A quirky, quaint and homely eatery has made its way into one of Karachi’s fine epicurean streets, right where ubiquitous Okra resides. Marigold and Honey – a welcome new restaurant, opened its doors not too long ago, offering a curated selection of fine cuisine. The first impression is cosy and it’s inviting to note the collection of art works, carefully composed on the walls in a variety of colourful oils and monotone charcoal adding much contemporary measure to the space. That offset with heavy-set curtains and cosy lamps, the ambience is easily reminiscent of dining in a fine tea-room of sorts. The mellow lighting is in poetic measure bringing all these elements together to evoke a feeling of going back to the Victorian era. That said, the limited space can be a bit stifling or claustrophobic to some, especially if there are noisy children on the premises.

Marigold and Honey offers a basic but varied menu, handpicked (and beautifully handwritten) by Shamira, who has over a decade of experience at Café Flo. Her menu is knowingly constructed of meat, chicken, fish and pasta to appeal to a wide variety of patrons, whilst being nuanced enough to display the depth and breadth of the entrepreneur’s expertise. Wanting to give her clientele a basic feel of the restaurant, she is careful to experiment in just these few selections in order to let them know she can do this right. We began our meal with the prawn, avocado and rocket salad. The ingredients were superb and fresh and the prawns grilled to perfection. The dressing had a zesty finish to it, albeit dashed a bit too generously onto the salad, but flavourful nonetheless. The main course consisted of the pepper steak and here, while the sauce was made to perfection, of a good consistency, generously garnished with plenty fresh peppercorns, the meat was a disappointment as it was far too soft to be served as a steak entrée. Although cooked throughout, it remained a tad less lofty than one expects to be served. However, whether it is a different cut of the meat, or a varied cooking method, there is definitely room for improvement as the overall flavours and presentation were well satisfying. The sides were a veritable hit, especially the creamy mashed potatoes!

The dessert was an absolute delight, the two we tried being the tiramisu and the dark chocolate cake. While the tiramisu was true to its flavour and entirely authentic, it lacked the delicate lightness associated with tiramisu and made for a far too heavy dessert. The cake, however, far exceeded any expectations of what a chocolate cake would be like. It was inventive and unique, taking on a delicate crackled-shell frosting, with a moist crumbly texture underneath. The dark chocolate flavour was carefully balanced between sweet and bitter, making it a welcome and fresh move away from milk chocolate deserts that are widely found in the city. That served with a well-blended cappuccino was a great end to our meal. Overall, the dishes at Marigold and Honey are layered and nuanced, with the variety of flavours and textures attributed to an experienced restaurateur is evident, as each course is resplendent with a mélange of ingredients that have come together quite nicely. A special mention must go out to the fine dining china used to serve each course, which is no doubt a promising effect, the level of detail and effort gone into the entire dining experience is hard to miss. I would definitely recommend trying the place at least once, as it remains casual enough to try for breakfast or tea, as well as for a fine evening meal. The owner’s presence too is a reassuring feat, as she makes her way to your table for feedback regarding the meal. A testament to the restaurateur’s ambitious new project, Marigold and Honey is a triumph in entrepreneurship and new flavour – one can easily see it becoming a mainstay in Karachi’s food landscape. Photographs courtesy From Plate to Page by Hasina Khanani