This Amazing Documentary Shows Us How the Karachi Burger Has Evolved With Time [Video]

‘Bun kabab’ or burger? We love it all the same!

In this globalized age, we get to see some pretty interesting takes on things we take for granted. Take for example the ever-present Karachi burger, or bun kabab as most street vendors will tell you.

This simple food item has come a long way and its time someone told the world why its forever synonymous with a city’s culture.

There are a range of stories behind these burgers, just like the flexible food item itself.

Famous vlogger Irfan Junejo decided to tell this story. And its worth a watch!

Irfan Junejo covers the evolution of the ‘Karachi Burger’ or ‘Band Kabab’

Even food blogger ‘Karachi Food Adventures‘ doesn’t want to criticize Karachi’s street food. She understands street food is about the stories, not the Michelin stars.


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A Short Documetary on Karachi Burger

Irfan Junejo captures that essence of storytelling about burgers in a docu-short ‘The Story of Karachi Burger‘.

irfan junejo
Irfan Junejo, one of Pakistan’s well-known vloggers.

You can watch the whole thing here:



The short features everything from Karachi’s first home-grown franchise Mr. Burger to Ameer Ali Bun Kabab‘s potato-lentil patty with fried green chili.

Shehzad, owner of Karachi’s ‘Ameer Ali Bun Kabab’

According to the blogger behind ‘Stroll with Saman‘ the history of the Karachi Burger starts with ‘Mr. Burger‘. She says it was they who brought western-styled burgers to Pakistan.

Ali, a co-founder of Big Thick Burgerz, Karachi

Food enthusiast ‘Girl Gotta Eat‘ shared that while initially international fast food chains got all the burger craving traffic, attitudes are changing.

In recent times people have moved on to local burger joints. Perhaps this is due to their superior quality ingredients, or the affordable price. Or perhaps this is due to more choices available to consumers.

Ovais, the man behind Burger O Clock, Karachi

This may not just have to do with global fast-food chains getting a bad rap and more about local taste. At least, this is what ‘The Story of Karachi Burger‘ says.


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Curating Custom Tastes

Customized taste really is what’s getting the local burger scene hype. Everyone from Big Thick Burgerz, Burger Lab, Sals the Eatery, The Sauce, Burger O’ Clock, to Ishaq Bun Kabab and even Benam Thalias. They all mixed and matched the ingredients for the patty, sauce, and additives till they got a combo the people loved.

Mooed and Khizer, the duo behind Sals the Eatery in Karachi

These local burger outlets all have another thing in common. That’s keeping the recipe under tight wraps (like the perfect burrito).

Funny thing is while they all tinkered with taste, no one tried a different cooking method. Perhaps this freebie of an idea can spark off a new burger revolution (one can only wish).

Duo behind famed burger joint, Burger Lab

While the ‘Burger Lab’ bros Taha and Khizer admitted they use the simplest ingredients and the magic lies in their technique, they haven’t tried switching it up.

On the other hand, vendors like Zulfiqar rely on the sauce to bring that ‘wow‘ flavor.

Zulfiqar, a street food vendor famed for his sauce that comes with his burgers/band kabab

 

Waqas, the brain behind the burgers at The Sauce

British-Pakistani YouTuber Irfan Junejo is set to continue this docu-short with the rest of the story. ‘The Story of Karachi Burger‘ will continue in the next part of the docu-short


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