Iftar deals

Eating out

So, its' that time of the year again. The time when all things holy become part of your daily ritual, when abstinence is the name of the game and one assumes an aura of sanctity and purity. Ramadan is indeed a time to behold. Our concern is however, less with that and more with what happens come sundown and an opportunity to stuff your face at iftar. And as with previous years there are plenty of places offering you that opportunity this time around…

PIZZA HUT
Lie it or not, one thing we must give this place credit for is that they have completely revolutionized the aspect of fast food at iftar. Sure there was Helvetia before and many other places now, but the fast food boom for iftar really took place when Pizza Hut coined their 'all you can eat' for iftar. Well, it's been going strong ever since, even though by this year they have a list of regulations that would put any contract to shame! (The quite motherly 'no food served until you have completed what's on your plate' being the pick of the bunch). But that aside, if it's pizza you are craving for, then this is the place for you. Definitely. Coming with a price tag of Tk.299 exclusive of VAT, which raises the final price to about Tk.370 odd, this is a very popular destination.

KFC
Transcom Beverages really are taking over the world. Ok, maybe not the world but Dhaka surely. Enter KFC. Everyone's favourite chicken place just got better. Personally speaking, I enjoyed their 'iftar boxes' even though it hardly keeps in tune with 'stuffing your face.' More modestly priced than most other places, the food provided also keeps in tune with that. Tk 195 inclusive of VAT, this place offers a unique iftar box consisting of only a few select items. It's really quite enough for iftar unless of course you are considering making a run for the Guiness Book of World Records.

EFES & TOPKAPI
Yet again, two of the most popular choices for iftar. Efes and Topkapi have been solidly catering to iftar-cum-dinner enthusiasts for a while now and they will do so again this time around. Priced slightly higher at Tk.350 exclusive of VAT, Efes and Topkapi both offer a wide array of items for the food connoisseur. Although mostly Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine, there is enough for you to consume so that you won't need sehri for the next day. Plus it's all buffet. And that's not all. Both places offer you the chance to live it up the Middle East style as you can unwind after a hard day of fasting, by puffing on shisha.

Aside these choices, almost all the restaurants and fast food places have set up roadside iftar stalls selling a variety of scrumptious items and dishes. There are many that had to be left out of this documentation but deserve honourable mentions.

The best thing to do is just come around Gulshan, take a rickshaw ride and pick and choose whichever takes your fancy.

Happy iftar, and Ramdanul Karim to boot.

By Quazi Zulquarnain Islam
Photo Courtesy: Tommy Miah

Check it out

T-shirts@ Tribhuz

Tribhuz, a fashion house for t-shirts, was inaugurated on July 8, 2007. And already, two months down the line, its collection has grown from its initial 10 designs to 15/17 designs. What Tribhuz basically does is, take the designs from renowned artists and transpose their work onto the t-shirts in screen prints, such that the shirts themselves become canvasses. The t-shirts are priced at Tk.150 each. For further information, please contact: Shop- 35 (1st floor), Capital Market, Dhanmondi- 8, Dhaka; 01712180510, 01727211971; www.tribhuz.com.

By Hasan Imam Shiplu

Iftar@ The Westin

The Taste restaurant in The Westin Dhaka is rolling out its array of food items for iftar. There is a range of fresh juices, lassi and sharbats (the specialty being Kamaruddin, a special sharbat made from amshatta). Alongside the seasonal fruits and cocktails, available are salads, sushi, sashimi, maki rolls, turkey tandoori and mango skewers, chicken teriyaki, terrine sesame dressing and many more. As for the desserts, there are reshmi jalebis, rosh malai, sweet curd, fruit rosh malai, and fresh dates. Alternatively, you may choose to invest in their take-away iftar boxes.
-LS Desk