Karachi’s Zamzama Street
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Karachi’s Zamzama Street
A haven for coffee junkies
By Saima S. Hussain Dawn
When friends get together on a leisurely Sunday evening, food and drink inevitably come into play. This time, among the many fine eateries on Karachi’s Zamzama Street, Costa Coffee with its bold maroon-coloured exterior and attractive glass front was the venue of choice.
The eatery was founded by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa in 1971 as a wholesale operation supplying roasted coffee to caterers and specialist Italian coffee shops. It branched out to retailing coffee in 1978 when their first store opened in London. It has since become the UK’s fastest growing coffee shop business. The franchise recently expanded into the Middle East. Last year it laid the welcome mat outside its first outlet in Pakistan.
The first thing one notices after walking in through the front doors is the wide open space. Unlike most other cafes and restaurants, it is blessedly spacious. So even though business was brisk, with large and small groups routinely trooping in and out, the place did not feel cramped.
While most tend to be seated on the ground floor level, more exclusive get-togethers can be accommodated in the ‘cigar lounge’ on the upper level which offers some comfortable couches and a large range of Cuban cigars. A humidor keeps the cigars in perfect condition while the knowledgeable cigar bar manager can help with selection. This exclusivity comes at a cost though, as a surcharge is added to the bill for food orders served on the upper level. Interestingly, the cigar lounge is particular to this outlet and is not a franchise feature.
Once the party was seated comfortably on the ground floor, food menus were received and duly scrutinised. The menu offered no surprises; the list of options was generally the same — sandwiches, pastas, desserts — offered at other cafes. What left one taken aback were the hefty prices. While not outrageous when compared to similar eateries, the quality of the food served did not justify the assault on one’s wallet.
The basket of pastries was definitely a miss. It looked and tasted suspiciously like local bakery fare – and a decidedly lower end bakery at that. The encounter made one wish they had stuck with their original choice of a muffin (chocolate or blueberry), which was described by someone with more experience as a ‘safe bet’.
The toasted cheese and mushroom sandwich was satisfying and worthy of being honoured as comfort food. On the other hand, the lemon mint refresher ordered to wash it down clearly needed both flavour and sugar. To its credit, the servings are huge. A small size meal or drink here equals a regular size meal or drink anywhere else. So if one seeks a good-sized meal and a relaxing ambience the eatery fits the bill for breakfast, lunch or even a light supper.
The food may not be memorable, but the restaurant certainly knows its coffee. After all, coffee is what it is really all about. Genuine aficionados will find that this is as close to the real deal as it gets in the city. Whether it is espresso, latte or cappuccino —- if it’s coffee one is after than it’s got to be here. Equally appealing is their selection of cold coffees. Hot or cold, the java is served by an unfailingly courteous and knowledgeable staff.
When one whined that the cappuccinos served in most cafes were too weak and milky, the server immediately understood and offered a specially-made ‘strong cappuccino’. The pleasure of consuming the perfectly prepared frothy drink that arrived shortly afterwards made the pain of shelling out Rs150 for a primo (small size) almost bearable.
Business is booming for the franchise. Merely seven months after the first outlet opened its doors, another was inaugurated on Shaheed-i-Millat Road. Now plans are underway to launch a third outlet in the very near future. Apart from sit-down cafes, one expects to see its kiosks offering coffee for take away in busy areas such as I.I Chundrigar Road. With lower overhead costs, it is expected that the cost of a cup of java served at the kiosks will also be lower. Now that calls for celebration…bring on the cappuccino.
