Housed originally in Bahrain, New York Café – ‘your neighborhood café’ – has recently found its neighbours in the upscale Zamzama Street of Karachi. Inconspicuous and low key from the outside, this 60-seater is a little beast inside: brown and white checkered marble tables and life-size black and white photos of typical Manhattan streets line two of its walls, punctuated by red and yellow. Dim lit interior, wooden beams on the ceiling and a brown wooden floor – they all exude wafts of a freshly whooshed espresso shot.

As my family of two overgrown tots and a complete gastronome husband entered the place for lunch – the red and black-attired server welcomed us and seated us at the far corner of the restaurant. Another family already specked the ground floor, along with a lone coffee drinker and some selfie-struck youngsters. By the time we left, the place was buzzing with a young crowd and busy servers.

The 12-page menu card, slightly overbearing, was packed with options ranging from the oft seen All Day Breakfast to Crepes, from Starters to Sandwiches and from Pizzas and to Grilled Meat. Coffees, frappus and other beverages occupied the last two pages. A quick scan of the menu card indicated a weak friendship with Espresso and Café’ Aylanto. Soon, I was proved wrong!

The ethos of the kitchen was soon displayed on our table with buttery orange Fried Buffalo Wings, four quarters of Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla, Mushroom Cheese Burger, a bright Thai Zesty Beef Salad and last and definitely not the least, Grilled Chicken Bruschetta.

As the gastronome of our family took a bite of the wings, he nodded, indicating his hearty approval. The wings were meaty, juicy, mildly spiced served with a couple of cucumber and carrot pencils and a blue cheese and chilli dip. Return Factor – Yes.

Quesadillas were primarily ordered for my young cheflings, however, the appropriately stringy mozzarella elemental chicken slapped between two tortilla wraps had the usual mild taste. Although they were insanely cheesy they lacked piquancy. Return Factor – Possibly not.

The 150-gram beef patty topped with cheesy mushrooms, a thick onion ring and lettuce bunned in white (we had the option of ordering brown too) was certainly the star of the table. With hints of smoky flavour, this succulent and moist disc was commendable. Served with a peppery slaw and a handful of chunky golden fries guarantees a return trip. Return Factor – For sure.

The well-informed server warned me that the salad would be spicy. The tongue numbing, chilli flaked tender beef snippets were housed on top of a huge iceberg bed, with some cucumber and carrot pencils sticking out of the salad bowl. Teary eyed I finished the tangy spicy beef, loved every bite of it however wished there was more element to it than just iceberg. Return Fact – Yes (If only the beef is spiced down).

The Bruschetta, crying out loud to its Italian origin, was generously buttered and topped with garlic infused pesto chicken. The three bread pieces, thick and chewy, spruced on the side with some greens and a bullet of a tangy sauce struck the eye more than the appetite. Return Factor – Perhaps.

I must confess that the next three items were purely on the insistence of the friendly General Manager. And my Statue of Liberty, am I glad or am I glad?

The NY Cheesecake, a 3.5 inch tall slice of heaven, reminded me of a café in Singapore, which served ultra high and uber huge slices of cakes. This is by far one of the best-baked cheesecakes I have ever eaten. Layered outside with a thin biscuit base the calm off white baked concoction was firm, dense, tangy and sweet. Return Factor – Yes Yes Yes!

Whilst the gastronome and cheflings sipped a Tangy Berry Smoothie I was served (free, if I may add) a Kona Mocha – a hot frappe. Smooth, mouthful and utterly chocolaty – it has my approval.

This thoroughly modern beast also offered omelets, crepes, pancakes, wraps, grilled entrees and over 20 different kinds of imported coffee concoctions. The menu does not carry anything different from what the rest of the cafes in K – Town have to offer. Yet the items have been tweaked, refined and polished up for a pleasant ‘American’ experience.

And perhaps due to this fine-tuning of the usual dishes the prices have been honed upwards also. The usual salads are priced between Rs. 600- Rs. 700, coffees are placed in the 400s and main entrees are closely knitted to Rs. 1000. A steep hit on the pocket, this café is definitely a one-time visit. However, once you have discovered your palate moving items, chances are you will be visiting it repeatedly.

As for me, I better hit the gym before the lunch at NY Café hits me – however, I don’t mind having another slice of the distinct lemony flavoured cheesecake. For those who are interested in visiting this neighborhood café details are as follows:

Address: Plot 9-E, 8th Commercial Lane, Zamzama, Phase 5, DHA Karachi Pakistan
Phone: +92 21 35877590-2
Price per head: Rs. 1000 – Rs. 1500
Overall Return Factor: 3.75/5