It seems that opportunities for an outing in Peshawar are constantly pacing up. The city is seeing something of a surge in the number of places of recreation open for its residents. Moreover, with an increasing number of tourists pouring into the city from all the over Pakistan and the world, Peshawar is now able to boast a brand new local hotel, worthy of catering to the increased needs of the hospitality industry. Located at the Firdous Square opposite to the famed Bala Hisar fort, the 8-storey building stands tall and shines bright against the illuminated city skyline, stealing away all the attention towards itself with ease.
The Bala Hisar fort was a vital stronghold of the empire of the Durrani (or Abdali) Afghan rulers. The actual evidence for the nucleus of a citadel goes back centuries to the Ghaznavids (and even earlier, perhaps) but the stronghold achieved its current fame in the Durrani erea, in the 18th century. It became the winter capital of the Afghan Empire, as a matter of fact. Even today, the Fort is the headquarters of Pakistan’s Frontier Corps.
Soaking up this atmospheric legacy, the nearby Hotel Fort Continental’s facilities include valet parking, a welcoming reception, a pristinely beautiful lobby, luxurious single and double deluxe rooms and executive suites. The hotel provides affordable luxury and is seemingly capable of putting up a strong contest against its competitors, such as they are.
Qissa Khwani Lobby Lounge & Snack Bar
Samana BBQ provides a panoramic view of the city and the mighty Fort Bala Hisar with its golden lights
However, the main reason why the Hotel is beginning to rise in the esteem of Peshawar’s people is not luxury accommodation. The greatest attraction, and the one that most interests us here, is the wide variety of eateries that it is introducing. The eateries are named after the famous sites of the old city itself. And so, for instance, the café is named after Peshawar’s legendary oldest bazaar, the Qissa Khwani Bazaar. For as far back as historical memory goes, the Bazaar acted as a place of rest and socializing for traders journeying into Central Asia. Bringing that tradition to the contemporary world, the Hotel has a “Qissa Khwani Snack Bar & Lobby Lounge” that offers a range of drinks including coffee and hot chocolate. The adorable tiny bakery at the corner of the cafe has a variety of scrumptious freshly baked gateaux on which the visitor might munch alongside their beverages.
The 7th floor of the building is dedicated to the Hotel’s signature restaurant, named after the famous fort monument: The Bala Hisar Restaurant. The restaurant is becoming popular for its all-you-can-eat buffet. The food served is visually appealing, (crucially) stays warm and is checked frequently enough for its abundance by the chefs.
The buffet menu starts off with a salad bar consisting of a variety of assorted salads and delectable condiments neatly served with appetising presentation. The diner is especially impressed with the sheer number of sauces served to go with the rest of the menu. Succeeding the salads is a section for appetisers and soups with their respective condiments. And from that, of course, follows the main course.
There, chefs cook more than 30 different dishes that can be seen on the buffet table beginning from desi cuisine with its usual Biryani, Chicken Boti, Malai Boti, Reshmi Kabab, Chicken Handi, Shab Deg and Chicken Jalfrezi. Moving over to the continental section, one can find finger fish and pastas served with various sauces, and finally ending with some Chinese flavours – focused on rice and noodles.
One of the noticeable facets of the restaurant is a transparent kitchen. Behind the glass wall, the diner may spend time watching chefs busily preparing the dishes. The restaurant has a delightful ambience with a well balanced seating arrangement for families and individuals – making it an equally convenient dining experience for everyone.
Here’s some useful advice to consider if you’re planning to try their buffet: don’t forget to leave room for dessert. The visitor would disregard such advice at their own expense: soon enough you find yourself wishing dearly for a large enough appetite to devour everything as you approach toward the dessert table. It’s a perfect treat for the sweet tooth, with an assortment of desi and continental sweet courses. We are speaking of a range of possibilities here: pastries, cakes and brownies; sheer khurma and custards leading all the way to the steaming hot Gajar Ka Halwa.
The diners enjoy their meal either in the restaurant or enjoy an even more atmospheric cultural experience on the rooftop. And this brings us to the most distinctive space of the hotel; the live barbecue set up on a rooftop, named “Samana BBQ”. It is wisely constructed, making perfect use of its location and the landmark right opposite to it. And so the BBQ provides a panoramic view of the city and the mighty Fort Bala Hisar adorned with its golden lights.
The rooftop is encircled with balustrades in the style of the Old City, providing a homely feel to the ambience. Enjoying the scrumptious Shinwari style tikka while soaking in the mightiness of the historic fortress silently telling its tales of imperial glory, the white barbecue smoke wafts up in the Peshawar night sky. In short, this is a unique dining experience that can absolutely not be found elsewhere.
Before one forgets, 3-6 pm is the time when the restaurant opens its doors for Hi-Tea with a wide variety of savoury afternoon snacks. It is highly recommended that you go there as early as possible. The place is usually brimming with diners for Hi-Tea.
All these dining opportunities make the Fort Continental Hotel an amalgam of desi and Western hospitality: representing Peshawar’s distinct and varied past.
History is made to be read and written, they say. However, this time let’s have a taste of it…
