Charsi Karahi & BBQ | Pakistani Halal Restaurant — Restaurant in Mississauga

I recently visited Charsi Karahi BBQ for their Ramadan buffet on a weekday, and overall, it was a decent experience with a mix of hits and misses. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the dishes and drinks we tried:

Main Dishes: • Chicken White Kadhai: Excellent! This was undoubtedly the star of the evening with rich flavors and perfectly cooked chicken. • Normal Chicken Kadhai: Average. It lacked the depth of flavor that makes a good kadhai dish stand out. • Qeema: Average. Nothing particularly memorable about it. • Butter Chicken: Average. It didn’t quite have the richness or creaminess expected from a standout butter chicken. • Butter Paneer Masala: Very nice! This dish stood out with its well-balanced flavors and creamy texture.

Snacks & Starters: • Veg Samosa: Okay. Not bad, but nothing exceptional either. • Papdi Chaat: Disappointing. The papdi seemed to be fried in stale oil, which gave it an unpleasant aftertaste despite multiple attempts to try it.

Desserts: • Shahi Tukda (with custard fusion): Not recommended. The attempt to combine Shahi Tukda with custard didn’t quite work, and the result was underwhelming. • Gulab Jamun: Average. It lacked the rich, syrupy indulgence you’d expect from this classic dessert.

Other Notable Dishes: • Biryani: Okay. It wasn’t bad, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression either. • Fried Fish: Amazing! Crispy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked — one of the best dishes of the buffet. • Chicken Tikka: Good. Nicely spiced and cooked to perfection. • Chicken Kebab: Good. Tender and flavorful, adding a nice variety to the meat selection.

Drinks & Extras: • Rooh Afza: Nice. Refreshing and perfectly suited for breaking the fast. • Other Drink: Not very great. It had an odd taste and didn’t quite hit the mark. • Dates: Good. A thoughtful and traditional touch, and they were fresh and enjoyable.

Overall Experience:

While some dishes were underwhelming, there were 4-5 standout items that made the visit worthwhile — particularly the Chicken White Kadhai, Fried Fish, and Butter Paneer Masala. The inclusion of Rooh Afza and dates was a nice touch for those observing Ramadan.

The ambience and service were good, and considering the variety offered, I would say it’s a value-for-money buffet when compared to other options in the Toronto GTA. If you’re looking for a buffet with some standout dishes and are willing to overlook a few average options, this place is worth a try.

If I return some other time then it will definitely be for White Karahi...

Called them at 6:00 PM to inquire if they're taking reservations for dinner, the person on the phone informed that no reservations are required & we can walk-in, but there could be a waiting of 10 - 15 mins. So we went there in an hour and a half and met the guy who spoke with us on the phone. He said that there's currently waiting of 5 - 10 mins, I said but there are many tables available/ empty as I could see. He said those were reserved. I said but we were told no reservations today? He said these tables were reserved from before. I said okay, we'll wait. So after about 15 mins he called and we went inside to get our table.

We placed the order & were told that it will be served in 15 - 20 mins. Then after around 15 mins they started serving the appetizers and I asked where are the fries we'd ordered? The server said she'll chk and revert. Then they started serving the main course after another 10 mins or so and I again inquired abt the fries and were told that they'll chk and come back.

For appetizers we'd ordered Lahori Fish and Cajun Fries and for the main course 1 Chicken Charsi Karahi, 1 Chicken Shinwari Karahi, 1 Family BBQ Platter with Behari Kabab & an Onion Salad.

We started having our food, and to be honest, everything tasted just so-so, nothing special/ great about the taste. The Chicken in both the karahis was under cooked and had that smell of not been cooked properly. The BBQ items (all of them) had a very strong after taste of Kabab Cheeni (a spice used in the kabab/ bbq items in Pakistan). That really made our food tasted weird, so we had a bite to taste & did not eat the rest and left it as is. We were done having dinner and in between kept reminding least 5 - 6 times to different servers to serve us the fries, and finally told them to cancel it because by then we were already done with the dinner.

Although I'd told the server that we do not need the fries anymore and should be cancelled from our order, the server brought it to us anyway and wanted us to have it. I told her we're already done and I do not want it anymore, so she took it back.

Their service was very slow and there were only 3 servers to cater to all the tables. The environment was very noisy and it was difficult to hear/ make the other person understand what we were saying.

The way down to the washroom had a very weird smell of spices.

All in all, a very bad experience and we're not going back again to this restaurant.

2 thumbs...

For the full video review please visit our YouTube channel in2spices or the link below https://youtu.be/3EcTOnVyM1Q

Charsi Karahi & BBQ restaurant in Mississauga is a great addition to the list of authentic, halal restaurants catering to foodies who love the authentic flavors of delicious dishes such as the famous Charsi Karahi of namak mandi in Peshawar or crave for the mouth-watering Lahori Chargha or the energizing Lahori Hareesa. The restaurant's inviting decor and cozy atmosphere make it a perfect retreat for those seeking an authentic taste of the East in the heart of Canada.

Items we tried at the restaurant: Lahori Chargha: Our taste buds were in for a treat with just the first bite – as the Lahori Chargha at Charsi Karahi & BBQ, took us on a journey to the streets and alleys of Lahore. It had the same familiar taste in every bite that we love.

Lahori Hareesa: The Lahori Hareesa at charsi karhai, captures the essence of Lahore's culinary heritage. The slow-cooked meat and with its thick rich consistency was really a comforting dish and again was straight from the recipe book of authentic Lahori cuisine.

Brain Masala: Next was one of my favorite dishes, the Brain Masala. Not many restaurants in the GTA know how to achieve the silky, buttery consistency and easily this one for me ranks in the top 3 Brain Masalas that I have had in the GTA

Shinwari Karahi: Cooked with minimal ingredients yet boasting of rich flavors that transported us to the rugged terrains of Peshawar, the Shinwari Karahi with its tender meat cooked in the distinct Peshawari style, boasting of flavors and aromatic spices, made this dish an unforgettable experience.

Charsi Karahi: The iconic Charsi Karahi at Charsi Karahi & BBQ was undoubtedly the #goood dish of the day. The symphony of spices and the expertly cooked meat make it an addictive dish, and I am sure fans of the iconic karahis of namak mandi peshawar would be proud of what Charsi Karahi & bbq restaurant in Canada has managed to accomplish.

Khoya Kheer: We ended our amazing meal with the Khoya Kheer, which was a perfect ending to our journey of taste, zaiqa and zouq at Charsi...