The split second before I take the first bite, my pulse starts racing. The split second after I take the first bite, my taste buds explode in a mixture of sweet, sour, spice and a touch of saffron. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it’s Afridi Inn’s chapli kebab and it’s absolutely blowing my mind.
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With one branch’s location right in front of Dolmen Mall Clifton and its accompanying food court, you’d think that it wouldn’t get much attention from the passersby bustling to get to the main attraction, but the fact that even at 10 am in the morning, the dhaba and the quaint chaarpayis lining the road are queued up with people waiting to try their scrumptious food, clearly points otherwise. My family often frequents Afridi’s when my mother isn’t in the mood to make that extra roti, and every time, feeding six people never costs us more than 2000 rupees – a sharp contrast to the majority of other eateries in Clifton/Defense that gobble up more out of your budget than they feed you back.
The menu encompasses all our desi favorites: handi, karahi, kebabs (a.k.a. the love of my life), afghani, topped off with delicious matka kulfi (yours for just Rs. 80!). In the two years that I have been familiar with Afridi’s, the quality of food has never disappointed me – the efficiency and jovial nature of the service further add to the Inn’s good reputation.
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However, one thing that does blot the experience is the parking situation; it’s hard to enjoy food properly when the major concern on your mind is whether your car will get scratched up on the busy road you had to park it on. The lanes inside may be more peaceful but, like in any dark alleyway, the security risk always prevails. Your best bet is either to take a cab or park in Dolmen’s basement and walk across the road.
All in all, Afridi Inn is a great desi restaurant that poses a great alternative to the overpriced food found elsewhere in Karachi, despite the congestion in the busy area. With both high quality and quantity of food, I’d rate it an 8/10.
