There’s been a recent upswing in bistro styled food culture in Lahore. Over the last few years, while Karachi has been busy building a gourmet flavour profile, casual and comfort food loving Lahore noticed an influx in European styled cafes that offer artisanal wood oven pizzas, rotisserie chicken, sandwiches and a delectable array of baked goods. It is a menu that works well, fast to produce and easy to consume, making it the go-to choice for mid-week lunch cravings, office meetings or even an impromptu snack that doesn’t seem to be overloaded with calories (but is).

While there are some established names that already draw a regular crowd seeking this type of cuisine, there’s always room for more. Joining the fray this summer is the Cube at Nishat Hotel. Nestled inside the boutique hotel, the Cube recently launched their summer menu and invited Instep for a tasting. Here’s how it went.

The meal started off with refreshing mint lemonade that immediately hit the spot after the scorching heat that has left us feeling parched. While we sipped on the icy cold beverage the appetizer and salads made their way to our table. The recent healthy and superfood obsession has ensured that no new bistro menu is complete without quinoa being included; hence it came as no surprise that one of the starters was a freshly prepared quinoa salad with oven-dried cherry tomatoes, nuts and cranberries that tasted of summer personified. However, it was the goat’s cheese and caramelized walnut salad that had our heart. Offsetting the sharp kick of crisp rocket leaves with the sweet crunch derived from candied walnuts is a smart gastronomic combination that packs the perfect punch of sweet and salty. The coconut butter prawns were also a succulent revelation. We expected them to be a variation of the common chili butter prawns but the dish had a velvety texture from the use of coconut and the prawns melted in our mouth. Full marks for cooking the crustaceans to perfection.

The entrees included a grilled cheese sandwich with braised beef, chili mayo and cheddar that was oozing out in all its golden, melted goodness, two variations of thin crust pizza, a batter-fried snapper main and two pasta dishes. Despite its simplicity, the grilled sandwich was the star of the main course, bursting with flavour.

The beef was tender and seasoned well, chili mayo adding a subtle hint of spice to balance out the intense richness of the cheese. If there’s one thing we found commendable across all courses it was the treatment of the protein. Prawns, fish and beef were all cooked to the T, juicy and falling apart at the first pull of the knife and fork. The pizzas were good, the linguini and creamy mushroom snapper delectable, though maybe the salt pepper quotient could be turned up a bit more. The only dish that didn’t quite blow us away was the spaghetti with chili prawn that really could use some heat.

By the time the waitress whisked away the desecrated plates of entrees and brought the dessert, we were already slipping into a delicious food coma. But a freshly baked molten cake with salted caramel and ice cream, which was already beginning to pool into a puddle, beckoned and we couldn’t resist. We broke open the cake to unleash a shiny river of chocolate that bathed our plate and seductively invited us to taste.

The first bite had us hooked. Silky, rich milk chocolate, intense salted caramel and a cold dollop of vanilla ice cream is the stuff that dreams are made off. We polished it off with ease, licking our lips with gusto children reserve for chocolate. If you go to the Cube for nothing else, their molten lava cake alone is worth a visit. And while you’re there, you might as well give their dishes a try. We promise, you won’t be disappointed.