Photo: RASHA JAMEEL

Months into lockdown, I came to notice the staggering lack of decent fast food from all the home delivery options available in my area. I, therefore, began scouring the internet, hoping to hit the jackpot with my findings there. Eventually, I came across food blogger Nazia aka Whatsinmybox's review of Griddle, a fast-food eatery operating out of their cloud kitchen located in Gulshan, Dhaka.

I quickly got down to business and ordered some of everything from their three-part menu.

Starting with the appetisers, I got myself a box of their "Assorted Appetisers" which served about two people, priced at BDT 400. The box contained generous servings of french fries and sauteed garlic mushrooms, alongside three equal portions of wings in the flavours peri-peri, buffalo, and plain fried, and finally, some cheesy chicken fingers. My favourite was probably the mushrooms, given how juicy and flavoursome they were, just the right kind of finger-licking garlicky taste. The fries, wedges, and wings were quite average. It was the two pieces of cheesy chicken fingers that disappointed me the most, considering they barely had any cheese.

Next, I reached for one of their most-recommended bestsellers: a single "Halal Snack Pack", often abbreviated as the "HSP", which was priced at BDT 350 and also served up to two people. This dish was a delightful surprise since I wasn't expecting the chicken to be so tender and well-smoked, having grown used to the taste of frozen chicken in fast food. Billed as an "Australian and Lebanese fusion" dish, the HSP consisted of three layers: mayo and your choice of a secondary sauce at the top, coal-smoked shredded chicken in the middle, and crispy French fries at the bottom. The only downside: excessive mayo, slathered in heaps on top of the shredded chicken.

Getting into the meat of it all, I ordered two burgers off of their menu: the "mighty mushroom", priced at BDT 250 and the "cheese blast", priced at BDT 300. I had opted for chicken patties for both. The pricing seemed quite reasonable to me, based on the reasonably-large proportions of mushrooms and the cheese in the respective burgers. The tender chicken patties had an excellent, mouth-watering smoky flavour. The burgers came in buttery and soft brioche buns which added just the slightest hint of sweetness to complement the savouriness of all the meat and cheese.

Despite the great flavour profile, portion sizes, and the superb cook of the meat, I still contacted the kitchen with one complaint: why the burgers weren't as spicy as I'd asked for. In response to my query, the staff politely responded with a rather simple explanation: the spiciness I'd asked for would've overpowered the signature smoky flavour all of their meats tend to have. Having understood their reasoning, I have refrained from asking for my burgers to be made "extra spicy", and I advise you to do the same to properly savour everything Griddle has to offer.

If you're looking to feast on an absolutely delectable array of fast-food offerings that won't hurt your wallet, Griddle is delivering to a handful of selected locations all over Dhaka through their Personal Home Delivery Service (PHD), as well as through major delivery apps.   

The author meticulously plans out her 13 daily meals on a regular basis. Drop a 'good luck' note for her overworked digestive system at rasha.jameel@outlook.com