This Karachi eatery will satisfy all your naan cravings

KARACHI: There's something about naans fresh out of a tandoor that is almost nostalgic; somehow they conjure images of dinners past, families hanging around the dinner table, Eid, weddings and delectable food.

Roghni, Kandhari, plain or Kulcha, naan is a revered staple of our diet, and us Pakistanis take it very seriously.

They have to be hot, crisp and lightly charred, airy but stringy and definitely tender. We like our naans how we like them, there are no two ways about it.

So what happens when an eatery introduces fusion naans? That’s exactly what Cloud Naan has done: a melding of eastern and western flavours.

Launched three months ago, Cloud Naan has already found a keen clientele. The concept was met with an overwhelming response, according to Haris, one of the four owners of the eatery.

The restaurant located in Karachi. PHOTO: EXPRESS

Located at Bukhari Commercial in Karachi's DHA, amid an array of dhabas and cafes, Cloud Naan has perhaps stolen the most enviable spot. A row of trees provides the perfect cover from the street adjacent to the eatery. It offers both sweet and savoury naans, boasting inventive flavour combinations such as Philly Cheese Steak, Lotsa Mozza and Banana Caramel Biscuit naan.

PHOTO: CLOUD NAAN

We tried their creamy Tikka naan and Philly Cheese Steak naan, which costs Rs345 and Rs590 respectively. The Tikka naan had good flavour, and was served hot and crisp. The naan could've done with more mushrooms though.



Served with fries and pepper sauce, the Philly Cheese Steak naan, on the contrary, was delicious and resembled twist bread. While the tenderloin steak and cheese filling tasted great, the pepper sauce served alongside the naan was a bit weak and could be improved.



We also sampled their chicken strips: light, crisp and tender, they disappeared fast.



Finally, to sweeten the palate we tried the Nutella Oreo naan, which was served with a vanilla cream dip. The naan is everything a Nutella junkie would hope for: warm, gooey and super chocolaty. A quarter is more than enough for one person. Have this one with tea!



The eatery also has a variety of teas on the menu, ranging from doodh patti and green tea to Kashmiri.

But, do the naans live up to the hype? Just about.

While the naans are a bit expensive, Cloud Naan says its because of the quality of the ingredients, which are carefully selected and often imported.

The outlet has recently introduced some new flavours such as White Mutton, Afghani and Mexican Beef naan, which we hope to try on our next visit. If you prefer eating in the comfort of your own home, the eatery also plans to start a delivery service soon.