5 iftar places to try in Islamabad

With Ramazan in full swing, one can’t help but notice holier than thou stares, flaring tempers, road rage and extravagantly-fancy lawn collections for Eid, plastered on billboards all over the federal capital. However, the brighter side to the 16-hour fasts is the mouth-watering iftari and delicious sehri offered at different places around the city. While we all know that the best iftar is at home, made by mummy dearest, there are a few places that offer a delicious extravaganza that is hard to miss!

Tuscany Courtyard



After a long wait of nine months, Tuscany Courtyard has opened its doors again in Islamabad and the iftar and dinner buffet has given a good reason to people in the capital to go crazy over the restaurant. With a lavish menu of assorted iftar items, including the traditional pakoras, rolls, sandwiches and even bhel puri, the diner’s menu is even more diverse with prawn and fish tempuras, Chicken Casseroles, Grilled Chicken Tarragon, Thai Oyster Chicken, Polo Tuscan, flat breads and a live pasta and carving station to serve different kinds of pastas and roast chicken. While all this is enough to convince us, the Bread Pudding at the dessert section is yet another major attraction of the iftar dinner buffet at Tuscany Courtyard. The deal costs Rs1,795 plus tax (per head).

Street 1 Café



Street 1 Café offers one of the most extravagant and delicious iftars in Islamabad. The best part about their deal is that every item on the menu is delicious. The iftar menu displays a range of assorted appetisers, including the traditional samosas, rolls, pakoras and chaats along with quiches, dynamite prawns, hummus and a live crepe station where you can pick the crepe you want. The dinner buffet has an option of three different salads. Their menu varies every day but some of their most hit items like the Monti Fire Wings and Garlic Prawns are always on the list of options. This iftar has the most diverse and lavish dessert table with a chocolate fountain and assorted miniature desserts that are bound to please just about anyone. Priced at Rs1,795 plus tax (per head), the eatery is not just extravagant but it ensures there’s a balance between seafood, beef and chicken, ensuring everyone gets to taste what they enjoy.

Roasters



One can’t do an iftar round-up of Islamabad without mentioning Roasters, possibly the one iftar that offers the best value for money. Priced at Rs1,395 plus tax (per head), the menu at Roasters includes a wide variety of iftar items followed by a very diverse dinner including several Chinese dishes, pastas, lasagne and fried fish among other items. The menu includes over 40 items. The only downfall at Roasters is that it is extremely crowded so be prepared for long queues right before mealtime.

Tiramisu



Thai food lovers can easily mark Tiramisu as their favourite iftar place this Ramazan. The diner is the brainchild of Shahida Ahmed who ensures everything tastes just about perfect, even when served at a buffet. Some of the items that one can’t have enough of at the iftar at Tiramisu are Tamarind Fish, Grilled Chicken Jalapeno, Green Curry with Rice and the Spinach and Mushroom Pasta. This iftar is priced at Rs1,665 plus tax (per head).

Tree House Monal



Monal’s tree house not only serves delicious iftar but the location adds to the experience as well. Priced at Rs1,565 plus tax (per head), the iftar dinner at Tree House serves everything from salads, pastas and steaks to staple items such as Thai Chicken and Chicken Tarragon. The cherry on the top is their bread and butter pudding.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2016.

Like Life & Style on Facebook, follow @ETLifeandStyle on Twitter for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.