KHABA BY NAUMAN MASOOD - F7 ISLAMABAD

 Are you in search of a sizzling BBQ experience in Islamabad? Well, this review is going to make you run to get the BBQ platter at Khaba by Nauman Masood. It is actually my go to place to satisfy my bbq cravings. The place is located in F7 Islamabad. 

Well, this is one of the place where I have been more than once. I was craving desi food and some tasty, spicy bbq. So, b chance I went to try Khaba by Nauman Masood. The restaurant has an exquisite open air set up as well as the restaurant provide fine dining experience indoors. We chose to sit outdoor and well that is a norm ever since. We preferred outdoor serving for the first time because there was a live BBQ ongoing as well as live music performance. The sitar and tabla artists played traditional music songs from the 1990s that made the ambiance oh-so-enchanting. Since, I had a chance to visit this place during winters too, the restaurant had mini bon fires set in the center of their garden serving area which looks warm and cool. The menu at Khaba has desi options. From Karhai to mutton, beef and chicken there are so many options to choose from and you can get the platters such as Arabic platter, which is a desi alternate to mandi, BBQ platter and more. 

The first time I went to Khaba, we took a center table for two because we were there to celebrate my roommate's birthday. The waiter realized that we were enjoying the ambiance more and so he asked us if we had any special song request for the performers. They would take our request. This made my day because music is the food for soul, and I was in mood for some 90s songs. We requested the waiter to re-perform last song which was classic Afreen Afreen. The live BBQ aggravated our cravings for food more, so we quickly placed our order. We had a desi chicken Karhai and the Arabic BBQ platter. The food was served within 20 mins and the serving was in desi style with clay dishes and pots and local hotpot for naans. Salad and raita were wrapped in the cling film and the cutlery was also wrapped in plastic, complying with the hygiene requirements of post-Covid world. 

The waiter also came after a while to check for taste and if everything was good. Well, everything was perfect. The Arabic BBQ platter was burning hot, it was sealed by bread which was baked. The waiter took the knife and fork to open the bread and served the platter to us. We were too excited, and we recorded the scene. The platter had reshmi kebab, behari boti, malai boti and seekh boti. The chicken karhai was far better in taste than all the other karhai's I have had which were full of sweetness of tomato rather than the tastiness of spices. 

The restaurant's menu offers desserts such as baklawa and desi kheer. I do not know why baklawa is there because as far as I know it is an Arabic dessert and not a Pakistani one. But baklawa wasn't available so the second time I went there, I had a chance to order and taste kheer. The menu is elite, BBQ items are all spicy and tasty. There is however, room for improvement to make the quality and taste of the desert, as yummy as that of the savory BBQ items. 

I think Nauman Masood as aptly captured the essence of desi style BBQ taste we crave. I found the restaurant a bit over-priced, but the experience overall was great. Well, lets see if we discover another BBQ restaurant that can beat the impression of Khaba by Nauman Masood but for now it is one of our favorite and highly recommend places. BBQ in Khaba by Nauman Masood is a must have if you are in Islamabad.