Clattering heels on clean floors, rustling of silks and chiffons, stepping down from the last stair, my eyelid rose to find myself amid an actual launch. Is this how an event unfolded? Maybe yes. This one was organized by QYT. The glistening smiles and happy faces predicted good food ahead, the palate seemed satisfied and so the shiny eyes.
‘Lahori foodies’, two words never short of each other. Nor do they get enough of one another. Today’s dawn had anticipated one event; Launch of “DELI FRESH & PATYALA PIYALA”, two new food affairs opening themselves up to Lahore’s grand public for all times to come. When it came to food; M. M. Alam Road knew no end and a new addition was more than just welcome. The red logo outside the plaza screamed of newness and pride while the traffic chocked, every car was ready to get the best parking place. The third floor of Vogue Towers was to glisten till night fell.
Round tables, square tables, long tables, huge sofas, there was a perfectly served platter everywhere. The huge white china held delicately round golden Onion Rings accompanied by some delectable Samosas. Nuggets, Finger Fish and Salad Greens found their reflections in the crystal embellishments sitting on each table. The food tasting for all those present was surely going to be memorable. Another happy round went on with the most deliciously filled Gol Gappas and Dahi Bhallas and their Chatpatti Dips. We all waved goodbye to our finesse for at least 10 minutes to enjoy the Punjabi street food in a perfectly air conditioned arena.
Not only when propriety revisited, resting my right arm on the side I realized that these chocolate brown leather sofas speak of nothing else but endless luxury which would melt our body right when we sink into them.
It wasn’t long before the new entry of exotic drinks along with their smoothie counterpart was discussed, that my mind knew some Caribbean coolness was on its way. Tall stem glasses brought in another wave of “wow-s” and excitement with chilled green Mint Margaritas and lush pink Strawberry Smoothies which nestled themselves in the palms of slender painted fingers adorned with jewels.
Hands, hands, apron & caps, so many of them. While tastes lingered in our mouths, it was hard, nearly impossible to remember the shuffling fingers or the crisp white cuffs, the eyebrow frowns or the frame of spectacles responsible for the marvelous creations behind.
The sights of lean men dressed in monochrome black and white effortlessly bringing in black trays showed they mastered the art of serving. Plates waited for another serving, Pizza it was. The thin crust pizzas will never go out of trend I suppose. Isn’t that a perfect menu item, eaten any time, taken anywhere, and pizzas such as these, with their striking flavors are not meant to go wrong. A faint smile became my best friend. Waiting up on food wasn’t bad. The platters must be enjoying the limelight, I thought. Being the star of the show, these scrumptious dishes simply seemed to know the alluring pose and viola! Click!
An assortment of food, accommodating prices, along with taste, is all we need to satiate our growling hunger pangs. What I was experiencing was far more than cuisine. It was the stove’s flame and the time tested cutting board which sealed the A & B of the chefs’ lives, but this was a magically happy moment. ‘True effort is never wasted’ they say, Food had just touched its stardom. And in that bubble: I had smiled heartily.
