By the sea!

interior

This week You! takes a look at the tastefully done interiors of a recently opened restaurant in Karachi...

Besides good food, interior design, colour scheme and spacing are the three crucial factors that add to the success of a restaurant. To make any venture a success one needs to appeal to a diner's senses - sight, smell and hearing so that they thoroughly enjoy the experience of being at the restaurant. And all these factors have been taken into consideration by the management of the recently launched restaurant ‘Zaoq’ at Dolmen Mall, Clifton, Karachi.

The restaurant is no novice in the culinary and hospitality sector. In fact, they hold the unique distinction of introducing Pakistani cuisine in Doha, in a fine-dining manner which up until now had been a novel idea in that region. Within seven years, it has come to be associated with elegance and great taste, very much in the spirit of its name - Zaoq.

According to the owner of the chain of restaurants, Ammar Hussain, “We are also proud to have pioneered the concept of a Pakistani restaurant in a mall setting - a concept that has shown exceptional results in the Middle East. Hence, it was only natural for us to return back to our home country and share the success.”

The dining experience at the restaurant is just as much about the ambiance as the food. Each one of the restaurants have been designed by ArchTech, an architecture firm from Lahore headed by Yasir.

Much attention has been given to the interior of the restaurant at the mall to incorporate aesthetics, cultural imagery, comfort, lighting, and a spectacular seafront view. The restaurant has a seating capacity of around 200 persons. The colour scheme of the entire place is kept within beige, off-white and neutral shades to give a sophisticated and serene feeling - also because neutral shades play out really well with wood, which has been extensively used in the interior. The dining tables are made of wood and the wooden rafters elegantly separate the reception from the main dining hall.

The eatery has been given a lot of attention in terms of lighting as well. During the day, the sunlight streaming in through the huge windows adds to the visual experience at this classy restaurant. While at night, lighting fixtures in the ceiling makes the place well-lit and creates a soothing atmosphere as well. Plants have also been placed here and there to add a fresh touch to the overall ambiance. Some pictures also hang on one of the walls that add an artsy touch to the place. However, what sets this eatery apart from others is the fact that the diners can see their meals being prepared. “Our kitchen has been made visible through glass walls so that our claims of impeccable hygiene can be monitored and verified by the customers themselves,” says Hussain.

Now coming to the best part, food! The cuisine originates from the lands of the Mighty Indus River and is a culinary amalgamation of great civilizations of the Persians, Arabs and Indians. “Our success story begins with our ingredients; all of which are absolutely fresh including the produce, the meat and spices. We offer a versatile menu consisting of delectable bar-be-ques, curries, sumptuous biryanis and freshly baked naan/roti. We also have a range of seafood and vegetarian entrees in addition to the most tempting desserts and our very own bar that churns out anything from lassi to pina colada,” shares Hussain.

The city of Karachi is a stepping stone for Ammar Hussain into Pakistan and in the future he has plans to open more chains in Lahore and other major cities of Pakistan.

A beautiful view of the sea, good food and ambiance to match, what more could the customers ask for!