Calorie count: Unique new eatery ‘Easy’ takes over Karachi!

Karachi’s food scene has effectively been stepping up its game, with exploration of new cuisines and a new restaurant or café popping up somewhere every week. Easy happens to be a unique new addition to the block, gaining hype with its always sold out doughnuts in experimental flavours like rose and pistachio and raspberry sriracha.

Having visited the eatery around 4 times, I’ve tried out a great variety of what Easy has to offer. Located in a lane between Khayaban-e-Shahbaz and Khayaban-e-Sehr, the space itself is small with a fun vibe. The seating arrangement isn’t the most comfortable, but I guess when you have a footfall like their’s you rather people dine quickly and leave to make space for others!

The exemplary

The hot dogs, with interesting names like Karachi and Genoa, are not only great to look at but also have a distinct combination of flavours. Karachi includes a tandoori batter fried sausage (thankfully it’s not the K&N’s kind of sausage!) and is topped off with crushed slims amongst other things! Packed with flavour and varying textures, this one was an interesting combination and a sure winner. The Genoa dog wasn’t far behind, with its juicy sausage resting in a blanket of fried cheese and pesto sauce. Both hot dogs are something I’d go back for any day.

The pizza too managed to stand out, which came as a surprise since we already have an influx of pizza in town. The crust was thick yet crispy with the perfect balance of cheese and marinara. The pepperoni was of course a classic, while the ricotta had a rich taste and was complemented with fresh rocket leaves.

The average and below average

The beef sandwich, whose exact name I have forgotten, was a pretty basic concoction and though it wasn’t bad it was easily overshadowed by the rest of the dishes. The fries that accompanied it, however, were a letdown since they seemed to be the frozen kind.

The Truffle Mac and Cheese turned out to be a disappointment too. There was close to no taste of truffle, and the cheese was too salty and runny for my liking.

The Bao Sliders had interesting flavours, the most distinct being the ‘Ode to Hanifia’, yet there wasn’t much to love about them especially since I am not a fan of bao buns.

The doughnuts were of course sold out at my first visit, so it was another day when I dropped by at an odd hour for a cup of coffee that I got to try those. Expectations were running high after the great meal I had had the first time around, but the doughnuts fell below expectations. Priced at around Rs200-300 a piece, we tried the crème  brûlée, salted caramel and peanut butter flavours. While the peanut butter doughnut was alright, the crème brûlée itself had a rich filling that tasted far too eggy, and the chocolate on the salted caramel was not as rich as one would’ve hope. The base of the doughnut too was not as light as fluffy as it seemed and was a let down. Similarly, the hazelnut latte was a bit pricey for its small size, plus there was no touch of hazelnut in it whatsoever!

However their decadent chocolate gateau made up for what the doughnuts lacked. Rich and balanced in flavour, with a heavenly moist texture, this dessert stole the show!

Easy has also introduced a brunch menu, and regularly keeps introducing specials. It’s this uniqueness that is bringing in customers, and is a welcome change from the everyday pasta alfredo and parmesan chicken that everyone has had enough of!