Sindh Shahbaaz in Ajman
Over the years, Khaleej Times has been bringing you some of the best Pakistani restaurants from across the UAE that scream authenticity and taste. Here is Sindh Shahbaz in the emirate of Ajman, that offers authentic food and hospitality
"My mother took over the restaurant seven years ago from another owner and rebuilt it from scratch. We began with very few staff and it took quite a while before we started recovering daily expenses. During that time, there was a lack of good South Asian restaurants in the city, so we put in serious efforts to make Sindh Shahbaz just that. From then, we were able to build our reputation and loyal client base quickly," said Hasnain Khalid, operational manager.
Passed on from their mother to Hasnain and his two brothers, Sindh Shahbaz relocated to their new venue three years ago. "In 2016, the old building with our restaurant was going to be demolished. At the time, we had 15 staff members - we did not want them to lose their jobs. We sent them back home to Pakistan, and six months later, they came back to work with us at the new establishment," Hasnain said.
Renowned in Ajman
The restaurant's clientele constitutes of families, executives and bachelors who frequent the place for its famous offerings, especially the Friday breakfast. While most residents of Sharjah and Ajman head out to Dubai on a day off, Sindh Shahbaz sees an influx of customers coming into Ajman from Dubai and Sharjah, for a satisfying meal.
"The Lahori nashta is one of our main specialities. People come from Dubai, Sharjah and all over just to have our halwa puri, one of our most loved dishes with which we start our day. Attracting customers from outside Ajman in such large numbers has been a big change for us over the years," says Hasnain. The special breakfast is available from 8am to 12pm on Fridays.
"The most interesting thing for me is that a lot of our customers are Pakistanis of course, but the second highest number of customers are South Indians, especially Keralites - they simply love our food."
. Lahori nashta - Sweet and savoury Pakistani breakfast
. Handi, nihari and karahi - Slow-cooked meat stews
. Lahori channa - Spiced chicken and chickpea curry
. Barbeque dishes - A variety of traditional barbeque platters
. Biryani - Spiced rice meal with meat and gravy
On this special day
For Pakistan Resolution Day, Sindh Shahbaz is offering a special discount on the entire menu. In addition to this, customers who visit in the morning will receive free desserts such as sweet rice zarda or mutanjan. "We will distribute information pamphlets about the special day and are getting into the spirit by decorating the entire place with green lighting; we have also arranged special t-shirts for the staff and customers. We also have a few Pakistan flag badges to give to little ones," said Hasnain.
For a taste of Pakistan's flavourful delights, visit Sindh Shahbaz in Ajman, and make a day out of visiting the laid-back emirate.
Hasnain Khalid, operational manager at Sindh Shahbaaz
Sindh Shahbaaz in Ajman