Xander’s: The Ultimate Taste Explosion

Karachi, with all its turmoil and negative publicity, is still the heart and soul of Pakistan. Us Karachites are proud to be a part of a culture which is as rich and diverse as any in the world. We are prouder still of the many different eateries that have opened up in recent years, tantalizing our taste buds so effectively.

Xander’s is a quaint restaurant near Cafe Flo and Forty4, in Clifton. The minimalistic, yet intimate, ambiance sets its apart from other dine-ins. Xander’s provides its customers with tasteful food, comfortable seating and a choice of eating inside or out on the porch.

The tables each have a small vase at the center with beautiful, fresh-cut flowers. It is a pleasant surprise to find such attention to detail when most restaurants do not bother with such intimate points.

Xander’s is the perfect place to go to for breakfast and lunch. I went with a group of friends for the former, and ordered Eggs Benedict as the main course.   A yummy dip accompanied warm garlic bread to start off our meal.

My order arrived and tasted absolutely wonderful; comprising of poached eggs with spinach heavily draped with hollandaise sauce on homemade French bread along with Norwegian smoked salmon. It was the perfect antidote to my hectic week at work – and a great way to start off my weekend.

Xander’s Caesar salad was crisp, delicious and fresh, where the flavors blended together wonderfully.  I am a tomato soup fan and finding it on their menu could not resist the temptation to order.  Their roasted tomato soup with corn and basil, when it arrived, was laden with flavor, making it almost sinful.

I had also ordered the honey mustard chicken open-face sandwich, finding it a very unique name. It had bone-in, perfectly cooked meat with the right amount of honey and mustard over it, which beautifully complimented the flavor of the smoked chicken. The sandwich was well-seasoned, well-cooked and well-presented.

The dessert menu at Xander’s, though not as lengthy as one might hope, is certainly diverse. The home made strawberry cheesecake which we ordered was pure heaven. I would definitely advice you to try it if you haven’t already!

The customer service was wonderful and the staff extremely courteous and professional. While the prices are slightly on the steeper side, the quality of the dishes served makes it more than worth it.

For those of you interested in trying out the restaurant’s offerings, Xander’s is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8am to 12am. Yes, they remain CLOSED on Monday.

Perks: Don’t forget to catch their new designs on your coffee.

How I rate Xander’s: (Rating scale: 5 stars – excellent; 4 stars – great; 3 stars – good; 2 stars – fair; 1 star – poor)

Food: 4/5, Ambiance: 4/5, Customer service: 3/5

All photo credit goes to the author of this article.