#AsliHai? Here’s What We Know About The Masked Man Outside Hot n Spicy

Last week on Instagram, pictures of a man wearing the signature Money Heist costume, carrying a placard that read “#AsliHai?” made people curious as to what was cooking. The strange getup along with the question of authenticity piqued people’s interest.

The man with The Dali Mask and bright red hue jumpsuit was photographed in front of three different eateries in Islamabad; Hot & Spicy, Hot N Chilly, and Asli Hot N Spicy. The pictures were shared on Instagram by “HelloPakistan” with the caption “What is this happening all over Islamabad? What does he mean by saying #AsliHai? Hot & Spicy? Hot N Chilly? Asli Hot N Spicy?”.

These eateries are popular for serving delicious, spicy roll parathay. In recent years, desi food struggled to make space in the ‘fast food’ category. Most traditional dishes require hours and meticulous attention to detail and an assortment of masalajaat to prepare. But amid the aromatic handis, spicy karahis, and tangy BBQ, the paratha roll has established itself in the food industry. It is now an effective and fulfilling equivalent to the burgers and fries of the decadent West. While Islamabad has some of the best paratha rolls, the question AsliHai? definitely stirred interest among the residents of Islamabad.

#AsliHai?- What’s Cooking?

There were a few speculations as to what #AsliHai? might be referring to. One such speculation was that the hashtag might be referring to the self-proclaimed credentials of these eateries. Or #AsliHai? could be pointing at the ingredients used by these eateries or other such claims of authenticity. While there were people asking as to what this was, others guessed that this might be another publicity stunt to attract customers.

What it really is about!

To quell everyone’s curiosity, #AsliHai? promoted the opening of the real, authentic Hot N Spicy in Islamabad. Karachi’s Hot N Spicy is a popular eatery that specializes in different kinds of paratha rolls. Other than this, they also serve a variety of cuisines from Chinese to Continental, Fast food to Desi and Traditional cuisines, etc.

While being photographed in front of eateries with the same names, the man in the red suit subtly pointed out that these Hot N Spicy restaurants had self-proclaimed credentials. Many of the roll paratha vendors in Islamabad claim to be associated with Hot N Spicy of Karachi, but they aren’t. The new Hot N Spicy branch in Islamabad is the real deal. So in short, the guy in the red suit meant that this new branch in F-10 is the asli (authentic) Hot N Spicy restaurant in Islamabad.

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