Heights n’ Delights

My initial plan for the weekend just gone by involved lots of sleep and the completion of a book I had started when the heat-wave across the country was still in its betimes. All of this changed when a friend of mine invited me to the pre-opening of a restaurant his close friend had just set up. Not one to pass up any opportunity which presents itself with food, I took him up on his offer and am glad I did so.

Heights and Delights

Situated in the heart of the capital of the most thriving province (Punjab), the cultural behemoth and the overall second largest city in the country; Lahore, Height n' Delights is a restaurant which combines the Continental, Chinese and Barbecue dietaries for the service of the general public with the provision of a sanguine view of the Gaddafi Stadium floodlights and the meek sunset from its roof-top.

Roof top view of Gaddafi Stadium

Walking up the recently furnished florid marble staircase, beside the New Prince Hall which holds the ground and first floor of the structure, a palpable air of enthusiasm flowed among my fellow diners. We, that is to say my friend and I, were escorted to our seats by a plump looking host who seemed as much pleased to receive us as if he had known us for ages. Not a second before we were seated in our chairs, which were surprisingly more comfortable than I had expected them to be, an eager eyed waiter stood attentively by with the menu. One look at it gave me the impression of a thorough background check on the owner's part, for the variety of dishes available catered to the needs of people of all ages; Malie Boti, Chicken Chilli Dry, Chicken Handi, Garlic Nan, Mint Margarita so on and so forth.

Best Chinese restaurant in Lahore

The set prices were moderate and more than a shade below the earth-shattering standards set by many of the local food-chains. I ordered chicken handi, chinese rice and a plate of tikka-botti. Hardly fifteen minutes later, the tantalizing aroma of fresh food filled my senses and I ate to my leisure. The service renders special commendation here, for our waiter was always at hand and always willing and efficient. As far as the food is concerned, I couldn't have had any qualms about it even if I had worn my spectacles to pick at the tiniest of details. Not a big fan of rice away from home, I'm glad I took the plunge this time around, for the chinese rice became one of my favorites in an instant. The tablecloth seemed neat and quaint and the glasses, dishes, knives and forks were all classy and well chosen. The whole ambience of the place exhibited a freshness and tranquility expected from a restaurant which had made its way up to the top after years of perseverance and consistent deliverance of quality. I congratulated my luck for having been seated so near the air conditioner but, a visit to the restroom assured me that the whole place was as uniformly air conditioned as can be hoped for, always a plus when looking for spots of refreshment in this part of the hemisphere. The décor was soft on the eyes and complimented well the artful slabs of the main wall.

Roof top restaurant in Lahore

Upon inquiry, I found that the indoor facility could hold up-to a hundred diners at a time, while the outdoor and roof-top ones could easily accommodate twenty-five and fifty people respectively, all at a time. I went up to the roof-top, which overlooked a major portion of the Metro Bus Service of Lahore, and was met with a serene overview of the beautiful city.

In retrospect, I would highly recommend anyone looking to appease their taste-buds to go and have a night out at Heights n' Delights. The timing is suitable at 6 PM to 2 AM and the food will leave you wanting more.

Google Map Way to Heights n Delights

Location : At 11 Abu Bakar Block Garden Town, 2nd Floor of New Prince Hall, Opp Gaddafi Stadium Main Ferospur Road to be more precise Metro Bus Station # 14

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Shisha or Hookah smoking emerged as a style icon in the elite circles in the beginning but within a short span, Shishas fan club covered people from nearly all groups of society. The most enthusiastic of these were, of course, young people. Shisha is serious threat to the health of teenagers, especially the girls. This habit was found to be most prevalent in the 16-25 years age group with 70% shisha smokers being male and 30% females.

Is Shisha harmful? While many may argue that Shisha smoking is not harmful, medical experts say otherwise as tobacco product in any form contains nicotine and nicotine is addictive. Tobacco products are dangerous as it contains chemicals which are toxic and carcinogenic.

The common belief is that smoke is filtered by the water when in actual fact, nicotine is not water-soluble. The water filter is a gimmick hence the smoke is inhaled by a smoker.

In a shisha session lasting 60 minutes, a smoker can inhale as much smoke as a cigarette

Smoker would inhale from 100 – 200 cigarettes.

Where people may refrain from trying cigarettes and other drugs due to the conspicuous black label, the seemingly innocent fruity Hubble bubble appears quite a harmless choice. For many it is a hobby, a favorite pastime with buddies, a means of being up-to-date with the latest trends or simple leisure puffing just because others are doing it. In addition, its usage isn’t confined to Shisha bars only. It isn’t rare to find students using their own water pipes in hostels.

Also a worth mentioning fact here is that under the cover of Shisha tradition, many other drugs were being paved in too. Many bars have been reported to serve Shisha mixed with illegal drugs like heroine, hashish, etc. Also at many Shisha spots, it is also available with wine in the filtering base instead of water.

Of course a 100 percent ban on anything cannot be deemed possible but Instead of declaring a complete ban, minor initiatives like strict action against serving it to underage teens, heavy taxations, official checks and certain restrictions on Shisha bars etc. will act as smarter tools for this cause.

Whatever the case maybe, formulating a serious strategy and then properly enforcing it for offsetting the gripping Shisha culture is an imperative need of the hour.

SHISHA is ruining the lives of younger generations! Our young generation is diving into this deadly poison as it has become a common feature of our society! Parents and young generation of Pakistan hardly know the side effects of this drug! Our young generation who are addicted to it are suffering from mouth diseases and other harmful effects have been diagnosed due to this intake of SHEESHA! It can also take one life as well! Our government is still quite on this issue.

There should work on banning this shisha culture from our society only then we can produce a healthy Pakistan! Otherwise our youth will be drag in this poison.It’s my request to all the world leaders to stop the spreading of SHEEHA in their culture as it’s only going to ruin your next generation! Please SAVE YOUR NEW GENERATION for a BETTER tomorrow!!!

Key Words: Shisha, Smoke, Harmful, Nicotine, Drug

By: Ahmed Raza Zafar.

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