On Spot @ Des Perdes (Saddar)

It is very rare that I go to the uglier (read broken streets, too much traffic, too much pollution) of the Twin Cities for anything except a movie. But when the majority of guests had to come from Rawalpindi, we decided it was best for us to drive there instead of all of them to have to drive out to Islamabad. Plus it was a treat from another family - so free food anywhere is good. lol

Des Pardes is probably the only place in Islamabad where I would go willingly to eat desi food. And it never disappoints. The naans were fresh, the kebabs were juicy and the atmosphere was very comfortable. The only thing Des Pardes needs to lose is their blue plates. Blue crockery dissipates hunger because the color doesn't go well with a lot of the natural food colors out there, especially when it comes to desi foods with their haldi yellow and all. Restaurants should always go for white plates and red table clothes or a vibrant red somewhere in the setting as it triggers hunger and the customers are bound to eat more.

Apart from the blue plates, Des Pardes is a must for those desi-mood nights!

On Spot @ Chinatown

I've lived in Islamabad for about 6 years now. & yesterday was the first time I went to Chinatown. I'd heard a lot about it but never had the chance to actually dine there - until a "fate-changing" call yesterday told me to  get there "as soon as possible".

As soon as I entered the doors, I was impressed. The ambiance of that place is amazing - they have cherry blossoms painted on the walls in every booth!! (Well, yeah, I guess it doesn't really take a lot to impress me when it comes to interior design!)

The food, unfortunately, wasn't really as impressive. The 'chicken chow mien' was probably the only thing that we ordered which was just the way I would want it. The 'sweet & sour chicken' was more sweet than sour and the 'Szechuan chicken' was more of a vegetable dish with very little "Szechuan" in it!

If you're in Islamabad & in the mood for a good Chow Mein in a very ethnic environment, then Chinatown is the place to be!

But if you're interested in a better "Szechuan Chicken", I'd suggest Cafe Incantare or for a better Chinese experience, I would suggest Heng Chang, although it lacks the ethnic ambiance that Chinatown provides.