Check It Out

Scoping out Iftar locales

For the last few years, iftar deals have been the rage in and around town. Wherever you looked there were deals galore and a plethora of meals on offer in an 'all you can eat' setting. This obviously meant, that there were no shortage of places that you could go to with an economic budget and a bottomless stomach.

But those days seem long gone.

As inflation kicks food prices into overdrive, iftar buffet deals seem to have been one of the chief casualties.

Gone are the days of all you can eat meals at every single big restaurant and you would be hard pressed to find somewhere where you can have a decent iftar on a budget.

Either you have to outlay a significant amount of cash or you are better off sticking to the meal at home.

Now that should not deter you from going out there looking for your fill of buffet iftar and there are some old boys around, and atleast one new kid that refuse to disappoint you.

EFES
This place probably deserves an Oscar for sticking by us customers through thick and thin. Years have passed since their heydey but Efes continues to provide us with the same recipe for success that made them famous in the first place. Not that too many people are complaining. For the price range, Efes's iftar cum dinner menu is more than a match for your wallet. Trying it out may rekindle those taste buds that made you fall for it in the first place.

PIZZA CORNER/COFFEE WORLD
If Efes represents the tried and trusted, Pizza Corner and Coffee World combine to bring us the new and trendy at an affordable price range. Tk 350 for unlimited pizza and drinks may sound just about the most awesome deal in the world, but be sure to read the fine print. Food is served only till 7pm and at 10 minute intervals. And like mommy suggested your plate has to be clean of every sliver before you can be served your next helping. It can get a trifle irritating at times but turnout is huge with people booking their places from as early as 3 30 pm, leaving late comers with no choice but to find other forms of entertainment.

DHABA
In the event that you are one of the latecomers at Pizza Corner, Dhaba represents yet another option for the eager iftar seeker. The food is a mixture of indo-bangalee and although the iftar items are priced at exorbitantly high rates (a beef patty would cost you TK 30) you can still try out their original menu and be satisfied with enough to eat your fill.

BELLA ITALIA
However, if pizza is really your thing and Pizza Corner is all booked up do not rush to the nearest Pizza Hut. This little gem tucked into the corner of the Apex shop is one of the most popular food shops in the country. The pizza is great, the starter dishes delicious and the spaghetti is quite special. A personal recommendation would be the pizza with four cheese or the seafood pizza, both healthy alternatives to meat stereotypes and health (ier) for iftar time.

PIZZA HUT
Ok, so no list of iftar places is complete without Pizza Hut. The franchise which probably coined the 'all you can eat' theme for iftar's have made it big and have packed houses all throughout the month of Ramadan. Their offer is generously priced (for them) at Tk 399 but throw in a fair bit for drinks and the considerable amount for VAT and you are staring at a 500 shaped hole in your pocket, minimum. But they let you stay till 7:30 and unlike Pizza Corner are not as fussy about which parts of the pizza you do eat before serving you that next helping. That and the altogether jovial atmosphere make this the most popular iftar location for Ramadan.

HONOURABLE MENTION
There are a number of locations that deserve a mention in the iftar topography. They may not be of a regular high standard but do make it a point to go to Old Town one day for iftar; the food is dirt cheap to the point where you wonder if it is indeed made of exactly that. You can eat your heart's fill, stack up on the delicacies and still feel full by the time sehri rolls around.

It is definitely worth the travel time.

By Quazi Zulquarnain Islam
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed
Special thanks to Khazana

Budget Smart
Adventure on wheels

Sharmila Nahid is looking forward to getting her first salary as a corporate jobholder of a reputed MNC and is planning to buy gifts for her family as a token of love and thankfulness for all their support; and ofcourse Eid is just around the corner! She's thinking of buying a skateboard for her younger brother.

Or is she actually cooking a perfect recipe for disaster, you may ask with a raised eyebrow. Indeed, skating is a bit risky. But its fun; cool and adventurous. And the risk factor can be minimized. Riders must guard themselves with things like knee pads and elbow guards; and ofcourse beginners like Sharmila's brother should stay away from traffic and try to learn a few moves on flat, smooth surfaces. But small cuts and bruises are obviously inevitable…no pain, no gain!

Skateboards come in various sizes, its better to take her brother with her when she buys it so that he can choose the most comfortable one. For someone in his early teens, an average size will do. There are several Chinese and Japanese brands; he can also choose between colourful skateboards with different pictures of superheroes imprinted on them, or if he feels that is too childish for his tastes, he can choose from plain and sophisticated ones. Prices, depending upon the size, range between Tk 600 to Tk 1100. But the fact that skateboards don't have brakes makes it discouraging for some beginners.

Perhaps a pair of roller skates is a better idea. Roller skating is also an aerobic exercise; it's compared to jogging. Skates are basically of two types. Quad skates, that cost around Tk 700 to Tk 900 are preferred by many for beginners, perhaps because of the way the wheels are set- two of them on the front and the other pair on the back- makes it easier to have control over your body. But there is no rigid rule. Having said that, Sharmila may consider buying the other type. It's sleek, very stylish. Inline skates, also called Rollerblade, have two to five wheels configured on a single line which are incorporated under the boot. The size of the boot is flexible and can be altered. Rollerblades have a price tag of Tk 3500 to Tk 4500. Some stores offer a mix of both types- a pair of rear wheels and two to three wheels in a line in front. Prices are around Tk 600

Though obviously not popular in Bangladesh, roller skates and boards are readily available. She can drop by at the nearest sports store.

By M.H.Haider