For the love of clean, healthy eating.

Byline: Sheharyar Rizwan

The healthy and clean eating trend is catching up slowly and gradually and restaurants have either introduced a handful of healthy, nutritious dishes to their menus or entire restaurants are modelled to cater to this niche. I recently paid a visit to one of the latter kind.

Located slightly away from the hustle and bustle of the MM Alam Road near Liberty's Dupatta Gali is the unassuming white stone structure of Dalston House, with a cosy little courtyard to relish (or brave) the chill in Lahore's air these days. The name of this six-month-old cafe-restaurant is borrowed from the London neighbourhood of Dalston known for its hip fashion and cafe culture where one of the owners hails from.

The interior also follows the white theme with the furniture, marble tables and counter. With sunlight beaming in through the paneled windows during the day and brightening the dining hall or light bulbs twinkling in the evening, the space gives out a serene, calming vibe. The menu boasts of a wide range of modern, healthy, comfort Mediterranean food traversing the Middle East, North Africa and Europe - inspired by the travels of the owners. The restaurant claims that they don't use MSG, preservatives, flavoured powders or stocks and meat tenderisers in their food. In their courtyard, they also grow their own herbs, such as moringa, basil and lavender.

Instead of the usual appetisers, there are 'small plates' that may seem humble, but feature light, fresh, innovative dishes that can be shared and nibbled on while you wait for the mains. A friend and I decided to order a few of these. The fried rosemary chips were, well, French fries sprinkled with rosemary and served with the finger-licking African herb chermoula sauce; the seal salt mentioned on the menu was either lacking or negligible.

The cumin-baked carrot slices were sprinkled with cumin and dill with a hint of lemon and some feta cheese to go with them. As light as air, these soft carrots and cheese are a health conscious person's dream. The courgette chips, or zucchini chips (in America), were thinly sliced, fried zucchini (that could have been a bit crispier) served with that mouth-watering chermoula sauce. Then there's also the fresh orange slices served with olive oil and a light drizzle of...