing their treats for Karachiites. 

After facing criticism for their arrangements in the previous editions, it seems this year the event organisers have made changes for the better. 

When we visited Friday night, the event was crowded but getting in and out of the event was smooth and hassle-free. The organisers had put up signs and instructions to make the entry/exit smooth. 

Here are our some of our tips so that you can make the most of your experience:

Go Early 

Traffic is not a hassle during the night. To avoid spending time in long cues for food, head over at lunchtime and early afternoon to avoid the endless wait. 

Ride-hailing for the win

In order to beat the parking issues, this year we used one of the many ride-hailing apps available in the city. Despite the heavy crowds and traffic at the event, getting in and out was smooth and quicker with a cab.

Winter has come

As the beachside breeze kicks in, the venue will also get very cold! All visitors, especially those who plan to attend the event after sunset, should bundle up and be prepared for the winter chill.

Go green

Representatives from Ecopak will be at the venue offering organic plates and utensils to help reduce the environmental impact of the snacking. 

These items are sturdy and allow you to enjoy eating to your heart's content without worrying about the trash.

And here are our top food picks from Karachi Eat 2020:

Carbie

Our first pick was Carbie’s delicious burgers. The long line and eager crowds at the stall convinced us to give it a try, and we were not disappointed! The burgers were perfectly seasoned with tender meat that literally falls apart in your mouth. This was definitely one of the best burgers we’ve tried in a long time!

Crust Bros

Claiming to serve genuine Napoletana pizza from their wood-fired oven, we tried their pepperoni and cheese options. With their crispy thin crust and high-quality cheese, one gets transported straight to Italy as soon as they take the first bite of the pizza.

Happy Donuts

After trying a few savoury items we started craving something sweet and stopped by Happy Donuts. We tried their plain glazed and cheesecake-stuffed donuts and were pleasantly surprised. The doughnuts were light and airy, and not overly sweet, allowing us to binge without the bloated, sugar-shock feeling that so often accompanies desserts.

Basic

Refreshed from our dessert break, we headed over to Basic to try their much-hyped Taiwanese Fried Chicken Bao from their ingeniously converted mobile kitchen.

The Bao buns are available in spicy and non-spicy options. The non-spicy option was flavourful and balanced, with fresh chicken, a generous heaping of basil leaves bringing the oriental flavor and superb Bao buns. The in-house buns were light and fluffy, and provided the perfect texture against the crunch of the fried chicken.

Basic is also planning to venture into the catering business with their delightful food truck and prepare fresh Bao buns for events.

Burmese Bowls

Burmese Bowls are creating a stir this year with their KhowSaMosa Shot — combining a potato samosa with Khow Suey condiments and their traditional coconut curry. Seeing it at their stall, we just couldn’t help try it.

The KhowSaMosa Shot is perfect for foodies looking to try Burmese Bowls’ famous Khow Suey flavors, while keeping room in the stomach for more! Their new KhowSaMosa shot provides the perfect way to enjoy the same flavors in a single bite. Surprisingly, the combination of the samosa and coconut curry balance each other out both in terms of flavors and textures. 

The Nugget Town

Next we headed to Nugget Town, another new entrant this year offering chicken nuggets with either Mac and Cheese, or Poutine. We tried their Korean Nuggets, in a sweet and spicy Korean Sauce, over their Poutine.

While the Poutine was great, with thick and crispy fries, creamy cheese curds and a flavorful gravy, the Korean nuggets didn’t quite hit the spot. 

While the nuggets were larger than bite-sized, they did pack quite a punch with the spicy sauce. The amount of spice it had made it a bit difficult to eat the nuggets on their own, though with the heartiness of the Poutine fries absorbing much of the spice, together they worked.

Wrappeite

Next we headed over to Wrappeite and tried their Bread Pudding. Served in an earthen pot with ice cream, this warm and rich dessert was the perfect antidote to the winter chill, and our overdose of savoury foods. While it was very sweet, it was not overpoweringly so, with a good balance of flavors, and great mix of textures from the warm bread and cold ice cream.

D’OH

A fan favorite year after year, on our way out we couldn’t help but stop by D’Oh for the comforting warmth and rich flavors of their fresh churros and to try their new items, including their dessert sushi – a light and fluffy crepe wrapped around various flavors and toppings. While we skipped on their Jolly Rancher Ice Lollies because of the cold weather, the dessert sushi rolls were creative, delicious and perfect to share with bite-size pieces.

Apart from their dessert sushi roll, the churros, as always, hit the spot, with their rich taste and plentiful fillings. Freshly made, the warm churros were also perfect for the chilly and windy winter weather.