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    Food Review: Pesto

    Written by: Kinza Peracha
    Posted on: January 13, 2020 | | 中文

    Pesto's Interior with its Green Door (photo credits to Pesto)

    Pesto offers a unique solution to a very particular problem. The restaurant came to life as the brainchild of two couples, who also happen to be best friends. They realized that the city of Karachi lacked healthy eateries for families, and immediately sought to amend that issue. With the idea of providing well-balanced meals that are not only appetizing but also appeal to the senses, Pesto promises to give you healthier food with calculated macros. In fact, the menu comes with a nutrition breakdown for each dish, to cater to the calorie conscious.

    Pesto is located on Saba Avenue, a street away from Chai Wala at Chhota Bukhari. Its emerald door and big windows with wooden blinds are not the easiest find. I found the dim lighting to have a negative initial impression of the place. Their valet service though is a bonus, as it's difficult to find parking on such a cramped street.

    Pesto opens its door for customers at 7:30 PM, and shuts at 11:45 PM. It recently opened its doors for lunch (12:00 PM), and plans to introduce breakfast shortly. A group of friends and I decided to order a few things from their menu, and shared all of them.

    First up was the Pulled Beef Sandwich, which simply melted in my mouth. The slow-cooked beef was served on bed of iceberg lettuce, and topped with tomatoes and jalapeños. The whole thing was served with a Panini grilled whole-wheat bread, and non-oily French fries. The sandwich was definitely a hit, with a beautiful blend of all the ingredients, and the perfect cook on the beef served with a creamy herb dip.

    Pulled Beef Sandwich (photo credits to the writer)

    Next up was Air-fried Halloumi Sticks, halloumi cheese coated with whole-wheat breadcrumbs, and served with a pesto sauce. When the dish arrived it looked a bit lackluster, with four small sticks and sauce on the side. But it was completely different story once I dunk it into their in-house pesto sauce. First thoughts: the pesto! The crunch!

    Air-Fried Halloumi Sticks (photo credits to the writer)

    The coating was light, crunchy and non-greasy. And then the smooth, semi-soft cheese flavor (courtesy of Karacheese), came through. But their fresh, homemade pesto scored the homer.

    On Team Pesto’s recommendation, we tried the deliciously sticky Chicken Spinach Wraps! It was a whole-wheat spinach wrap, that was filled with sticky char grilled chicken and included carrots, rocket leaves, red cabbage and whole-wheat noodles. Served with fries that were lighter than air, this dish on the menu was the winner with its crunchy, fresh ingredients.

    Chicken Spinach Wraps (photo credits to the writer)

    We also ordered the Thai Prawn Bowl, a hearty bowl of salad, with a decent serving of spicy grilled prawns. The salad consisted of lettuce, mint leaves, rocket leaves, purple cabbage, bird's eye chili, chopped peanuts and that amazing flavored chili lime peanut dressing. The combination of the greens with the shrimp was flawless. That sauce elevated the dish even more, and we licked those little ramekins clean. However, we would have liked more prawns in the dish, and the dish needed more mint leaves or less rocket to achieve the perfect harmony in the dish.

    Next up was a burger of which we had heard a lot of great things. Their Jalapeño Chicken Burger consisted of grilled chicken patty, served with jalapenos, low-fat cheese, lettuce and slaw in a whole-wheat bun. The dish came with fried greens and French fries. I recommend this for people who love burgers but are struggling with shedding pounds. The dip also complimented things perfectly. For drinks we tried their Mint Lemonade Stevia, which was refreshing but a bit too overwhelming for me.

    Jalapeno Chicken Burger (photo credits to Pesto)

    The last item on the table was the divinely mouthwatering Dark Chocolate Tart. Made with an almond flour base, and filled with Lindt's 80% dark chocolate and natural sweeteners, this dessert makes you drool while keeping in mind Pesto’s main objectives for healthy eating.

    After such a great dessert, we asked for their Hot Chocolate. The sugar-free drink caters to those with diabetes or high cholesterol. The dark chocolate used in the recipe added that strong kick in the otherwise creamy, rich cocoa.

    Hot Cocoa (photo credits to Pesto)

    As much as we liked the place and its healthy items, I don’t think I’ll visit it unless someone else is paying for the food. The entire bill was 9k, which is a bit heavy on the pocket. But Pesto lives up to the hype, and provides quality food to those looking to live a healthier lifestyle. I would certainly visit for their Hot Cocoa and Chocolate Tart, which were the real superstars of my meal.


    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