Kunafa in Karachi, eaten hot
Crisp pastry, molten cheese, sweet syrup, served warm. Our version is the Royal Kunefe at Rs. 999. This page is written by Sufraq, and most of it is about the dessert rather than about us.
The stretch is the point
A good kunafa does two things at once. The top has to crackle when the spoon goes in, and the cheese underneath has to pull. Lose either and you have a sweet pastry, which is a fine thing but not this.
Which is why it goes out hot and why we would rather you ate it straight away than saved it for later. Cold kunafa is a different, sadder dessert.
Ours is called Royal Kunefe on the menu, spelled the Turkish way. It is the same dish people search for as kunafa or knafeh.
Kunafa questions
What is kunafa, and what makes it different from other desserts?
Shredded pastry over soft cheese, baked until the top crisps and the middle turns molten, then soaked in sweet syrup. The point of it is the contrast: crunchy on top, stretchy underneath, served warm. It is a Levantine and Turkish dessert rather than a subcontinental one, which is why it tastes unlike anything else on a Karachi table.
How much does kunafa cost in Karachi at Sufraq?
Our Royal Kunefe is Rs. 999. It is the dearer of our two desserts, with the Molten Lava Cake at Rs. 949, and it is meant to be shared rather than eaten solo after a full mandi.
Should kunafa be eaten hot or cold?
Hot, without question. The cheese sets as it cools and you lose the stretch entirely, which is most of the reason to order it. If it arrives and you are not ready, eat it anyway. Reheating gets some of it back but never all of it.
Does kunafa survive delivery across Karachi?
Reasonably well within about half an hour, which covers most of our delivery range. It is a warm dessert in a sealed box, so it holds heat better than something that needs to stay crisp and dry. Order it with the rest of your food rather than after, so it arrives at its best.
What should I order kunafa with?
After a mandi or a charcoal platter, one Royal Kunefe between two or three people is about right. It is rich and syrup-soaked, so a whole one to yourself at the end of a big meal is more than most people want, however good it is.