Love at first bite
Not only do we promise to control our diets and make a workout routine for the next day, but we also promise to come back to the Eden of food. When a single area serves all your cravings, you can't resist exploring it. From early morning breakfast feasts to grand dinners, from the pithas and bhelpuris of the street to the cone pizzas and burgers of the carts, Dhanmondi has it all.
If you opt for an English breakfast, then Gloria Jeans is a place to get really appetising sandwiches and great cups of coffee. They sell a wide selection of perfectly brewed coffees that you can have first thing in the morning, after a meal or over a conversation. Stage also has scrumptious "all-day breakfast meal" facilities, and the best part is that even if you miss your breakfast, you can enjoy it at a later time of the day. Other places for coffee, cakes and conversation are Bittersweet (enjoy their spoon-licking Blueberry Cheesecake, because life is too short too miss out on desserts), Bread and Beyond, and Coffee World. Since Glazed launched in Dhanmondi, we are just going nuts over doughnuts.
To kick-start the morning with a meal that is more fulfilling minus the hefty price tag, Star Kabab offers, a wide range of Bengali-style vegetables and curries from the crack of dawn. They have the most perfect tea to get you ready for the day. Korai gosht is another local food joint where you get Bengali-style breakfasts. Kebabs are also available all day, and that makes Chaap Shamlaao another food eatery to put on the must-visit list. Get spicy chaap and malai cha with a different flavour. Bar-b-q Tonite and Dhaaba are also popular choices for kebabs.
Dhanmondi started out with the most prominent Chinese restaurants since the beginning, and having to never compromise with the quality is what makes the foodies travel from other areas, pushing past the traffic and leaving their comfort zone behind, to taste the Thai-Chinese-Continental fusion. Chilis, the restaurant, provides amazing a la carte meals for lunch and dinner, and this spacious 4-storied restaurant offers floor space for parties and weddings. Xindian and Four Seasons are also top picks for good dining and good party venues.
If your tastebuds are craving for some tantalising and flavoursome Indian food that is spicy and familiar, then Santoor restaurant will make you feel like you are in India itself. Their professionally cooked dishes and the elegant environment just cannot disappoint you, but if you prefer a more casual ambience then Delhi Darbar has the genuine Hyderabadi biriyani with a taste that promises to be different than regular biriyani experiences, and Soi 3 also offers a cosy ambience that is so natural that you fall in love with the place even before the first bite, but do not miss their paneer butter masala.
We are often so bored of the same old food that variety is much needed, and an unconventional option seems like a life-saver. The recent trend of sushi initiated a tendency to explore various delicacies of the world, when curiosity meets savour. The Backyard Chef has sushi as their recent addition to their menu, and much to everyone's relief, it is inexpensive and delicious. Shimanto Square has a cart stall named Tekiya Japanese Cuisine and they have authentic Japanese food like sushi and tempura, offering yet another option.
For a juicy mouth-watering burger, Dhanmondi has way too many options, given that fast food is a popular choice among the young student crowd. Burger and Boost and Live Kitchen have a great success rate due to their pricing and hangout environments. Watch games live with your friends in Live Kitchen over a burger and Fererro Rocher milkshake. Takeout of Shimanto Square, and Madchef are food carts with both having been reviewed time and time again as the best burger makers of town. Cinnamon Sugar is yet another cart who has something new to offer. Opposite Japan Bangladesh Friendship Hospital, this cart sells pizza cones, pizza cups and churros - a traditional Mexican dessert item made of fried dough, usually coated in cinnamon sugar and dipped in melted chocolate.
For that moment when all you can think of is a slab of meat, finely marinated with perfectly processed ingredients then grilled or burnt on charcoal to make the juiciest steak of all, Pitt Grill is your place to be. Being Dhanmondi's one and only dedicated steak house, they understand the requirements of their client's steak best. Cilantro and Nostalgic Café also have steaks that are worth gaining those extra pounds, but if you visit Nostalgic Café, try their Shirley Temple – a perfect throwback to those retro cocktails that will leave you feeling nostalgic even to this day.
By Sonya Soheli
Photo: LS Archive
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