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    Habanero is back!

    Written by: Aiza Azam
    Posted on: December 31, 2015 |

    Honey Mustard Fries and Hot Wings

    Habanero Express had become The Best Place for quality burgers in Islamabad rather quickly after its launch. The delicious Roast Beef Barbion, a concoction of grilled beef, gooey cheese, crispy onion rings and crunchy jalapeño peppers. The Cajun Chicken, smothered in Cajun mayo and exotic spices, caramelized onions and tangy cheese. The luscious think-cut fries, soft and fluffy inside, perfectly crisp outside, and smothered with aioli, tamarind sauce, honey mustard, beef gravy or nacho cheese. These were the heady offerings that made the Habanero experience a pleasure to talk about. Their burgers tasted like love, and eating them was an emotional experience for the true foodie.

    And then they closed down.

    Habanero Restaurant Islamabad

    But Goodbye, heartbreak! The closing was a temporary measure so they could come back in force, and they certainly have. While initially a burger and pizza outlet housed within the old Gourmet bakery in F-7 Markaz, Habanero is now a full-fledged restaurant serving an expanded range of goodies. The new place has a warm, inviting ambience and comfy seating.

    A couple of old favorites haven’t made it to the new burger menu, but the new additions are worth looking at. These include the Acapulco (beef patty with cheese, mayo, onions, guacamole, and a sunny-side up egg), the Taxi Driver (beef with gherkins, chipotle mayo, Cajun relish and some greens) and The Mighty (beef patty with gouda cheese, crimini mushrooms, rocket and lightly caramelized onions). The burgers were spot on in terms of taste, although the beef patty for the latter was slightly overdone. Enticing new additions to the fries menu include toppings of kimchi, brie and jiang sauce (made with sweet bean paste). Happily, the quality has been maintained and the fries retain their texture even when eaten cold.  

    Habanero Restaurant Islamabad

    The Mighty

    Also on offer now are pasta entrees with tortellini, ravioli and manicotti pasta; a few salads; a sandwich menu (the Cajun chicken with cottage cheese, mushrooms and basil is the one you need to try here); and, most interestingly, a breakfast menu. The morning offerings aren’t too varied but they do offer a Shakshuka, which not many places in Islamabad serve up. In addition, they’ve set up a small coffee bar with a standard selection of cold and hot coffees, shakes and mocktails.

    Go by Habanero way today, try their food and see if it retains the mouth-watering deliciousness you remember from a year ago.


    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