Iftar buffet at Pan Pacific Sonargaon: Over 100 dishes from around the world
This year, the hotel is ready to serve around 200 guests every day for iftar at its restaurant Cafe Bazar
Iftar is perhaps the most important meal during Ramadan, and not just for religious values. After a long day of fasting, Muslims around the world eat in the evening with friends and family. For that reason, iftar has become an occasion for social and familial bonding as well; this is especially true for Bangladeshi people.
Every year, Pan Pacific Sonargaon, one of the oldest hotels in Dhaka, organises Iftar buffets throughout the holy month of Ramadan. This year, the hotel is ready to serve around 200 guests every day for iftar at its restaurant Cafe Bazar.
Last Thursday, The Business Standard team had the opportunity to chat with the Executive Sous Chef of Pan Pacific Sonargaon and the President of the Chef Federation of Bangladesh Habibur Rahman Johir at their Iftar Tasting event.
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"Our regular guests at Pan Pacific Sonargaon usually come here generation after generation as a family tradition. We believe that this hotel belongs to them as much as it belongs to us. We exist to serve our guests."
As part of this, like every other year, Sonargaon is focusing on their famous Jilapi and Halim. Johir mentioned that every day during Ramadan, there is a queue of people for Halim and Jilapi, and it becomes a challenge for them to meet this huge demand from customers. I had no reason to doubt his claim as I saw people flocking particularly around these two sections at the Iftar Tasting Event.
Apart from the Jilapi and Halim, a few more items will be fixed on the iftar buffet menu. Pan Pacific Sonargaon believes that no iftar can be complete without traditional items like Peyaju, Beguni, Chop, Dates, Muri, etc.
"The Bangladeshi iftar tradition is also very much centred on middle-eastern foods. So we will keep items like Kabsa and Qoozi as regular items as well," said Johir. In fact, according to Johir, the Qoozi will be the main attraction of the Iftar buffet.
Other than these items, there will be juices, fruits, salads and dessert items. Desserts will include traditional Middle-Eastern desserts like Umali, Baklava, Mahalabia, etc.
Different types of Arabian, Indian and local items will be included in the section called hot dish. The idea is to include enough items to cater to customers with different and diverse taste pallets. More than 100 iftar items will be on the menu. You can come with your friends or family, hang out with them and have a cosmopolitan iftar experience in this beautifully decorated restaurant.
Confirming Pan Pacific Sonargaon's commitment to its guests, Johir said with a broad smile, "If our guests feel like having something that is not on the menu, we will try our best to prepare those items for them. Of course, they will have to call and inform me beforehand for that."
You can also get bookings for the Cabanas — a special Middle-eastern style iftar experience in a charming atmosphere near the swimming pool of the hotel.
