"Leiths-trained chef Aida Khan hosted a television travel show in Pakistan that took her across the country documenting the regional breadth of Pakistan’s culinary repertoire before relocating to London to start a series of supper clubs. Her first restaurant Shola Karachi Kitchen aims to showcase how Pakistani food can be both nutritious and hearty. There are no unctuous curries on the menu, yet the flavours and preparation is rooted in traditional cooking techniques. The charcoal grilled lamb shoulder, with hints of pepper and cinnamon has the requisite level of pleasing smokiness. The chicken karahi, a staple on Pakistani dining tables that requires honing in on the ratio of ginger, garlic, and tomato to create the right balance is very well executed at Shola. The tangy khatti daal and tamatar ka cut — dishes that are typically found in home kitchens of Hyderabadi families in Karachi — are an ode to the city’s cosmopolitan nature and its diversity of immigrant cuisines. Go for the food but stay for the inviting pastel interiors and a memorable playlist that alternates between evergreen ghazals and 90s Pakistani pop music. Serves alcohol." - Rida Bilgrami
