Cuisine Confidential

Ayaz Khan owner of Okra opens up about his restaurant, food trends and staying a small business

The exterior exudes rustic and homely yet exquisite fine dining awaits diners inside

The small alleyway that has been home to Okra for the past eleven years is a clogged artery come the weekend. Expensive cars with anything but yellow license plates crowd around the humble exterior. While the restaurant exudes a rustic feel the food could not be more refined. Humble is also the man that has been the sole proprietor of this establishment - Ayaz Khan. He speaks like a man who is still looking for perfection, while his diners may say that he has achieved and maintained it. An open kitchen invites one’s curiosity to gaze entranced at the deft movements and precision of the skilled chefs, all adorning pristine white and the toque perched atop their furrowed brows. The entire operation looks very simple and clinical in its undertaking but that has only been because of the discerning eye of Ayaz.

Having been in the hotel management arena prior to opening Okra, the sheer bulk of food in hotels was the bane of his job. “I had to deal so much in large quantities that quality could not always be ensured. I wanted to work with smaller numbers and concentrate on the quality of food being served.” This may be the winning formula that Ayaz is aloof to and that many new eateries may look for. Ayaz reiterates, “As Pakistanis we want things bigger,” this may be the case not only with location but with some menus. “Look at Sabri,” he says speaking of the famous Nihari house, “they do one thing and they do it well.” Most restaurants and cafes try to be the jack of all trades but at least they could master some of their dishes.

The 40 seater restaurant may not be the first choice for huge parties but the limited seats offer thorough service and superior quality food. Ayaz has been asked by many on why he hasn’t expanded and when I pose the same question he replies with: “I don’t have the formula for that.” It is about components coming together to work harmoniously. “I may go through a hundred steaks a week but my chefs may not be able to do 200 of them well.” Many purveyors of the restaurant want to see Ayaz open a bigger location but it may not happen though Okra provides catering services.

                                                                                                     

Ayaz’s forward thinking approach is not limited to his eatery he has taken to the web to reach a broader audience and is also a visible and interactive entity on Facebook. If you want to know the specials, what’s new or seasonal the information is present and menus are uploaded so you can decide well in advance. The importance of being in direct contact with your consumer via social media goes well beyond the oft ignored comment card. Something that is new to the food experience is when that dialogue is formed. Ayaz says that he takes those suggestions and implements them and wants to be told on how to improve.

Food trends emerge worldwide and Pakistan does not follow suit. Organic, for example, is a trend which people in Pakistan are not privy. “Okra has organic eggs but that’s it. People aren’t asking for it and it’s not feasible either.” With prices for all goods soaring with this economy even Okra has its good and bad days this is where adding the additional costs of organic won’t suit all diners. If not organic then seasonal and local ingredients make up for many of the dishes on the menu. Intially Ayaz had a vegetable patch in his house from which he would grow herbs that would not be available locally. The seeds he imported were than used to flavor the many dishes but now due to his workload he has outsourced that area to a professional. 


Even with a seaside city, Karachi is exporting most of its seafood which is then bought by individuals like Ayaz at higher prices. If not the price Ayaz does praise the quality, “There is a good selection of seafood which is available locally. Initially we used to outsource but now we have people come to us. There are ingredients being imported from Dubai but not as much as there used to be. We do get fresh oysters from Britanny, France. Good restaurants should tap into local and seasonal food.” Food to us is our culture and an essence of home and utilizing what we have can makes that exchange come full circle.

Okra is not only a good restaurant, evident because of the daily hustle and bustle; it has become a society marker. A place to see and be seen. Men come in for power lunches, women with their original logoed bags and their artificial flaxen hair, an occasional young couple also finds its way there to make the best first impression. With a frou frou clientele the restaurant service isn’t. Okra will prepare your steak well-done and won’t turn up their nose on your request but will tell you what you're in for - a tough piece of meat.

Simply grilled jumbo prawns

Diners have become more knowledgeable in regard to their food. “In the beginning diners would only be able to identify hummus in the mezze platter now they know more. People have traveled more and the trend is to dine out where they eat out two to three times a week. It’s become a topic of conversation as well. People gather at parties and discuss food and try to impress others with their expertise. I’m impressed since our culture has spicy food but people do prefer and enjoy simpler dishes.”

It’s always the passion of the job that makes itself present when one speaks to Ayaz. “I should travel more and eat more in those small villages in Italy and France,” he says with a smirk on his face, thinking of what the culinary possibilities could be. Hopefully he will share his discoveries with us at Okra.


Photos Courtesy of Ayaz Khan
Click here for the official Okra site
Note: The edited version was first printed in The News On Sunday