Karamel Cookies: Is it worth the calories?
Karamel Cafe, a Karachi based cookie company, recently opened its doors in Islamabad at the newly upmarket Beverly Centre, F-F/1. I decided to visit before you can say K is for Karamel!
Karamel Cafe: The Inspiration
The inspiration behind Karamel is Sheena Khan, who started out with a home-based business two years ago. Today, Karamel has 4 outlets in Karachi. The Islamabad outlet is the fifth one and in partnership with Osman Maqbool. I asked them both about Karamel’s philosophy of “Pure indulgence” and “Karamel hits the spot.”
What was the inspiration behind Karamel (perhaps Ben’s Cookies or Mrs. Fields)?
Sheena: My love of cookies over any other dessert!
No Cookie Rookie
Interestingly, Sheena doesn’t indulge in tasting the batter herself, but gets her family and close friends to give feedback. She disclosed to me that she doesn’t share her recipes with anyone, and workers are only handed the prepared batter to mix. This becomes interesting logistically, as she has to send the batter from Karachi to Islamabad in a fresh state.
Slogans such as, “For the Love of Cookies” and a poster stating “Warning: Highly Addictive”, gives the place a welcoming ambiance. The cafe emits a diner-like feel. There are high chairs with a table to the side, and more comfy sofas on the other side of the space. Although Karamel Cafe is housed in a compact setup, the interior gives it a fresh feel. As one enters, the full range of cookies on offer are on display. They come in twelve flavors currently. Prices range from Rs.150 to 220. The most popular flavour is the milk chocolate (Rs.150). Sheena mentions that the ‘Oatmeal Dark Chocolate’ (Rs.200) doesn’t get the recognition it so richly deserves.
Karamel’s central location at Beverly Centre is already generating the publicity they want. On the opening day- 28thApril, 2018, the first hundred customers were presented with free cookies! They don’t do deliveries just yet, but they plan to, closer to Ramazan.
Karamel Cookies in a Nutshell
I tried the milk chocolate chip cookie which had a chewy texture and tasted very fresh. Cookies are baked fresh daily. The cookies can be likened to ever-popular brands such as “Ben’s Cookies” and “Mrs. Fields”. They taste just as good! They make a perfect afternoon snack. A home delivery service would be a plus point for tea parties and birthdays.
So far, the café serves instant coffee and there are no savories on the menu. Karamel Cafe can definitely go a notch higher and serve brewed coffee, given that Islamabad customers have become more discerning over time. And most of the cafes do serve brewed. It would be a pity to miss out on customers due to a lagging drawback in the coffee department. However, once you bite into that chewy goodness, you might just forget all! Thanks to Karamel, life is now full of cookies!
Oh, and is it worth the calories? Definitely! My taste buds have spoken without a hint of doubt!
In a World Full of K’s
In a world full of Kardashian K’s
Go for Karamel Cafe
Delicious chocolatey cookies
At least twelve kinds
Perfect for high-tea
Try Karamel for a snack
Or fill some boxes and bring them back
Either which way,
Karamel Cafe is here to stay!
Did you enjoy the read? Then light up the heart at the bottom of this page and recommend it to your online community! If you’re craving some chocolate now, read up on on Aztec Chocolate Shop
or better still, get our very popular Chocolate Tart Recipe or if you prefer going whiter and grander, then try our White Chocolate Raspberry Cake and have a real Kitchen Adventure!
