What better excuse can a family have of eating together than to set up a group of brothers and sisters only without spouses or our children, select an eatery and then talk of old times without let or hindrance. No bar on anything said.

Last Friday we selected this eatery called Citrus in the shopping plaza on the Jail Road-Main Boulevard of Lahore. Located on the first floor it is rated as among the new ‘posh’ eateries. My two sisters had been there before and recommended that we assemble there. So I turned up with my brother Karim, the one who refuses to migrate out of the old city as everyone moved eastward to ‘posher’ places. He is a sort of sober chap who manages to analyse all things modern in a comical way. My sisters love him for this ability. Given a 15-minute stretch he can have you in stitches.

So with three out of eight living abroad and the youngest ‘never available’, we four took to the table. With the heat outside nearing 45 degrees C we decided to skip the soups and starters and go for a meal. The order was Chicken a la Kiev, a chargrilled beef burger, a Fettuccini pasta with Arabiata sauce and a Parmigiana chicken breast with spaghetti. For drinks I preferred plain water with the others going for a Fanta and a Coke. So we set about conversing.

Master Karim set about his huge burger with a knife and fork. I advised him to use his hands. “I am not a German”, he said. “Do you know Hitler never used his hands for his burgers”? He was on a comical line. But what amazed me was his knowledge of food and its history. Halfway through he dropped his fork and knife and went for the original.

The chicken a la Kiev seemed well presented and my Fettuccini pasta was very tasty. The chicken breast was well done and had been coated with a light lemon drizzle. In all it made for a good meal. We discussed other siblings and the readers know how sisters are defending the deeds of the crazier ones.

We collectively marked this meal so that it was, for once, a collective effort. For food quality it got seven, for taste six, for food presentation seven, for ambience seven, for quality of service six, for prices five (no cheap place this) for quality of crockery and cutlery seven (excellent) and for waiting service five. This averages out to 6.25 out of nine, which is very good. The parking is plentiful. Recommended, but with one advice: Build a bathroom in your eatery.

NOT SO SWEET AFFAIR: On Sunday evening last as I was waiting to meet a friend, I decided to have a quick sandwich. As I was near Gulberg’s Mini Market, I dropped in at this place called Sweet Affair. It is a simple well-decorated eatery … that is till I went through the menu. The prices are jaw-dropping.

But not one to be ruffled I went through the menu and ordered a simple open-ended brown bread chicken sandwich. It took its time coming, was well decorated and ended up two small slices with thick chicken pieces with greens on top. Not bad I will confess, but for near a four-figure price it seems like a rip off. But then the crowds come in and the place is doing well. Might not return.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2016