Print

    Food Review: Baituti, Karachi

    Written by: Sundus Sinkler
    Posted on: June 28, 2019 | | 中文

    Baituti Mixed Grill

    A recent addition to the international cuisine available in Karachi, Baituti is an authentic Lebanese restaurant located near the Clifton Block 4 Area, famous for other eateries such as Café Aylanto and Flo. Baituti stands out because their food is not modified to match our taste palates; they do not use desi spices unlike other restaurants offering locally tailored versions of international cuisines. Instead, Baituti prides itself in their authenticity of ingredients as well as its style of cooking. To make this possible, the restaurant has a team of chefs and servers from Lebanon, who provide a completely unique Lebanese experience to customers.

    Baituti

    Baituti

    Hummus

    Hummus

    My family and I went to Baituti for lunch on a weekday, and while it was empty at first, I was amazed by how busy the place became shortly afterwards. But the staff did not compromise on their quick service, and the food was served fresh. We were given the menu right away, and chose to start with Mint Lemonade. For the appetizer, we ordered the Hummus from their Cold Mezza section, and it was one of the best hummus’ I have tried in Karachi. Rich in texture and with a generous amount of olive oil, it totally satisfied my taste buds at a mere 395 PKR.

    Fried Kebbeh

    Fried Kebbeh

    On the staff’s recommendation, we then tried Baituti’s popular Fried Kebbeh, priced at 575 PKR. Kebbeh consisted of fried meat balls that were mildly spicy, but extremely flavourful, offering a unique blend of minced meat with pine nuts, along with the spices. Highly recommended among the dry items on the menu!

    Our next dish was the Sujuk, which was a tomato gravy-based dish, comprising of spicy sausages mixed with traditional sujuk spices such as black and red pepper and cumin. Reasonably priced at 600 PKR, this was one of my favourite dishes at Baituti, as it was bursting with flavours and just spicy enough to add the perfect kick. It was served with hot and fluffy pita bread, which served as the perfect combination.

    Sujuk

    Sujuk

    The next dish we tried was the Fatayer, which can best be described as a boat-shaped Lebanese pizza. While the menu offered various options, we ordered the Chilli minced meat and cheese flavour, which was spicy but had a generous topping of cheddar cheese. The bread was thin and the presentation of the Fatayer was quite interesting! Another hit dish, priced reasonably at 645 PKR.

    Fatayer

    Fatayer

    The last main course that we ordered was the Baituti Mixed Grill. Though quite pricey at 1845 PKR, it contained a large selection of Meat Cubes, Taouk, Kufta, and Lamb Chops, served with French Fries, Hummus and Garlic Paste. Everything on the platter was fresh and mildly spicy, but the Lamb Chops were a bit too tough for my liking. The Garlic Paste, however, served as the perfect dip for the grilled items, and we even requested a second serving, which the staff generously provided.

    Overall, if I must choose the two things I absolutely loved about Baituti, it would be the completely unique Lebanese experience, from the food and staff to the music and the ambience; and the fact that everything was absolutely fresh, so much so that it stands out as a distinguishing feature in their food.

    Price-wise, Baituti would fall in the middle range, being neither too cheap nor too expensive, but I found it totally worth the money. The one thing that I did not find very appealing from the description in the menu, and hence did not try, was their desserts. However, those with a sweet tooth should take a chance with Umm Ali; an oven cooked puff pastry made with milk, almonds and raisins. Definitely looking forward to visiting Baituti again soon!


    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