Karachi Eat 2016: Karachi eats and sways.. to the beat

I regret that I have but one appetite… to give to my stomach

The festival’s trademark icon

Indeed, that was what I thought beforehand and that is precisely why I refrained from both breakfast and lunch, before going to the highly celebrated “Karachi Eat” food festival for dinner.

The balmy winter evenings ensured a good crowd

The festival was launched at what is arguably one of Karachi’s most endearing landmarks, the ‘Frere Hall”. Named after Sir Byrtle Frere who was instrumental in its construction almost 150 years ago in 1865, the hall (and its vast adjoining gardens) was designed as a place for cultural events and festivals. A role it plays with considerable aplomb to this day.

The rush was noticeably thinner during the daytime

As for  the three day Karachi Eat Festival, it is now being held at this historic venue for a third year in a row.  And each succeeding year it has simply grown bigger and better.

Lipton tea stall during the day time

And its accompanying fountain after nightfall

The parking is still as much of a hassle this year as it was in the past couple of years. But to be fair, the sheer volume of people coming in would overwhelm any comparable venue in the city.

The inevitable traffic jams

However, issues that had plagued the previous two version of the food fest have been thoughtfully taken care off. The number of valets has been increased and washrooms have been provided. For kids, play areas are desirable and washrooms an absolute must and this oversight had led to a lot of grief in the previous two incarnations of the food fair.

Kids Play area Karachi Eat 2016

As for the stalls of the food fest.. They were quite simply never ending… Stall after stall, each trying to outdo the other.

Karachi Eat 2016 on its 2nd night

Throw in the music and the concerts and one realizes why the festival is such a smash hit year after year.

Concert at Karachi Eat 2016

The highlight of this year’s festival was as usual the(by now) ubiquitous ‘Churros”. The line at the stall of this most delectable of savoury delights seemed never ending.

The long queue outside the ‘ Churros’ Stall

While the food fest continued on the grounds, the weekly Sunday book fair that has been a regular weekly feature of the Frere Hall grounds for the past 17 years also took place at the Hall grounds. The book fair while not being as popular as it was before  is still a hub of activity as booksellers dealing in both old and new books converge from all over the city, to sell their myriad wares. Book stalls, dotted with invaluable nuggets waiting to be discovered by the discerning customer are assuredly a feast for any bibliophile’s eyes.  Indeed, a lot of foodies headed straight for the book stalls from the festival to the visible delight of the sellers.

Book fair at Frere Hall

In fact on a cool wintry evening, one can imagine the ghost of Sir Frere though the ages, walking around amongst the crowds chuckling quietly to itself.

Frere Hall lit up at night