Western food is available in all major hotels and most of the big restaurants in import cities. But local dishes are normally far better and more exotic. Curries of many kinds around, cooked with proper spices and hot curry powders, including Korma, Rezala, Bhoona and Masala Gosht, Chicken, mutton, beef, fish and prawns, Chicken Afghani, Chicken Baghdadi, Chicken Kashmiri, Chicken Tikka, boti kabab, shutli kabab and a variety of fish curries should be tried. Rice in the form of pulao, biriani-with rice and mutton or chicken and khichuri are available in any reasonable restaurant. Those who do not care for rice dishes can try mughlai parata, plain parata or naan, which go very well with curries. Seafood and sweet-water fish are available in most of the towns. Fish-lovers should not miss smoked hilsa, fresh bhetki and chingri (lobster/king prawns) malaikari, Prawn dopyaza.
DRINKS Chai - the milky sweet tea available almost everywhere. Lassi - the refreshing yogurt drink. Green coconut water is a fine, safe and refreshing drink. International soft drinks, such as Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Fanta, 7-up, Mirinda, Sun Crest and Sprite are readily available. Hard drinks are available in big hotels and selected restaurants. On Fridays drinking in public areas is not recommended for foreigners.
DESSERTS Misti Dhohi, sweetened yogurt, Halua: a common dessert ranging from egg halua to carrot, sooji or wheat cream, almond, pistachio, nuts and so on, Sandesh: milk based dessert, one of the best available, Zorda: sweetened rice with nuts, Firni: rice flour cooked in milk, sugar and flavoring, Rasgolla & Kalojam: Two popular milk based desserts and made with sugar, flour and ghee, Ros Malai: round sweets floating in thick milk, Pitha: a blanket term for cakes or pastries including specific varieties such as chitoi, dhupi, takti, andosha, pufi, bhafa and pua,
FRUITS Mangoes, Lichees, Bananas, Papayas, Jackfruit, Watermelon, Pineapple, Coconut and Oranges
Recommended Fast Food Restaurants:
Waterfront Restaurant, Zia International Airport, Ph: (880-2) 8915407
Coopers, Airport Road. Ph: (880-2) 8119993
Yummy Yummy etc.
The White Castle Ltd. 20, Kemal Ataturk Avenue. Ph: (880-2) 606268,605914
Seven Eleven, Mirpur Road, Dhanmondi. Ph: (880-2) 8117263
Big Bite, 22/B Sonargaon Road,Hatirpul. Ph: (880-2) 9664140
Sajna, 10 South Avenue, Gulshan-1,Dhaka-1212.Ph: (880-2) 603507,603243
China Town, 53 Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue. Ph: (880-2) 8111329,8118425
Recommended Restaurants in Dhaka:
A number of good restaurants provide local and western food. These include:-
Parjatan Restaurant, Hotel Abakash, Mohakhali, Ph: 607085-89, 8811548, 8811109
Santoor, House-2, Road-11(New), Dhanmondi. Ph: (880-2) 9128737, 8213336
Goffers' Inn, Kurmitola Golf Club, Ph: 604592
Sakura Restaurant, near Dhaka Sheraton Hotel, Ph: 509296
Ruchita Restaurant, Bangabandhu Avenue, Ph: 9555693
Mary Anderson, Floating Restaurant, Paglaghat, Ph: 067171288
La Diplomat, Gulshan, Ph: 602282
Red Button, Farm Gate, Ph: 9117717
Balaka, Zia International Airport, Ph: 8914008
Kawran Saraj, Sonargaon Hotel, Ph: 8111005
Bithika, Dhaka Sheraton Hotel, Ph: 8611191, 8613391, 8614065
Recommended Chinese Restaurants include:-
Parjatan Restaurant, Hotel Abakash, Mohakhali, Ph: 607085-89, 8811548, 8811109
Royal Orchid, Gulshan Avenue, Ph: 603573
Panda Garden, near Mohakhali Rail Gate, Ph: 608469
La Diplomat, Gulshan, Ph: 602282
Hwwang Ho, Banani, Ph: 602932
Chung Wah, North-South Road, Ph: 9553263
Kawloon, Ph: 9111353; Goffers' Inn,
Kurmitola Golf Club, Ph: 604592;
Shangri-La, Ph: 8824015 at Banani Bazar and the Cathey Dhaka, Road 133
Gulshan, Ph: 608476
Besides there are some specialized restaurants which included,
Doice vita (Mexican & Italian), 54 Kamal Ataturk Avenue,
Banani, Ph: 500589, 607980;
Sea Food Centre, 78/A Gulshan Avenue, Ph: 606175
Sawasdee (Thai), 65 Kamal Ataturk Avenue,
Banani, Ph: 60607571, 8824476
Lemon Grass (Thai & Vietnarness),
Road 131, Gulshan-2, Ph: 8822376;
The White Castle, 20, Kamal Ataturk Avenue,
Banani, Ph: 605914, 606268, 8812658
Angan Restaurant, SWC(3), Gulshan Avenue, Dhaka-1212 Ph: 8810448.