From Mera Sultan to Nisa Sultan

Written by: Aleeza Rasool - Posted on: June 19, 2014 | Comments | 中国 (Chinese)

Nisa Sultan Express

Mera Sultan

The last two years have witnessed an increasing fascination within Pakistan with everything Turkish, owing to the airing of popular Turkish dramas at prime time on a number of Pakistani drama channels. What began as an experiment by the channel Urdu 1 with Ishq-e-Mamnu (Prohibited Love) and Mera Sultan (My Sultan), soon became a trend for other channels to follow suit. Soon, there was a huge proliferation of Pakistani channels playing their own collections of Turkish dramas. Inevitably, Turkish dramas too had their share of influence over their viewers, affecting their taste not only in fashion but also in jewellery and cuisine. And while various jewellers and boutiques within Lahore have tapped onto this demand for Turkish fashion, a Turkish restaurant chain under the name of Nisa Sultan has met Lahore’s demand for Turkish food.

Located on one of the busiest roads of the city, the M. M. Alam, the restaurant has, within a period of two months, gained extreme popularity amongst the food-loving folks of Lahore. Despite being smaller in comparison to many other restaurants on the M. M. Alam, it offers a fun environment with a live kitchen offering its customers the chance to witness the preparation of their much-loved Turkish food. Durum Doner, Tombik Doner, Tavuklu Kasarli Pide, Tam Karisik Pide, Sekerpare, Revani are some of the exotic names listed on the menu. To make things easy, the menu offers details regarding what each item listed on it entails, hence making the selection much easier for its non- Turkish-speaking clientele. There is a great variety of Turkish Doner Kebabs, Pides (Pizzas), drinks and deserts to choose from, with delicious Turkish sauces that the restaurant exclusively prepares. The food is evidently healthy, light, comprises different sets of flavours, and involves different styles of cooking and preparation.

Porsiyon Doner (Doner Platter) Tavuklu Kasarli Pide (Chicken Cheese Pizza)

According to Mr. Asif Ali, the manager at Nisa Sultan, the restaurant maintains a totally classic and healthy approach to traditional Turkish cuisine and aims to provide its customers with the best quality Turkish food, prepared in the most healthy and hygienic manner. He related that Mr. Safa, a Turkish entrepreneur, opened the first Nisa Sultan restaurant in the year 1989 in Berlin, followed by restaurants in Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and now Pakistan. Mr. Ali explained that in order to make the food more special, authentic and standardized across all restaurants, the veal and the chicken fillets used at Nisa Sultan are imported directly from Germany.

Head Chef

While one sits waiting for, or enjoying, one’s food at Nisa Sultan, one can spot a middle aged Turkish cook busy slicing the chicken and veal fillets into thin strips. His expertise, his speed and his effortless preparation of the pita, make it obvious that he is the Head Chef and trainer of the rest of the cooks at the restaurant. Mr. Ali related that, “Despite Lahore’s scorching heat, which he isn’t used to, our Head Chef is very glad at the response that the restaurant is getting and feels very happy when people compliment him on the work he is doing. Customers are particularly happy with our food and service and we hardly are devoid of customers during anytime of the day.”

With more than a dozen large restaurant chains adorning it on both sides, the competition amongst restaurants on the M. M. Alam is immense. Hence, in order to sustain the good reputation and popularity that it has acquired within a very short span of time, Nisa Sultan would have to continue to offer people great food and be highly competitive in terms of its services and prices. We at Youlin wish Nisa Sultan the very best of luck!

As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
January 2021