Food for thought ...

And when you crush an apple with your teeth, say to it in your heart:
“Your seeds shall live in my body,
And the buds of your tomorrow shall blossom in my heart,
And your fragrance shall be my breath,
And together we shall rejoice through all the seasons.”
- Kahlil Gibran

Food – something without which a human being cannot survive. It can be defined as ‘any solid substance (as opposed to liquid) that is used as a source of nourishment’. There is no denying its importance in our lives but to go overboard about food makes it a different issue.

Lahore has always been known for its cuisine and is rightly called the ‘food centre’ of Pakistan. A variety of cuisines can be found in any part of Lahore. The people of Lahore are referred to as ‘zinda-dilaan-e-Lahore’ since they are known for their liveliness and openheartedness. Their love for food is a well-known fact, and they certainly do justice to the words of George Bernard Shaw who said, "There is no sincerer love than the love of food."

If you visit Lakshmi Chowk, you can find a veritable smorgasbord of cuisines. There are various barbecue places, and other diners that serve all kinds of desi delicacies. Mazang Chungi and old Anarkali are also famous for the mouth-watering food. People come from all over the city to have the special kind of milk, called ‘rubrri-doodh’ from old Anarkali. These places are also famous for their special breakfast delicacies such as halwa-puri and nihari. The eateries in these places cater to every class, as the prices are very reasonable.

Then there is the ‘food street’ in Gawalmandi where the prices are a bit higher. One can find a large variety of food here as well; it is an experience in itself. The Indian cricket team was taken there during their tour in 2004, and such was the quality of food that they could not stop raving about it.

Over the past five years, there has been a shift in trend for the food lovers in Lahore. There is this new trend in people to spend a lot in something that just has a fancy name and decor and serves dishes that are too expensive and over blown in prices to be afforded by a person with normal salary. These people only want to see a particular kind of public and tend to go to places where it's hard for people from other classes to get in. This new craze of going to hip places, to see and be seen, is the latest trend in today’s society.

One only has to venture out on M.M. Alam Road and can see dozens of restaurants that mostly cater to the upper class, as the prices are pretty steep. Local delicacies are available in these restaurants as well as western food. If one goes out for lunch or dinner on a Saturday, chances are that you will have to wait for a little while, in order to get a table. Numerous restaurants have opened up in such a short time, but little thought has been given to the proper planning of these places. There is always a parking problem on busy days, the parking lots of these places are so cramped that the road serves as the parking place. People have to park 10 miles away from the restaurant because of this.

The food in these restaurants is good, but still there is a deficiency. The quality of food isn’t directly proportional to the price of food. One can get better quality food in areas that aren’t as posh as M.M. Alam Road. It is not as much about food as for the exclusive environment that these hi-fi restaurants provide.

This opening of new restaurants all over the city is good in a sense that it serves as a healthy competition. The overall quality of food is improving but at the same time the prices are also becoming steeper, thus making it difficult for normal people to enjoy it as much. They always have to worry about their monthly budget and this rise in prices can be a burden on their pockets at times. The restaurants that are too pricey and do not have good quality of service and food should be discouraged so that the new places that open have better food overall.