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[VIDEOS] Mark Wiens in Pakistan

TM Riddle

TM Riddle

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Surprised to find no thread on this.
Some mouth watering food there.

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Lahore and Gujaranwala so far
 
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The intro/summary:


We've been following his channel for a while, and I'm glad he finally made it to Pakistan. One of my biggest regrets is that the late lamented Anthony Bourdain never got around to it.
 
I've noticed alot of bloggers have been traveling through Pakistan recently. I hope this trend continues it will go along way into restoring Pakistan's image on the world stage.
 
I have been watching the videos and every time they give me serious food cravings.

Going on a 2-3 day Lahore Street food tour is something I really want to do.
 
Oh wow , although he makes the same.face for all food he consumes, loved his European tour.
 
Always funny how outsiders go to Pakistan and rave about the hospitality and friendliness of the people, but we get Pakistanis who complain about being ripped off or the females gawked at. I wonder if the Angrez folk are treated better or just don't realise they are getting skinned alive or leched? Or maybe the Pakistani ex-pats themselves just can't handle their home origins with it's quaint/weird customs?
 
Cpt. Rishwat said:
Always funny how outsiders go to Pakistan and rave about the hospitality and friendliness of the people, but we get Pakistanis who complain about being ripped off or the females gawked at. I wonder if the Angrez folk are treated better or just don't realise they are getting skinned alive or leched? Or maybe the Pakistani ex-pats themselves just can't handle their home origins with it's quaint/weird customs?
Click to expand...
It's the same in India. Subcontinental people love worshipping their white overlords. That's what around 150 years of British rule gives you.
 
King-Misbah said:
I hope he visits Peshawar and the northern areas too as the cousine is different :)
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He's already done with the trip. The next videos will feature Islamabad, Peshawar, Gilgit-Baltistan and Karachi. Its a shame to see Balochistan missing. Some of their dishes, apart from the now-ubiquitous sajji, are unique to them.
 
Nostalgic said:
He's already done with the trip. The next videos will feature Islamabad, Peshawar, Gilgit-Baltistan and Karachi. Its a shame to see Balochistan missing. Some of their dishes, apart from the now-ubiquitous sajji, are unique to them.
Click to expand...

Oh thats great! I look forward to the rest of the trip :)
 
TM Riddle said:
Food ranger is quite good too.
Click to expand...

Food ranger is awesome with the energy he brings. He doesnt do a great job of describing the food and taste sensations but still amazing to see him go to all these places. I didnt know China had such a huge Muslim food scene for instance
 
King-Misbah said:
Oh thats great! I look forward to the rest of the trip :)
Click to expand...

You mean videos of the rest of the trip, right? Technically you can't look forward to the rest of the trip, since the rest of the trip has already happened.
 
Nostalgic said:
He's already done with the trip. The next videos will feature Islamabad, Peshawar, Gilgit-Baltistan and Karachi. Its a shame to see Balochistan missing. Some of their dishes, apart from the now-ubiquitous sajji, are unique to them.
Click to expand...

Cant wait for Karachi one

CNN did one on burns road a few years ago but by and large it has been unexplored in terms of being put on video
 
Slog said:
Cant wait for Karachi one

CNN did one on burns road a few years ago but by and large it has been unexplored in terms of being put on video
Click to expand...

I hope his guide Ali knows which spots to take him to.
 
TM Riddle said:
It's the same in India. Subcontinental people love worshipping their white overlords. That's what around 150 years of British rule gives you.
Click to expand...

I think Pakistanis are hospitable to any kind of visitors. Brinv an African, Chinese or an Arab doesn't matter. Especially now that we rarely get any foreign visitors. Still a guest is a guest irrespective of origin. Though I can imagine an extra special treatment for someone from a Muslim country.
 
Wow thanks for sharing [MENTION=130700]TM Riddle[/MENTION] bhai




He seems like a thin lanky guy but having so much food in one day, if I have just one plate of nihari I have to lie down and take a nap :inti




One thing I disliked how everything from butter, oil, fat or ghee was labelled as "desi ghee" by him, we get it you know one Urdu word don't have to keep reusing it :sarf2
 
Waiting for Karachi.... I hope he is able to capture the contrast in cuisines from Karachi and places like Lahore/Gujranwala. Also Peshawar would be very interesting too since it is also different from Karachi or Lahore/Gujranwala etc.
 
Syed1 said:
Wow thanks for sharing [MENTION=130700]TM Riddle[/MENTION] bhai




He seems like a thin lanky guy but having so much food in one day, if I have just one plate of nihari I have to lie down and take a nap :inti




One thing I disliked how everything from butter, oil, fat or ghee was labelled as "desi ghee" by him, we get it you know one Urdu word don't have to keep reusing it :sarf2
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I thought the food was really brilliant. Definitely worth a visit.
 
One thing I'd like to add is that there is this new "trend" amongst travel bloggers to go to Pakistan since it seems like an exotic, dangerous place from outside. After watching the videos by Mark Wiens my youtube suggestions is filled with similar vloggers going to Pakistan in the last few months and most videos are titled "Is it safe to travel to Pakistan" or something along those lines.

I hope this "trend" translates into people actually visiting Pakistan because they wanted to go there rather than people going to Pakistan to overcome some final frontier or fear of visiting a "dangerous" place.


^Not doing a good job of explaining my point of view.
 
Syed1 said:
One thing I'd like to add is that there is this new "trend" amongst travel bloggers to go to Pakistan since it seems like an exotic, dangerous place from outside. After watching the videos by Mark Wiens my youtube suggestions is filled with similar vloggers going to Pakistan in the last few months and most videos are titled "Is it safe to travel to Pakistan" or something along those lines.

I hope this "trend" translates into people actually visiting Pakistan because they wanted to go there rather than people going to Pakistan to overcome some final frontier or fear of visiting a "dangerous" place.


^Not doing a good job of explaining my point of view.
Click to expand...

I get what you are saying. Like they should be visiting Pakistan cause they are interested in the country and not with an attitude of winning a trophy for visiting a dangerous country to later brag about.
 
The Islamabad video has been uploaded. I fondly remember the QAU "huts," as they are known, from back when I was still courting Mrs. Nostalgic while she studied at QAU. One of the more popular dishes at one of them was known as the Pervaizi, because it had been concocted by Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy. The "crisis" omelette shown here is another that dates back to that halcyon era.

I was hoping they would visit the ramshackle place up in Pir Sohawa which had what the Washington Post once called the best chicken dish in the world, but perhaps it no longer exists.

 
TM Riddle said:
It's the same in India. Subcontinental people love worshipping their white overlords. That's what around 150 years of British rule gives you.
Click to expand...

It's not only in this region, but everywhere, tourism is just a new form of colonialism, the only difference being that while colonialism exported the brightest European minds, tourism does the same with the masses instead, but the dialectic is the same. Some countries even use Orientalist tropes ("attractive" women, etc) to push forward tourism (the best case is Thailand : one of the very very few countries not having been colonized, but through "tourism", it has been even more humiliated than it could under any foreign domination).
 
I like this guy and his appetite for food but every bite he takes regardless of the dish, he goes on to say how good it is and how much he loves it, i believe he needs to be neutral and honest about it so that viewers can know whether the dish actually is good or not. With each bite his eyes goes wide open like murlitharan and than hes like “wow”. Like common how about steyn eyes sometime.
 
MachoKhan said:
I like this guy and his appetite for food but every bite he takes regardless of the dish, he goes on to say how good it is and how much he loves it, i believe he needs to be neutral and honest about it so that viewers can know whether the dish actually is good or not. With each bite his eyes goes wide open like murlitharan and than hes like “wow”. Like common how about steyn eyes sometime.
Click to expand...

Lmao yeah that’s my only gripe with this series and you described it well. It’s kinda cringe at times. I know what he’s doing, trying to bring some goodwill and some bhai bhai type antics, which is nice, but for pure entertainment there’s better options.

Gordon Ramsay is a legend in that regard, he will tell it how it is even in his travel series across the world. He will give more than Steyn eyes. When a guy like that even if you disregard his credentials compliments your food that’s when you know it’s good f food.
 
Thanks for sharing [MENTION=130700]TM Riddle[/MENTION].

I’ve been hooked. He is definitely better and seems more genuine than the other vloggers who have come to Pakistan.

Pakistan really is a meat eaters paradise!
 
Nostalgic said:
Mardan, en route to Peshawar!

Click to expand...

He literally says that this is the best kebab he has ever tasted and is the epitome of a meat dish!

Is he prone to hyperbole and is one of those food vloggers for whom every dish he eats is the best he has eaten and never has any criticism? [MENTION=130700]TM Riddle[/MENTION]
 
Slog said:
He literally says that this is the best kebab he has ever tasted and is the epitome of a meat dish!

Is he prone to hyperbole and is one of those food vloggers for whom every dish he eats is the best he has eaten and never has any criticism? [MENTION=130700]TM Riddle[/MENTION]
Click to expand...

He rarely criticizes any food but he usually reserves the 'best' comment for very few dishes. So yes if he says it is the best he has eaten then it most certainly is.
 
Slog said:
Thanks for sharing [MENTION=130700]TM Riddle[/MENTION].

I’ve been hooked. He is definitely better and seems more genuine than the other vloggers who have come to Pakistan.

Pakistan really is a meat eaters paradise!
Click to expand...

You guys should get Food Ranger somehow. He is more widely known and his description is even better. Visited India a couple of months ago.
 
TM Riddle said:
You guys should get Food Ranger somehow. He is more widely known and his description is even better. Visited India a couple of months ago.
Click to expand...

Not sure whose more famous

Food ranger has 2.2 mn subscribers whereas Mark Weins almost has a million more

But yea I’d come across food ranger before on Facebook whereas found about Wiens here
 
Been following Mark for the last couple of years. Glad he’s finally getting the attention he deserves. Love how he can swallow green chili’s like they’re nothing.
 
Those goddamn Kababs though. [MENTION=136588]CricketCartoons[/MENTION] any decent place in Dilli for Chapli Kababs?
 
TM Riddle said:
Watch his India episodes.

Btw Gordon Ramsay fans. Check this out.

https://youtu.be/DBY61x4lIXM
Click to expand...

Yeah dude that’s the vid I was referring to. I enjoy those more since he actively tries to make the dish himself and you see the roots of the famous dishes of a culture.

Full credit to him though. Probably the greatest chef of all time. Has travelled everywhere to perfect his hand in all the worlds cuisines.
 
TM Riddle said:
Those goddamn Kababs though. [MENTION=136588]CricketCartoons[/MENTION] any decent place in Dilli for Chapli Kababs?
Click to expand...

No idea hukum. But try bengali biryani at Oh Calcutta! at cyber hub. It has potatoes and eggs and very subtle spicy flavour. Also can tell you some good litti chokha joints :)
 
CricketCartoons said:
No idea hukum. But try bengali biryani at Oh Calcutta! at cyber hub. It has potatoes and eggs and very subtle spicy flavour. Also can tell you some good litti chokha joints :)
Click to expand...

Potatoes in Biryani doesn't sound too exciting lol. Anyway no harm in trying I guess.
 
Suleiman said:
Yeah dude that’s the vid I was referring to. I enjoy those more since he actively tries to make the dish himself and you see the roots of the famous dishes of a culture.

Full credit to him though. Probably the greatest chef of all time. Has travelled everywhere to perfect his hand in all the worlds cuisines.
Click to expand...

He is something, isn't he?
I also love watching Jamie Oliver's videos. His show Jamie's Great Britain was fantastic.
 
Cpt. Rishwat said:
Always funny how outsiders go to Pakistan and rave about the hospitality and friendliness of the people, but we get Pakistanis who complain about being ripped off or the females gawked at. I wonder if the Angrez folk are treated better or just don't realise they are getting skinned alive or leched? Or maybe the Pakistani ex-pats themselves just can't handle their home origins with it's quaint/weird customs?
Click to expand...

It's often the ones who think they are superior coming from a more developed country. I've always found people in Pakistan are very friendly and hospitable esp those who serve food and Im brown speaking to them in the local language.

Marke Wiens reminds me of myself, constantly eating food in Pakistan with a huge smile on my face. Pakistani food is the easily the best food in the world imo. Compare this to traditional English food which is bland, lacking in flavour and taste.
 
Slog said:
He literally says that this is the best kebab he has ever tasted and is the epitome of a meat dish!

Is he prone to hyperbole and is one of those food vloggers for whom every dish he eats is the best he has eaten and never has any criticism? [MENTION=130700]TM Riddle[/MENTION]
Click to expand...

He is prone to hyperbole, but there are degrees of enthusiasm he displays: if he simply nods his head and makes a general comment about the dish, you can assume it wasn’t necessarily all that great. If he laughs, it means it has pleasantly surprised him. If he rolls his eyes up with what can only be described as an orgasmic look on his face, it means the dish was spectacular. The Chapli Kebab comments, which were accompanied by both the laugh and the eye roll, suggests he really did think it was the best kebab he’s ever had.

I had to agree when he said no burger patty would ever match up to the magnificence of a chapli kebab. There used to a Peshawar fast food place called Chief’s, where you could theoretically have the best of both worlds: a Chapli kebab burger. Unfortunately, the one time I tried it, it was lackluster, but it could’ve been a one off. Maybe [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] has eaten at Chief’s on better days.
 
One thing I don't like about his videos is that they are too flashy and too positive. If you know what I mean.

Pakistan does have a few negative aspects whicg he could highlight and raise awareness even among the local public so that people know what to improve to make the place more appealing for foreign tourists. One example would be the pollution and filthy garbage.
 
Sirris said:
One thing I don't like about his videos is that they are too flashy and too positive. If you know what I mean.

Pakistan does have a few negative aspects whicg he could highlight and raise awareness even among the local public so that people know what to improve to make the place more appealing for foreign tourists. One example would be the pollution and filthy garbage.
Click to expand...

Why would he do that?
He's a food blogger and not some social activist visiting the country. That's not his job.
 
TM Riddle said:
Why would he do that?
He's a food blogger and not some social activist visiting the country. That's not his job.
Click to expand...

Pakistanis are never happy.

If he actually did those things then there would be backlash against him here
 
Peshawar... I don't know if they truly did justice to it. I would've liked a discussion on the shop owner's predilection for a certain herb at the popular Charsi Tikka, but they do visit the shoe shop made famous by the PM.

 
Just after living in Germany for 4 months and then I went back to Karachi, tried eating Pakistan food off the street I was having a hard time swallowing down food. Kudos to him for trying street food in Pakistan.
 
Nostalgic said:
Peshawar... I don't know if they truly did justice to it. I would've liked a discussion on the shop owner's predilection for a certain herb at the popular Charsi Tikka, but they do visit the shoe shop made famous by the PM.

Click to expand...

He went to one of the many, many fake charsi tikka shops. They are not fake because they are inferior to the original, but rather because they have nothing to do with chars.

The legendary charsi died generations ago, but his name lives on.

They did a good job overall, but he missed out on Baba Wali pulao (or any of the multiple fake ones). Atherosclerosis on a plate, but worth it.
 
rockyboy2018 said:
Just after living in Germany for 4 months and then I went back to Karachi, tried eating Pakistan food off the street I was having a hard time swallowing down food. Kudos to him for trying street food in Pakistan.
Click to expand...

He has eaten all sorts of things all over the world. His immunity is off the roof - there is no way a regular white man can survive after consuming so much desi food in a short period of time. He would be down within few hours.

I have to admire his gall though - even I don’t have roadside drinks and chutneys.
 
He clearly enjoyed the chapli kabab a lot more than the tikkas, and it is understandable. While the tikkas are amazing, they are quite similar to the grilled meat in Lebanese and Turkish cuisines.

However, the original KP chapli kababs have no substitute. You will not find anything like that anywhere else in the world. I am not saying that there is nothing better, but that they are extremely unique.

When you first taste them, the wow factor is immense. Nonetheless, they are a bit overwhelming with a strong aftertaste, which is why I limit my consumption to once a month when I am hope. Tikkas though are usually a weekly affair for me.
 
Also, I don’t know if it happens elsewhere in Pakistan as well, but the paye waalas in Peshawar get annoyed if you buy from them in large quantity.
 
Mamoon said:
He clearly enjoyed the chapli kabab a lot more than the tikkas, and it is understandable. While the tikkas are amazing, they are quite similar to the grilled meat in Lebanese and Turkish cuisines.

However, the original KP chapli kababs have no substitute. You will not find anything like that anywhere else in the world. I am not saying that there is nothing better, but that they are extremely unique.

When you first taste them, the wow factor is immense. Nonetheless, they are a bit overwhelming with a strong aftertaste, which is why I limit my consumption to once a month when I am hope. Tikkas though are usually a weekly affair for me.
Click to expand...

Chapli kebab has no equal. Period.

The only caveat is that it has to be made by Pathan cooks.
 
Mamoon said:
And with bone marrow.
Click to expand...

On your next trip to London, goto a restaurant called taste of pakistan, its in Hounslow West London. Run by a Pakistani Pathan.... hands down the best chapli kebab in uk.
 
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Mamoon said:
He went to one of the many, many fake charsi tikka shops. They are not fake because they are inferior to the original, but rather because they have nothing to do with chars.

The legendary charsi died generations ago, but his name lives on.
Click to expand...

Do the descendants of the original guy still operate his restaurant? If so, it’s appaling that the local guide didn’t take him there instead. Then again, maybe he felt this fake one now does it better than the original, or perhaps it was in the viccinity of the chappal store and they were short on time.

This fake restaurant phenomenon is prevalent all over Pakistan. Many of the originals now even display a sign saying “Hamari koi branch nahein.” The trouble is, the fakes all have the same sign too.
 
[MENTION=22846]Nostalgic[/MENTION], please stop bumping this thread, as I will die of قہر.
 
Eagle_Eye said:
On your next trip to London, goto a restaurant called taste of pakistan, its in Hounslow West London. Run by a Pakistani Pathan.... hands down the best chapli kebab in uk.
Click to expand...

Yes I have heard about it.
 
Nostalgic said:
Do the descendants of the original guy still operate his restaurant? If so, it’s appaling that the local guide didn’t take him there instead. Then again, maybe he felt this fake one now does it better than the original, or perhaps it was in the viccinity of the chappal store and they were short on time.

This fake restaurant phenomenon is prevalent all over Pakistan. Many of the originals now even display a sign saying “Hamari koi branch nahein.” The trouble is, the fakes all have the same sign too.
Click to expand...

Yes they do, but it is becoming increasingly hard to distinguish between the original and the fake ones because they all taste the same, and all the fake ones claim to be original.

Besides, the guide is not a local one so he obviously didn’t know. It is easy to get fooled if you are not from the city.

True. Almost every famous local restaurant has been mimicked at some point. For example, these days, there is a “Mian jee ki daal” almost everywhere, and to be fair, they do a pretty good job at copying the recipe.
 
Mamoon said:
You will change your opinion if you have the original ones in KP.
Click to expand...

[MENTION=142256]Pakistanian[/MENTION] mamoon is correct. I have been to many Afghan restaurants and other Pakistani restaurants but the ones made by the Pakistani Pathans is on another level.

By the way, You can probably cross the Antarctic after eating one of these chapli kebabs :))
 
Mamoon said:
Yes they do, but it is becoming increasingly hard to distinguish between the original and the fake ones because they all taste the same, and all the fake ones claim to be original.

Besides, the guide is not a local one so he obviously didn’t know. It is easy to get fooled if you are not from the city.

True. Almost every famous local restaurant has been mimicked at some point. For example, these days, there is a “Mian jee ki daal” almost everywhere, and to be fair, they do a pretty good job at copying the recipe.
Click to expand...

They actually did have a local guy in tow: the one in the sunglasses and black shalwar qameez.

As for Mian Jee, you're right, on the Mardan episode, they stop at a supposed Mian Jee's for breakfast. I've only eaten at the original Mian Jee's in the vicinity of Lala Musa, for which we had to divert a college bus a few hours off course from the route.
 
Nostalgic said:
There are worse ways to pass away, so that's one silver lining.
Click to expand...

True, think I should put the YT link of the episode on my tombstone and find some rudimentary way to register up and down votes for whoever visits my grave. Although it will be full of cheeky "Who's still alive in 2020?" comments or turn into another India v Pakistan flame war.
 
Nice videos, made my mouth drool.

Wish it was Anthony Bourdain instead of Mark Weis.
 
Suleiman said:
Lmao yeah that’s my only gripe with this series and you described it well. It’s kinda cringe at times. I know what he’s doing, trying to bring some goodwill and some bhai bhai type antics, which is nice, but for pure entertainment there’s better options.

Gordon Ramsay is a legend in that regard, he will tell it how it is even in his travel series across the world. He will give more than Steyn eyes. When a guy like that even if you disregard his credentials compliments your food that’s when you know it’s good f food.
Click to expand...

Are you serious? Ramsay is so staged. His whole "I call it how it is and I'm going to be rude" schtick is so so old. It's really annoying because he's not that amazing of a cook but has this personality of being the dogs ********.
 
Nostalgic said:
Do the descendants of the original guy still operate his restaurant? If so, it’s appaling that the local guide didn’t take him there instead. Then again, maybe he felt this fake one now does it better than the original, or perhaps it was in the viccinity of the chappal store and they were short on time.

This fake restaurant phenomenon is prevalent all over Pakistan. Many of the originals now even display a sign saying “Hamari koi branch nahein.” The trouble is, the fakes all have the same sign too.
Click to expand...


About the fake and real thing: My personal opinion is that with "charsi tikkay" it really isn't that big of a difference. A lot of these fakes are literally as good if not better.

As for Chief, yes it still exits and it is a classic. I have so many memories of eating their burgers from the 90s. I really am sad you don't like them that much but you are lucky because there is nothing and I mean nothing in america that replicates the flavor of Chief.

Man Peshawer is some city.
 
Badsha said:
Are you serious? Ramsay is so staged. His whole "I call it how it is and I'm going to be rude" schtick is so so old. It's really annoying because he's not that amazing of a cook but has this personality of being the dogs ********.
Click to expand...

I’m not talking about Hell’s Kitchen where he has to do that act because that’s what sells here in the US sadly. His travel shows are different he’s just being himself no yelling shouting or f bombs.
 
wow so much oil is used, not sure about all that. This is why I consider irani cuisine to be the best, it's like Pakistani food almost but with less oil.
 
Nostalgic said:
The intro/summary:


We've been following his channel for a while, and I'm glad he finally made it to Pakistan. One of my biggest regrets is that the late lamented Anthony Bourdain never got around to it.
Click to expand...

I saw an episode of Bourdian where he went to Quebec I think and he went to one of the Pakistani restaurants in Quebec and guess what he tried??? you guessed it! Donkey Nihari!

I found the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLEFnBTQPME
 
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