Fatburger recently started advertising on billboards all across Karachi. The billboards, featuring a mouthwatering Triple Fatburger are pretty hard to miss, and being the burger junkie that I am, I dragged my wife and kids to Dolmen Mall, Clifton, for a bite last Sunday.
Unfortunately for me, though, the burger joint had yet to open for public. Disappointed and disheartened, I went home and ordered some pizza instead. They say that when you want something really badly, the whole universe conspires in helping you achieve it. The very next day, I received an exclusive invite for a pre-inaugural bloggers’ meetup at Fatburger, courtesy Food Connection Pakistan.
So at precisely 7:00pm on Thursday, January 3, 2013, I parked my car in the Dolmen Mall basement and made my way to the second floor. Turns out the whole area where the restaurant was supposed to be was cordoned off. I asked one of the mall guards for directions and he told me to take a barely visible side entrance.
The ambiance (9 out of 10):
As soon as you step in, you are embraced by this lively space much like an all-American diner. The place has a very casual atmosphere that is both welcoming and homely – a place where you can either hang out with friends or with family and have as much fun as you can possibly handle.
The lighting is primarily done using strategically placed spotlights and is just right without being too overpowering. Should you choose, you can sit at one of the tables spread out across the restaurant, at one of the cozy sofas under the gigantic Fatburger logo, or at the sit-down counter where all the cooking, shouting and shaking (strictly within the confines of an electric blender) is done right in front of your eyes. Fatburger employees are a chatty bunch so if you’re feeling a little adventurous, the sit-down counter is the place for you.
The reception (10 out of 10):
I met Jake, the Director of Operations for Fatburger, MENA.
He started off with a brief history of Fatburger and a few fun facts about the restaurant. Since I had a few burning questions for Jake, I started firing away.
Me: “There are many burger joints in Karachi. What is it that sets you apart?” Jake: “Well, for starters, we use freshly ground beef and the burger patty is hand-made, not manufactured in some processing plant. You should make a note of the unevenness of the patty when you order your burger; that’s because it is made by hand. Moreover, we only use lean meat from 30-month-old steers grown specifically for their meat. All the meat that we use in our restaurant here is high-quality United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) choice beef imported from the USA and is 100% halal. The meat is flash-frozen and sent over to Pakistan to preserve its nutritional value. So in short, it’s a healthier version of your average burger where you get all the taste but little on the waist. Besides, everything is made for you fresh, right in front of your eyes, because we don’t have anything to hide from our customers. Let me make one thing clear: we are not a fast-food restaurant. For most joints, the staff’s relationship with the customer ends once they take your money and hand you a receipt; for Fatburger, it’s where the relationship begins. There is a waiting time for processing each order and we like to utilise that to have conversations with our customers, making sure they are having the best time of their life. Customer service is our number one priority.” Me: “So have you customised your menu specifically for Pakistan?” Jake: “As part of the Fatburger philosophy, we stick with what works best. Currently, we have the original Fatburger, a Jalapeno Fatburger (also in chicken), a Western BBQ Fatburger, a Turkeyburger and Veggieburger (this option is still unheard of in Pakistan). You can customise these items using our condiments and add-ons. As part of our sides, we have chili dogs, Fatwings, Fat fries, Skinny fries, chicken nuggets and strips, Homemade Onion Rings, chicken salad, and chili fries. You can choose to go with a drink with free refills or a real ice cream milkshake to wash it all down. When we launch in a new country, we start off with our core menu and after evaluating customer feedback and local trends, we add on other items. Limited Time Offers (LTOs) are also introduced from time to time.” Me: “I’ve eating a lot of burgers abroad, but when I try the same burger in Pakistan, it tastes different, and I don’t mean that in a good way, plus the portion sizes are smaller. What are you doing to ensure this doesn’t happen with Fatburger?” Jake: We at Fatburger don’t like to cut corners. What you get anywhere else in the world is what you get here. We have a tried and tested recipe which works every time so we don’t try messing around with it. Tarek and I are here from the Fatburger corporate office in the Middle East because we like to keep a close relationship with our franchisees. Continuous quality monitoring and coordination ensures that the quality of our products doesn’t deteriorate.” Yousuf: “What do you recommend I should try today?” Jake: “You should definitely go for a Western BBQ Burger with an egg (if you’re feeling adventurous) with a side of onion rings and a milkshake. Our onion rings are actually handmade from fresh Spanish onions, not from frozen ones.
The service (10 out of 10):
While I was waiting in line to place my order, I couldn’t help but notice the smiles on everyone’s faces behind the counter and in the open kitchen; working didn’t seem like a chore and the employees were really enjoying themselves.
As I made way to my table, all the employees there smiled at me, made small talk and thanked me for coming to Fatburger.
The food (8.5 out of 10):
While I was waiting for my order, one of my friends who had already received his order offered me an onion ring. That was undoubtedly the most unpretentious onion ring I had ever had, and I mean that in a good way. Perfectly cooked with a balanced seasoning, it was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I had little time to admire the down-to-earthiness of the onion ring as a waiter came up to my table and put my meal in front of me, well within the promised 10 minutes.
The chili fries looked irresistible but could have used a little more cheese. They tasted pretty good too. The chili was a perfect combination of sweet and spicy, not over the top, but just-a-hint-o’-spice. Even though my Pakistani palette craved more heat, I found the chilli fries combo pretty satisfying.
I lovingly unwrapped the burger and took my first bite. It was very good, better than most burgers I’ve had over the years. The patty was moist and nicely seasoned, not too hard, not too soft. The second bite tasted even better as I got a hit of pickle with that one. Needless to say, I was enjoying myself immensely. Just then, a waiter came up to me and asked me if everything was to my liking. He also brought me some tomato ketchup and my hand-scooped chocolate milkshake.
As I was focused on finishing my burger, I barely noticed Jake coming down to my table. I offered him a seat and gave him a few tips on what foods to try when in Karachi. While we were chatting away, I took a closer look at my milkshake. Topped with a generous serving of whipped cream, it looked really tempting.
I wrapped my hand around the glass, stirred the straw to mix in the cream and took a sip. It was perhaps the best milkshake I had ever had; period. It was thick, luscious and phenomenal - everything that you’d ever want in a milkshake.
I finished the burger and with a heavy heart and a full stomach, took a long sip, only to hear the slurp that signified the end of my relationship with the milkshake.
The pricing (8 out of 10):
Even though the menu pricing is on the high side of things, the quality and the overall experience significantly compensates for it. Since these are not your average everyday ordinary burgers, you should keep in mind the nutritional advantage you get at Fatburger before really focusing out on the prices. Plus, there are a lot of options and a lot of variations that you can mix and match to your liking.
The verdict:
For me, a dining experience is not just about the food, it’s about the place itself, the people running it, and the hospitality they extend to you.
Fatuburger has officially opened first restaurant in Pakistan at Dolmen Mall, Karachi, and I strongly recommend it to ardent burger lovers.
PHOTOS: YOUSUF BAWANY
Read more by Yousuf here or follow him on Twitter @YousufBawany