Iftar without samosas and/or pakoras is unthinkable for most Pakistanis - unless you are on a diet (and a very strict one at that). Even if it’s not Ramazan, you can simply not stay away from these two must-have snacks at tea.

We have seen different variations of pakoras - aloo (potato), baingain (eggplant), hari mirch (green chillies), piyaz (onion), gobi (cabbage), palak (spinach), dhaniya (coriander), even chicken pakora (yes, it exists!) - but we haven’t seen too much experimentation when it comes to samosa recipes. Apart from the traditional aloo samosas, there are a few other regular varieties like chicken samosa, qeema samosa, cheese samosa that are easily available in the market but if you are in Lahore and looking for something different vis- à-vis samosas (or as somebody put it: ‘samosas with a twist’), Awesamosas is the place to visit to tantalise your taste buds. We have many a samosa joint all over the city but Awesamosas has a whole variety of samosas in just one place.

When you enter the Awesamosas store, you are not just greeted by the smiling staff and the proud owners (Daniyal Noorani and Seemi Sani) but you are also greeted by a fusion of appetising aromas. This samosa joint has the ambiance of a cosy cafe, with seating for around 15-20 people, where you can sit and chat with your friends while having any (or ALL) of these six delicious flavours of samosas as this joint has a great variety to cater to all your samosa cravings.

Dam ka Qeema

Taking the traditional qeema samosa to a whole different level, Awesamosas’ Dam ka Qeema samosas are literally out of this world. The quality of the qeema is second to none and the taste doesn’t get any better. It is fast becoming the most demanded flavour that the establishment has to offer.

Caramelized Onion

My personal favourites are the Caramelized Onion samosas. Soft, scrumptious caramelized onions with cream cheese and mushrooms make these samosas simply mouth-watering and the best thing is that there is no bad smell associated with onions in this one!

Pizza

This one seems to be a growing trend, bringing together the best that desi cuisine has to offer and a gift from the Italians. The perfect blend of cheese, tomato base with a healthy filling of pepperoni, this samosa tastes like eating a pizza wrapped in a crunchy samosa crust.

Apple Pie

Just the right amount of sweet, this is basically the perfect apple pie in a samosa form. Of course there are some people who say that they would rather just eat an apple pie than a samosa stuffed with an apple pie filling. I am not an apple pie fan but if I were to suggest a desi version of an apple pie samosa, I would say go for a samosa filled with suji ka halwa (I’ve had it once at a niaz ages ago and have been craving one since then).

Reese’s:

If you have a sweet tooth, you really wouldn’t want to miss this one - a mixture of chocolate and peanut butter that is actually finger-licking good. It has been a hit with kids and adults alike.

Chocolate S’more:

If you are a chocoholic, go for this Nutella- marshmallow combo. It is sinfully delicious and quite filling.

Launched just a few months ago, Awesamosas has definitely come a long way from a stall at the Lahore Eat Festival and a few pop-up stores to an official samosa joint. The pricing may seem a bit steep to some but the products being used in these samosas are certainly of high quality, fresh and hygienic. I am now waiting for the much-anticipated new flavours promised by Awesamosas.

Conveniently located besides CSD in Cavalry Ground on a road that serves as the link between Gulberg, DHA and Cantt, Awesamosas store is surely the spot to visit for some garam samosas and cold drinks this summer. If you live in DHA, you can stop at the store to get samosas to cook later at home or you can sit inside the store and eat them just hot off the plate.