1. ‑Strawberry-filled Nutella Samosas

Spoonful surely gave food connoisseurs a spoonful of sinful pleasure with their ingenious creation. As one bit into the crunch of the crispy samosa pastry, our mouths were flushed with the subtle sweetness of fresh strawberries oozing with natural juices that gelled well with richness of nutella topping and vanilla cream. It may have seemed a desi experimental mish-mash but it was truly worth being a sport for.

2. ‑Beef Tenderloin Sandwiches from Beefeater

There had to be something special about Asad Khawaja’s meaty sandwiches for on each of the three days one of our fellow reporters went up to grab a bite and every time the courteous Munizeh would reply saying ‘we’re sold out’ - a 100 sandwiches gone in a matter of 2 hours. Though just a regular whole wheat grilled sandwich at face, the slow-roasted succulent pieces of beef, tucked inside toasted bread, were a mouthful and the tangy kimchi mayo along with the sweet onion relish were a welcome tingle for the taste buds.

3. ‑Churros from Pane & Amore

These faced a tough but healthy competition from Masterchef contestant Rayyan Durrani’s signature churros but they won us over with their consistency. Crisp and fresh on the outside and fluffy from the insides, these sugar-dusted creations were a dessert lover’s dream come true. While at one point in time (and we say just one) Rayyan’s churros tasted a bit oily with the sauce being slightly watery in consistency, Pane & Amore maintained the quality throughout. The sweetness of the chocolate sauce did not overpower that of the churros.

4. ‑Mutton Koyla Karahi from Khyber Koyla Karahi

Street food devotees may argue against it with a myriad of examples from their experience but if there was one pure desi winner at the Karachi Eat festival then it was Khyber Koyla Karahi hands down. While their Afghani tikkas were far more popular, what surprised us about the mutton karahi was its tenderness. In such a limited space and even more limited time, it was commendable of the team to spruce a perfectly cooked mutton karahi. The meat was tender enough to melt in one’s mouth and the spices were well-balanced to suit every palate with an aroma that made you want to get lost in the chilly mountains of KPK.

5. ‑Fish Tacos from Fish and Chips

We recognized the team from Creative Karachi’s popular Azam’s Grill stall serving mouth-watering homemade burgers. This time around they caught on the season’s best - quite literally. With a simple menu of fish and chips and fish tacos, they played it smart and delicious all in the same time. The crispy golden fried fish, cooked to perfection, inside a warm pita, topped with a dash of lettuce, olives and jalapenos and drizzled with some hot sauce and mayo, the tacos were light on the stomach and high on flavours. The stall was perhaps the most under-rated of the entire event but the shorter queues were only a rare sight because of their bang on service.