The Bun Kababs of Burns Road
Babu Bhai Bun Kababs
'Burns Road's Famous Babu Bhai's Burgers' reads the sign in English.
But these are not 'burgers'. Babu Bhai sells Bun Kababs. He calls em 'burgers' to beat the SEOs, algorithm and all that stuff.
I met Babu Bhai just as he was setting up his stall in the midday heat. He readies himself for the lunchtime rush, his kababs meticulously stacked like hockey pucks to his left, thinly sliced onions & chutneys to his right. He's seated in front of his custom tawa (griddle) as he listens intently to me wax lyrical about my Bun Kabab stall in London.
He smiles and has a twinkle in his eye as I try the guess the ingredients of his coriander chutney. "My chutney recipe is my secret weapon!" he laughs. And it's true. While I know my coriander chutney has it's own magic, there is something truly unique in the balance of the peppery coriander, hot chilli and sweet tamarind of Babu Bhai's chutney 👌🏽
Babu Bhai ke Bun Kabab
2. Bun Kabab
An unsigned cart in a side street off Burns Road, this stall would be easy to miss if wasn't for the long queue wrapped round the corner.
In fact the Bun Kabab stall is so popular, practically everyone I spoke to gave me directions to this very location. They warned me, if I truly loved Bun Kababs, this stall is not to be missed.
The fellas here, a brigade of ten men in hairnets, whipped out a fresh order for me in seconds. I could see what the fuss about!
The kabab has a leaner cut of meat. I can tell it is hand pulled in the first bite with its smooth and silky finish. A sweetness coming from the whipped egg coating balances well with the tart pickled red onions and the heat from the coriander chutney. The buns they use here are also a cut above the rest, a moist potato bun that holds the chutney 😙
I ask one of the men behind the counter how many Bun Kababs they manage to serve out in one day. He thinks for a second and says with a smile, 'two thousand'. I can believe him as I witnessed the growing crowds and his hands in constant motions, assembling and wrapping bun kababs.
3. Azad Bun Kabab
Azad Bun Kabab, the Liberated Bun Kabab, founded in 1952 by Haji Muhammad Shamim Qureshi. This is 5 years after Pakistan was founded.
I can’t imagine getting my act together so quickly after being violently displaced after the Partition, to start a new life in a new country. The resilience of my Pakistani people is beyond admirable.
Azad Bun Kabab is a family affair, a single food cart passed down through generations. We laugh together as we bond over the trials and rewards working with family. "Serving good food is always a family affair, you can't do it without them", the current owner says with pride. I understand this sentiment. Recipes handed down through oral traditions, unfaltering support of family guiding your dream, all this just so you can share your truth with the world.
4. Super Biryani and Bun Kabab
Super Biryani & Bun Kabab (also 'Hanif Burger')
I never got to try their Super Biryani but I can swear by their morish Bun Kababs.
One of the few brick and mortars Bun Kabab vendors I like, this place is ALWAYS heaving.
I've never tasted bread so soft, how it melts against the silky kabab.
Uncle was so sweet, he let me skip the queue and eat Bun Kabab after Bun Kabab right next to the tawa. This spot is an institution and if you ever get a chance to head to Burns Road. It is not to be missed. https://www.facebook.com/superbiryani/
