Lahore, Pakistan Restaurants: Gourmet Grill in Defence

Gourmet is a successful Pakistani bakery chain that has recently ventured into marketing their own ice-cream, cola, and drinking water. Their ice cream is by far the best value ice cream available in Pakistan, so how does their family dining restaurant, the Gourmet Grill, hold up to their reputation?

The Gourmet Grill is located in the Phase III Commercial area of Denfence, in the same plaza as Bundu Khan and Gloria Jean's. The general area is known as Y Block, although some of the commercial area is actually in Z Block.

When you arrive at the Gourmet Grill, you will be greeted by several parking attendants in bright orange jumpsuits. Bright orange is Gourmet's signature color, but thank God they did not choose to go with this color for the interior décor. As you walk into the restaurant you'll see that instead they've chosen dark woods, shades of green and beige to create a homey atmosphere. The tables come in a variety of sizes, and unlike other Pakistani restaurants you can sit at a table for two or four and not feel far away from who you're dining with.

You have three options for seating. If you choose the first floor (ground floor), you'll be close to the salad bar, but also to the main entrance. The second floor feels a bit more private, but if you want to go to the bathroom you have to go down to the first floor and then up two flights of stairs to the third floor. There is no direct access from the second floor to the third. The third floor can also be reached by elevator, but only from the first floor. If you want to be near the bathroom, the third floor is the best place to sit.

The menu boats the typical Pakistani, Chinese and Continental options of most family style restaurants in Pakistan. Entrees go for between 250 ($3) and 400 ($5) rupees per plate. Gourmet is known for their Stuffed Chicken with Pineapple Sauce, as well as their sizzling Mushroom Steak. My husband and I were in the mood for Pakistani food, so we ordered BBQ Platter #3 (chicken seekh kebab, white chicken boti, chicken tikka, fish tikka and 2 naan breads) and Chicken Handi along with some extra roti (thin wheat bread). When we ordered, the waiter warned us that the food was "Pakistani" spicy.

After just about ten minutes the food came steaming from the kitchen. The meat was fresh, and the bread was kept warm in a covered basket. The boneless grilled meat (BBQ as they say) came on a hot platter and the Chicken Handi came in a traditional clay pot with a wooden serving spoon. The white chicken boti was succulent, and the fish tikka just melted in my mouth. The boneless Chicken Handi was slighty too spicy for me, but along with naan bread and mint chatni (yogurt sauce) it was great. Every five minutes or so, a different waiter came to ask us if we wanted anything else.

Halfway through our meal a group of large, boisterous ladies came plowing in. They gave their order before even sitting down at their table and assaulted the salad bar. These loud ladies really disturbed the calm, relaxing atmosphere of the restaurant, but the staff did not say anything to them. Unfortunately, in Pakistan many customers do not respect the servers, and so the servers are really powerless to deal with this type of disruptive women.

We finished our meal and I ordered a Pomegranate Juice for 90 rupees. As the ladies got even louder, I gulped it down, asked the waiter to pack the leftovers and got ready to escape the now noisy restaurant. The juice was nice, but it seemed to have a little bit too much salt. I prefer it sweet rather than salty.

If I were the manager of Gourmet Grill, I would cut down on the number of employees. The service was good, but having so many different waiters always asking how you're doing can be a bit distracting. We Westerners aren't used to having servants waiting on our beck and call, and the dinner can lack intimacy if you're constantly being interrupted. Also, I'd feel more comfortable without the parking attendants in neon orange jumpsuits. They look as if they've committed a jail break for recently been deported. Their courtesy and nice smiles don't quite manage to overpower the garish outfits.

Overall, the Gourmet Grill is one of my favorite restaurants in Lahore. We both ate and took home leftovers for a total of 1000 rupees ($12.50) including tax and tip. The white chicken boti and the fish tikka is some of the best I've had in Lahore. The atmosphere, the price and the food is great. I've never had an experience with such loud women at the Gourmet Grill before, so it was unfortunate that they chose to go out to dinner at the same time as we did. If you go early, around 6 or 7pm, you should be able to avoid the crowds and eat your dinner in peace.