Fasting and feasting: Hundreds throng Food Street for sehri, iftar

Restaurateurs have introduced a variety of iftar, sehri packages.

LAHORE:

Large crowds flocked to Fort Road Food Street for sehri and iftar on Monday and Tuesday, the first two days of Ramazan.

Located in the vicinity of a world heritage site, the street was flooded with visitors and tourists who visited several restaurants that offered special Ramazan deals. Restaurateurs said that around 500 visitors frequented the street for sehri while their number exceeded a thousand during iftar.

A multitude of delicacies such as chicken sajji, chicken balti and mutton karahi in addition to traditional favourites such as samosas, pakoras and chaat had been especially added to the menu for sehri and iftar. Traditional beverages such as lassi and sherbet were also available on the sidewalks. Special measures had been taken to ensure cleanliness and hygiene in the area during Ramazan. The Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) had taken steps to ensure adequate food quality and sanitary standards.

Muhammad Faisal, a restaurateur, told The Express Tribune, “The pleasant weather has contributed to a rise in the number of visitors to the food street as people prefer to break their fast in the shadow of the Badshahi Masjid.”

“We have introduced iftar and sehri packages at affordable prices so that people can enjoy the food while marvelling at the beauty of the world heritage site,” Ahmad Hassan, another restaurateur, said.

David Thomson, a tourist, said, “I am from Australia. I discovered the food street on the Internet. It is a wonderful place with a befitting ambience. I see great hustle and bustle here. I asked a waiter whether this was peculiar to Ramazan but to my surprise, I discovered that the street tends to be busy the whole year round. I am enjoying the environment and after witnessing the bonhomie here, I feel compelled to project a positive image of Pakistan wherever I go.”

Khawaja Ihsan, another visitor, said he had come to the food street from Wapda Town especially to marvel at the world heritage site and to sample the local delicacies.

WCLA Director-General Kamran Lashari told The Express Tribune that the organisation had worked hard to improve cleanliness and food quality. He said they aimed to transform the area into a model street and the entire team was striving to realise this goal.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 2^nd, 2014.