Samiul Alam Al Hashim Khyber Restaurant is known for its authentic Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa cuisine, and we finally had the chance to try their famous Kabuli Mahecha Pulao and Peshwari Chapli Kebab. The food certainly lived up to its reputation, the pulao was rich, fragrant, and packed with deep, meaty flavors, while the chapli kebab had just the right balance of spice and juiciness.
However, a few service aspects left something to be desired. The restaurant usually serves a red bean curry with their meals, but unfortunately, they didn’t offer it on our visit. Additionally, the portion of salad provided for three meals was quite small, which felt a bit disproportionate.
One of the more surprising parts of our experience was when we requested tap water, only to be told that it wasn’t available. This was a bit unexpected, as it’s a common courtesy in most restaurants. The biggest inconvenience, however, came at the end when we went to pay. Despite no visible signs or prior notice, the restaurant does not accept card payments, meaning I had to step out in search of a cash machine before settling the bill. A bit of a hassle in an otherwise enjoyable dining experience.