Its no secret there are more than a few good Pakistani Restaurants in Jeddah. Lahore Restaurant is just one of these, and have a great signature dish which (I was told) I just had to try.

What you might ask was so good? Such that it was recommended to me as a must try?The answer Im afraid, might be a little too much for some of you to stomach, although for others it may sound completely natural. This is because the dish was none other than Lambs Brain Fry, a popular dish in Pakistan and one I had yet to try. I was a little taken aback upon the recommendation. But not one to turn my nose up at food without trying it, I decided to give the Brain Fry a chance.

Located in Bani Malek, Just off Al Souq street and close to Jarir Book store, Lahore Garden is not too hard to find. Its bright green signage makes sure of that. Its also right besides Butt Falooda which is equally well known in the neighbourhood for its home made Falooda (a vermicelli based dessert common across Pakistan and North India).

The inside of Lahore Garden is much like other restaurants in the area, fairly simple in decor. However it s the food that draws in the crowds, not the wallpaper. The venue is well air-conditioned, and the family area upstairs makes for a much more intimate setting.

The seats are cushioned for one thing, and despite being bathed in a pinkish neon light (which takes some getting used to) its considerably more comfortable than the dining area below. If you like dining alfresco theres even an open air rooftop balcony, which is made available for larger parties,

Although the Brain Fry (15 SR) is what drew us in, Lahore serve numerous other dishes with an extensive lunch, evening and specials Menu. We also order the Romeo Chicken (10 SR), Mutton Karahi, Kidney Fry (12 SR), and Beef Seekh Kebab along with some Lassis to drink.

Not long after the waiter returned to set the table bringing with him a large complimentary salad, basket of freshly baked tandoor bread, and individual dishes of raita chutney.

The food arrived in stages, with the freshly cooked brain fry arriving first. For some reason I had imagined the brain would come in large chunks or slices. Much to my relief, the pieces of yellowish lambs brain were speckled in between a mix of herbs, spices, and peppers; nothing near as off-putting as I had expected.

When it came to the taste test the result was a spicy, flavoursome and creamy mix that was not far off from the texture of a chicken liver pate. Surprisingly good, if you can get over the fact that you are eating brain.

The kidney fry was the complete polar opposite, a firm and chewy dish, which left much to be desired. The Mutton Karahi was my favourite of them all, soft, boneless and tender pieces of lamb mixed with green chilli, in a moderately spicy sauce. This went perfectly with the soft and steaming tandoor bread  a basket of which was topped up throughout our meal.

The remaining two dishes were also good, the beef seekh kebab was more sausage than kebab, slightly hollow, with a crispy exterior, with a texture similar to a Linda McCartney vegetarian sausage (if youve had these before, you will know what I mean), although the Seekh is considerably more spicy!

The Lassi (yogurt based drink) came in handy throughout the meal, although slightly more sour than expected, it did its job quenching my thirst and washing away the spices when needed.

The Chicken Romeo (a curiously named dish), raised more than a few eyebrows along with the cliched Juliet jokes. This was a generous portion of large chunks of chicken breast cooked in a curried sauce. Unfortunately perfection was marred by the inclusion of a stray splinter of bone so any romance was short lived!

As for dessert, there are a few options here, and we decided to try the Kulfi (pistachio frozen dessert similar to ice cream) and Falooda (5 SR).

To the uninitiated Falooda is a milky pink and soup-like dessert; on the surface of which float vermicelli, sugared tapioca seeds, and Kulfi, all in a syrupy mix of rosewater. Personally I preferred the Kulfi over the Falooda; and this provided a refreshing end to the meal.

Theres no hiding that Lahore Garden is great value for money, three of us ate four main courses , two desserts, with drinks for only 77 SR (Bread and Salads were complimentary). All in all this is great find for those that dont mind eating off the beaten track. Would I cross town for it again? Most Definitely.

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