Lahori Dera brings new and lesser-seen examples of Pakistani cooking to Maddington
The menu of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes ranges from paneer to pizza, from breakfast to buffets (and indeed breakfast buffets).
Pakistan$$
There are half a dozen dried dates in the golden plate in front of me. They’re chewy and dense and taste like sunshine and patience.
There’s a jug next to the plate rooh afzaa ruby-colored squash made with rose syrup and soaked chia seeds. Like dried fruits, rooh afza is also sweet. Even very sweet. (I wrote “Turkish delight consommé” among the tasting notes on my phone.)
This is exactly why they both stand out iftarThe dinner that Muslims took to break their daily fast during Ramadan, Islam’s holy month of contemplation, ended Thursday night. The natural sugars and minerals in dates are great for blood sugar levels; Soft drinks quickly meet the body’s water needs.
The duo are also featured at Lahori Dera, a two-room Pakistani restaurant in Maddington. Or at least on the restaurant’s iftar nights, the staff is seen preparing long buffets filled with Pakistani dishes served in fancy gold chafing dishes. A nod to tradition, the tables are pre-arranged with dates and rooh afza for those who want to preserve the old style.
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But most diners have their sights set on a bigger prize than dried fruit, and some are happy to jockey for prime positions so they can hit the ground running at sunset. Typically a adhan The (Islamic call to prayer) signals the time to depart. The dinner bell is not heard in Lahori Dera. Instead, look for bursts of movement as the hungry head straight for the hefty samosas; crispy, kakiage-like pakoras consisting of shaved vegetables with loose branches; and good sized spring rolls. (Apparently, the air fryer’s appeal is pretty universal.)
Some will scoop up piles of fried food and return to the table to share the spoils of a successful hunter-gatherer expedition. Others will continue on their way, filling their white plates with ladlefuls of sherbet. Shinwari Qeema (a juicy stir-fry of minced lamb, tomatoes and ginger); Perfect fish curls fried Lahori style and crunchy with mustard seeds and crushed coriander seeds; plus creamy don’t be afraid mutton curry – the meat is naturally on the bone – which raises the heat level a bit.
Quarter naan bread and luxurious pulao rice (just enough oil) provide vital balance during the fruit creme chaat (chopped fruit sweetened with yoghurt) and mini fruit pudding topped with biscuits and raisins tick the boxes for dessert. But whether you like them depends on how much you like bananas as a flavor: both dessert options feature divisive fruit stars.
But eating as much as you can is only half the story. To get the full scoop on Lahori Dera, head to the second dining room, where the a la carte menu offers a more comprehensive look at what chef-owner Amir Nadeem can do. For example, this is where he will work. mutton (trotter stew), Kolley (chickpea curry) and other popular Pakistani breakfasts and brunches on weekends. During Ramadan, the restaurant also hosts an event. city buffet – pre-dawn, pre-fast meal – between 1:30am and 3:30am, can’t wait to try it next year.
It is possible to leave the buffet thinking that the vegetables are not very suitable: pastries soaked in yoghurt. genius bhalian a little too soft, brave dahl not quite in the same league Dahl Daddy’s namesake. But get to know this shahi paneer – a mind-bogglingly rich curry made of tomatoes, cashews and cream, with korma and satay sauce tasting like they’ve spent the weekend together – and you’ll see why this part of the world is famous for its vegetarian culinary artistry. I burned half of it kalwanji naan (a thin, cracker-like flatbread studded with sesame seeds) I soaked up the toppings before remembering there was cheese to eat.
This naan, by the way, is cooked in the tandoor, just like most of the non-veg entrees, like lamb seekh kebab (with meat!), plump chicken tikka, and roasted quail. You can order these meats individually or taste a group of meats. Kalaneri platter: A type of barbecue sampler featuring a variety of meats piled high on the Pulao mountain. Next on my to-try list: the restaurant’s Pakistani-inspired pizzas, starring Paneer. idiot and lamb kebab. (One of the cuisines in Lahore where Nadeem trained was Italian cuisine.)
It seems rude to write this, but while both dining rooms create a pleasant dining environment (restaurant manager Sami Haidari and his team are a warm presence throughout) the restrooms aren’t great and give away the age of the building. While Lahori Dera is not the first place where the food is great, the bathrooms leave much to be desired. (We stand here to think Miki’s Open Kitchen In Margaret River and Broome’s wonderful, beloved deceased Aarli.) And if I had to choose between good kitchen but bad bathrooms or vice versa, the answer was clear.
And if actually eating and less-seen Pakistani cuisine means dabbling in 1980s freestanding dressing room bathroom decor, so be it. People have endured much worse situations to break bread with their loved ones, and unfortunately they continue to endure it.
Down
Atmosphere: A family-run Halal restaurant is helping expand WA’s Pakistani food options
Dishes to use: shahi paneer ($22); Lahore fish ($20)
Beverages: Milky Kashimiri teas and sweet fruit blends, as well as multinational soft drinks served in cannonball-sized glasses
Cost: About $80 for two people, excluding drinks
Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and independently paid. A restaurant cannot pay for a review or inclusion on a list. Good Food Guide.
Max Veenhuyzen is a journalist and photographer who has been writing about food, drink and travel in national and international publications for over 20 years. He reviews restaurants for the Good Food Guide.
