Shimanto Square: Haven for Foodies

When wanting to go out, be it for an outing, brunch with friends, a family outing, an evening drink, or just wanting to eat out, we take a look at all the new restaurants opening on every side, and nook and corner of every road. There are so many eateries already, with many more opening every day that it is a tough choice selecting where to go, but one common issue stands: the price! 

Most of these fancy themed restaurants make dents in our wallets, and even though they do provide exclusive dishes and services, sometimes when stepping out we do not want to spend so much just for brunch or casual hangouts. 

Shimanto Square food court has become one of those places where people love to visit frequently for its huge array of food courts and satisfyingly reasonable prices. It is one of those courts where people love to go to fill their tummy's needs with minimal cost. It has no fancy lighting or fancy dining, but what it has is amazing food and snacks and that is enough for a food devotee. 

Being right in front of one of the best shopping malls in Dhaka is another advantage for people who love to shop and eat. Most customers during daytime are students from neighbouring universities and schools. As evening falls, the crowd rises, with families and friends all joining in. 

The place is always packed, and one can hardly find a place to sit – and if you end up going in the evening, it will be hard to find a spot to stand on. That pretty much describes the popularity. 

There are around 16 food courts in total: Kebab Express, Pizza Italiano, Quick Bite, Hot N Roll, Prominent Food and Desert, Mila Fast Food, Shawarma Club, NB Food Corner, Takeout, Pana's Panini, Good Food, Hunger Anger, Dr. D, Soft Ice Cream, Frankie's Fast Food, Tekiya and Pankouri. All these food courts have one thing in common: they all provide the same seating arrangement with a lot of similar snacks or dishes too, the most common and popular being the sub sandwich.

If you have a taste for spicy kebabs charred to perfection, Kebab Express is your place. Want a burger that will ignite your taste buds? Look into Takeout, famous for their wide range of burgers and newly added mushroom caramel burger. 

Pizza lover? Go visit Pizza Italiano. 

Soft Ice Cream has a good selection of flavours and add-ons to their ice creams to cool down your hot summer days. Shawarma Club, as the name suggests, serves varieties of shawarma, along with other small snack items and refreshments. 

Pana's Panini is also a snack shop with their special item 'The Rice Bowl'. This is one of their most popular menu items, which is a bowl of fried rice with chicken strips big enough to serve two. Hot N Roll has some mouth-watering crepes you will want after your savoury meal. 

If your taste buds want to explore the cuisines of Japan, but your wallet does not want to hike to a fancy Japanese restaurant, make your way to Tekiya. Not only do they serve Japanese dishes, their kitchen and exterior resembles that of a Japanese restaurant. Maki roll sushi, tempura, onigiri rice balls, yakitori grilled chicken, and Japanese origin green tea are some of their famous items. Amongst them, omusoba and jambalaya are some of their newly added dishes. 

Other than these, regular snack items such as French fries, chips and dips, nachos, and pasta are common dishes in all the stores and cost the same in almost every store. Each store provides outdoor seating and most provide home delivery too. Since the food courts are in Shimanto Square, it is a highly secured and protected area, so do not be afraid of taking your loved ones to go out and enjoy a meal. 

By Anisha Hassan
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed