Lahore, Lahore aye. The popular slogan stands justified once you have experienced all those desi and Western dishes the city has to offer. Lahore is not just the heart of the Punjab but also a focal point of some of the most delicious food items. In a very short duration of time, Lahore’s food culture has achieved popularity in many different countries because of its Pakistani diaspora.

According to Bapsi Sidhwa, “If you run an eating place in Lahore, you are bound to succeed.”

From the Gowalmandi Food Street to MM Alam Road, Lahore is a place where good food can be found aplenty. However, I insist on visiting new places because I feel like they need to be given a chance. A few days back, I had a chance to explore a few new restaurants in modern Lahore. Some of my friends have insisted that I stop trying out new places, but I have persevered although, of late, my experiences of dining out in Lahore have been more of a miss than a hit.

Burger Bar, known for its gigantic cheesy burgers, is simply not to be missed. Their standards are simply impeccable. The menu is pretty diverse and one can be confused as to what to eat and what to skip. Truly speaking, on my first visit I was already making mental notes on which burger to order “next time”. I wanted to try every single burger.

During my first visit, I found that the dine-in space is a bit small. However, while going inside the cafe one can feel the music but more than the sound of music, it’s the aroma of burgers, sandwiches and freshly cooked fries that are an in-house speciality. Being a burger brand, its main effort revolves around various types of burgers and sandwiches.

For me it’s a nine out of 10 in taste, ambience, atmosphere and quality of service. I had their famous double patty grilled chicken burgers with garlic mayo sauce in one of them and mustard sauce in the other. Both of them were absolutely delicious. The patties were quite juicy and tender and there was a perfect amount of cheese on the burgers. However, loaded fries were highly-priced.

Fahad, the director of Burger Bar, says that the basic idea was to open a burger bar for takeaways. Later, at the insistence of some customers they set up a dine-in space as well. He says that the customers get the same quality of food that they see on their social media. He says everything is made fresh.

All confectionary is made in-house in order to keep it light but flavourful and to steer clear of harmful oils, in keeping with the new tradition taking hold in Lahore, of healthy food.

The reviewer is a social and political activist based in Lahore. He has done his master’s and MPhil in communication studies. He can be reached at salmanali088@gmail.com and tweets @Salmani_salu   According to Bapsi Sidhwa, “If you run an eating place in Lahore, you are bound to  succeed.”