Updating my review - still 5 stars, and still a wonderful experience! J and I visited for dinner and had the korma chop with beef and the lamb dumplings. All the servers were prompt and helpful and our food came out quickly. The korma chop was heavenly like last time - so well-flavored and savory! The beef was definitely a good choice. The dumplings were delicious as well - a bit lighter on the flavor but quite filling and paired nicely with the chili oil dipping sauce. The restaurant was about half-filled on a Saturday evening so we had no trouble getting a table. There are plenty of seating options for parties of 2-4 and a few options for larger parties. It is a relaxed location and perfect for a date night, or dinner with family and friends. Shout out to one of the servers who was kind enough to run after us in the parking lot as we left our bag on the table! read more

Turan Uyghur Kitchen - Beef korma chop - Halal Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Its been a while since I last had Uyghur food (back home in LA) and I was pleasantly surprised to find a spot out here in Houston. This is a nicely sized spot next to the Jusgo plaza in Houston Chinatown, so plenty of parking and also food options. It's tucked in a corner but should not be written off. Its a pretty casual sitdown restaurant and we were welcomed and sat pretty quickly on a Saturday around 8:30PM. We were provided menus and started ordering everything that sounded good (within reason for 2, sorta). We ended up getting the Uyghur polo with lamb shank, Uyghur goshnaan, korma chop, garlic cucumbers, mint tea, and a yogurt for dessert. This was more than enough food for 2 but I wanted to try a bunch and this is me holding back. The Uyghur goshnaan was very crispy and the filling was flavorful and juicy, good lamb flavor and nice spices. The Uyghur polo with lamb shank was great and the pilaf had a nice sweetness with raisins that cut through some of the fatty richness of the lamb. The korma chop was also super flavorful with a nice savory sauce and noodled with an excellent texture, very QQ. I don't usually order cucumbers at Asian restaurants cause I can make a cucumber salad pretty easily at home but the one here was very good. Excellent refreshing crunch and garlic flavor to go with all the other dishes. The mint tea was also nice to wash down the mountains of food I was inhaling. I also enjoyed the yogurt, it's a thicker yogurt like a Greek yogurt and topped with honey and raisins. Again, a nice sweet/tart treat that didn't feel too heavy after everything else. I definitely need to come back as I didn't even get my big plate chicken but it'll be hard to choose between all the options. I def recommend this spot, esp if you like lamb as all the dishes we had were excellent and priced fairly for the portion and current economic situation. read more

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Trying Uyghur food for the first time at Turan Uyghur kitchen! what we got: lamb leg lamb skewers chicken plate lamb dumplings honey cake every bite was delicious! i definitely recommend the chicken plate, lamb skewers, and the honey cake. staff was very nice. this is an ethnic minority in china and such a unique food experience! staff was very nice and the space is decorated beautifully. plenty of free parking in the front! read more

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Relatively new restaurant, or at least a hidden gem-sort of restaurant that offers a more unique cuisine amongst all the other offerings in Chinatown/Houston. It has half-full when we walked in, and practically full by 6:30pm on a Saturday. In terms of the menu, there are quite a few items that are very much Uyghur. We ordered the Uyghur Goshnaan and Korma Chop, which seemed to be the most popular items. The goshnaan was excellent, and despite not being a big fan of lamb, it wasn't gamey at all, and had a nice crisp. The oil in the middle was tasty, though a bit heavy. The korma chop is a stir-fried noodle dish that feels pretty fusion-y. You can pick your protein for this one. Excellent flavor, though a little carb heavy. The photos on the menu helped a lot, though I wish there were more photos, good thing we have Yelp/Google to augment this. Staff are friendly, though I wish one didn't toss all the forks in the container on a cart right next to me (very unpleasant). Food portions are great, so its high on the value scale for me, definitely give Turan a try if you're in Chinatown and are looking for something different! read more

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Great food, can't be appreciated enough. Chef and owner is Uyghur, which makes it all the more special

Cute restaurant. When we came in on a Sat, there were two big groups and a few others. It stayed busy. The service was strange; it was a bit curt but not rude. They didn't take away dirty dishes, and they set the skewers in front of my two-year-old. Even if they aren't sharp, the idea of them being so close was a bit jarring. The portions are huge. The big chicken was overwhelming large and although the dish is described as spicy. It is not. The lamb skewers were tender and a must get. We got a Turkish bread which was completely forgettable. The korma chop noodles were my toddlers favorite. I liked them as well. They had a nice bounce. Thought overall the food was good and it was fun to try something different. Bring a group unless you want a weeks worth of leftovers. read more

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Turan Uyghur Kitchen is small and pretty unassuming from the outside, but don't let that fool you! This was my first time trying Uyghur food, and I couldn't have asked for a better introduction. We came as a group, which I'd strongly recommend; the menu is made for sharing, and you'll want to try as much as possible. Standout Dishes: - Lamb dumplings: Juicy, perfectly seasoned, and gone in minutes. - Uyghur goshnaan: a stuffed flatbread, hearty and incredibly satisfying - Big plate chicken: bold, fragrant, and loaded with tender chicken - Lamb kebabs: Smoky, well-spiced Every dish felt thoughtful and authentic. Bring your crew, order a spread, and prepare to be pleasantly surprised! read more

Turan Uyghur Kitchen - Lamb dumplings - Halal Near Me - Houston, Texas

i have been wanting to try Uighar cuisine for a while so when i saw this restaurant in Houston i knew i had to try it. I was unfamiliar with the cuisine, and based on the interaction with the waitress i am assuming many people add unfamiliar. she was very helpful and explained a lot about the menu and cuisine to each guest. there are lots of options but if you are a vegetarian there is only one option - green beans. we ordered the garlic cucumber appetizer, the green beans, and the udon noodles with lamb. the portion size is HUGE and each plate could serve 2-3 individuals. the cucumber tasted good and tasted similar to korean bonchon cucumber. the udon noodles tasted homemade and the green beans were average overall great service and huge portion size read more

Turan Uyghur Kitchen - restaurant - Halal Near Me - Houston, Texas

My first time trying this cuisine! I'm glad it was this place because I thought it was all delicious. It's been a while since I've tasted so many new flavors. Service is quick and the restaurant decor has a lot of culture and character! Korma Chop: Flavorful and stunning presentation. I liked the texture of the thick chewy noodles. Fried rice: Standard but also very flavorful. Gosh Naan: My favorite! Love the crispy texture and filling. The chili oil takes it to another level. Cucumber salad: a much needed palette cleanser with all the heavy flavors. Highly recommend getting this simple dish. Beef kebabs: Nice cumin flavor. Tender as well. read more

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The interior of the restaurant was having ceiling issues. Water was dripping. Also, the ac was not working well so it was uncomfortably warm inside. Also, anytime they were cooking something new, the smoke would engulf the dinning area and made it hazy. The samosa was alright. The pastry was flaky but the meat was bland. The noodles was very thick and overcooked. Their lamb platter was mostly bones and fascia meat. The dumplings had a strong taste of ginger and scallions. So much so that it was overpowering. The lamb rice dish definitely needs more seasoning because the meat just tasted boiled and very gamey. The best dish of the night was the lamb skewer. Service was slow and food took a while to come out. We will not be returning. read more

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I went for lunch on Monday and the food was super flavorful. It was my first time trying Uyghur food, so I wasn't sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. We ordered the turan special tea, the Korma chop with beef, the lamb kabab, and the fried naan with lamb. The turan special tea was nice to have in the cold weather, but flavor-wise it did not stand out much for me, unfortunately. (5/10) The korma chop was seasoned more mildly than it looks. I enjoyed the thick noodles and overall the dish tasted similarly to an udon stir fry. (6/10) The Lamb kebab was very tender with a nice smoky flavor. It was well seasoned. (7.5/10) The fried naan with lamb was the most flavorful item we ordered and I enjoyed the texture of the fried naan. The lamb was also tender and definitely the most unique dish we ordered. (7.5/10) We also got a bonus vegetable dish because the other kebab we tried to order (the turan speacial kebab) was sold out. I am not sure what it was called but the veggies were marinated in a vinegary sauce with chili oil. They were super fresh and helped balance the carb-heavy meal. I also really liked how spicy the chili oil was. (7/10) The service was fast and fairly attentive. This spot is unassuming, but don't let looks fool you. I would definitely want to come back to try more dishes. read more

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Cozy spot with warm, attentive service. Food comes out quickly. The food was decent, though a bit pricier compared to other restaurants in Chinatown. I was a bit disappointed in the lamb as I wish it would have more of a char and better texture. Of the three dishes we tried, the korma chop was the standout and the one I'd order again. We were also served tap water along with a pot of delicious complimentary tea, which was honestly my favorite part of the meal. Definitely a different vibe most of the other restaurants that's worth checking out at least once. read more

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Tuesday night dinner, first time having Uyghur food! Nothing bad to say about this place. Located in Metropole Center (Jusgo plaza) near One Dragon behind Don's. Ample parking. Decent sized dining room, not too busy (Tues), around 6 tables total during our 7-8pm visit. Service was friendly and efficient. Food came out quickly and was hot and fresh. Everything had so much flavor! Lamb kebab and Uygher polo were my favorites. Dumplings were good but not as impressive as everything else. The tea had perfect autumn spice flavors. Halal No pork No alcohol read more

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I ordered two dishes for my wife nd me. The food was so good I wish I coud order more. Next time I'll try some more dishes.

One of the best Chinese meals I've ever had outside of China. The food, baklava, and Tea were excellent. 100% will be back read more

Turan Uyghur Kitchen - Halal Near Me - Houston, Texas

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What a delight! The Turkish Simit is a piping hot appetizer that resembles a pretzel. The Uyghur Goshnaan with lamb is a stuffed flatbread. We got the laghman which is a generous single portion of what you would experience with the big plate chicken, with thick hand cut noodles. And finally the korma chop is a popular noodle dish that we ordered with chicken. The food was excellent as was the service, and the ambiance was eclectically charming. My only complaint is that if you want water, you have to buy it in a plastic bottle. That is a real turnoff for me. But, while I have let that keep me from returning to other restaurants, I will certainly come back to Turan. If they read this - please, just serve water like everyone else! read more

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Came here on a Saturday night and was seated after a short wait. My family and I tried the lamb skewers, the Polo, the stir fried shrimp, dumplings. Since they were out of the fresh noodles, we tried the lamb udon instead. My favorites were the skewers and the dumplings. The meat was perfectly tender and juicy and cooked so well. The dumplings seem to be made in house and the skin had a great chew, while the chicken inside was succulent. The one dish I wasn't a fan of was the stir fried shrimp, but everything else while a little salty for my taste was tasty. I'd be back to try the handmade noodles. read more

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We really enjoyed our takeout from Turan Uyghur Kitchen. We tried a few dishes: -Korma chop with chicken: This was my favorite dish! The noodles are excellent--obviously hand-pulled, thick, and so delicious. The veggies and sauce were great too. -Samsa with lamb: My second favorite dish of the order! It's a flaky puff pastry with ground lamb inside, delicious. -Laghman: It was good but not quite what I was imagining (though I don't really know what I expected)--it's noodles (like the korma but plain), and you top the noodles with a soup-like mixture. Again, it was good, but the korma was better. -Egg rolls: The only item I didn't like were the egg rolls (they were cold on the inside), but, oh well, they were free. Overall, yummy dinner! read more

Food was fantastic and enjoyed the free pot of black tea that accompanied our meal. We got there for lunch and beat the unusual lunch rush that hit around 1:30pm. There were several tables and just 1 person taking orders and serving customers. read more

Had such a wonderful experience here with my family! We wanted to try some new cuisine and the menu here looked like a great fusion of all types of foods that we liked. The noodles and rice were both phenomenal, but we all shared family style and everything we had was good. I would say it's a great combination of spice and seasoning. The staff was also very friendly and made us feel welcome. We'll definitely be going back! read more

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Omgggg! So much flavor! So delicious! Everything we got was outstanding! Would come back again read more

Turan Uyghur Kitchen - Halal Near Me - Houston, Texas

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A hidden gem in Houston Chinatown. I had seen this place on social media and have driven past so many times, so I wanted to try it out. I was here on a Friday night and inside was brimming with big and small parties, but there was still plenty of seating. I had Uyghur food in China many years ago and loved it, so I was excited for this restaurant. We ordered the Fried Naan with lamb, Korma Chop with beef, and Lamb Kebab, all of which were new dishes to me. It was crazy how EVERYTHING we ordered was soooo good. Writing this review right now makes me want to go back asap. The kebab was very fresh, tender, and well seasoned. The Korma chop was filling, spicy, flavorful although a bit heavy on the oil. The fried naan was so good too but it is fried naan mixed with lamb, not like a whole flatbread. 110% will be back and hopefully soon! read more

Decided to be adventurous today and stepped inti this halal Uyghur/Chinese place and was so glad I did! Food was interesting and delish! The flavors were surprisingly subtle and not overpowering. They specialize in many lamb dishes (usually not a fan of lamb) but their lamb dishes were not gamey at all!! Everything ordered was delish!! Service was great and food came out fast! read more

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Amazing only Uyghur food you can find in Houston! The taste is unforgetful and flavorful. The service was fairly quick but doesn't bring all the dishes together rather one by one when it's ready. read more

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Went to @turan_uyghurkitchen, first time trying Uyghur food, and we enjoyed it. we ordered the Beef Skewers, Sizzling Beef, Rice Noodles with Chicken and Chicken Dumplings. First off for the Skewers, the beef was perfectly cooked and the seasoning was on point. Next the Sizzling Beef, very flavorful and my favorite item that we tried. Next the Rice Noodles with chicken was another interesting dish, in a bowl with alot of broth and had a kick to it, another item I enjoyed. and last for the Dumplings, honestly some of the better Dumplings that I have had. Overall a great experience, if you are looking for an alternate to the normal Chinese food then this is the spot for you #food #foodphotography #foodporn #foodgasm #foodiesofinstagram #foodpic #foodbloggers #globalfood #globaleats #globalfoodie #internationalfoodie #internationalfoodieschat #foodiesinternationalchat #thefoodieinitiative #foodblogger #foodlover #foodies #foodpics #forkyeahfoodies #internationalcuisinefamily #fooodexplorertribe #halalfoodie #halalhouston #halalfood #htxfoodie #halalfoodie read more

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My boyfriend and I randomly saw this place one time and took note to visit it at some point. We are so glad we gave it a chance because it was amazing. It was my first time trying Uyghur food, and I was quite excited. We ordered the Fried Naan with lamb, Korma Chop with beef, and Lamb Kebab. You should've seen the way our faces lit up each time we took a bite of a new dish. They definitely do not skimp on their seasoning. Absolutely phenomenal. The owner was welcoming and staff was attentive. And it was pretty busy our entire time, which I'm glad. It would be a disservice to yourself if you do not give this place a try. I will definitely be back! read more

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I've now been to this place twice. Typically, I like to visit a restaurant three times before leaving a review. This way, I'm not just guiding folks with my words but ensuring the restaurant has been consistent--especially when recommending specific dishes. With Turan, I'll be limiting my visits to two. I wanted to love this place. Uighur food is rare in Houston, and we used to have an outstanding spot recognized by the Houston Press. Sadly, that closed during Covid, much to my disappointment. So, I was excited to try Turan. I remembered loving the Uighur flavors I'd experienced before--savory and smoky lamb, spicy beef, and rice noodles with that perfect balance of chew and bite. For my first visit, I made a reservation since I was going with a group of friends. Turns out, ressies weren't needed; we were seated immediately. The staff here are incredibly nice and genuinely helpful. On my second visit, it was clear they were understaffed. Our server seemed harried but still managed to be attentive, which I appreciated. Over the course of two visits, I've tried the Fried Rice Noodles, Samsa, Uyghur Laghman, Gosh Naan, Dumplings, and Beef Fried Rice. Unfortunately, on both occasions, I noticed that all the meats and flavors were remarkably similar across dishes. There wasn't much to set them apart. The Dumplings were good--not something I'd go out of my way for. Everything else? Neither memorable nor worth ordering again. To be fair, the dishes looked beautiful when they arrived and smelled promising, but the flavors didn't deliver. The portions are generous, but we found that one lamb dish was more than half onions with only a few bits of lamb sprinkled in. What's more, after both visits, some of my dining companions had stomach issues the next day. While I didn't have this problem, it's worth noting--especially for those with sensitive stomachs. I want to be transparent: I love that Houston has a Uighur restaurant, and I truly hope more follow. This place is worth a try, because everyone's tastes are different, but I don't see myself returning or recommending it to others. read more

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I honesty call this a Turkish hole in the wall. It's middle eastern with a twist of Chinese! The dishes we tried were very flavorful and delicious. It was seasoned to perfection and very light. We didn't feel too stuffed afterwards. We also had the dumplings and it was filled with bursting with juicy flavors. We tried the pearl noodles as well and it was very fresh. I can tell that the noodles were made in house. An A+ in my book. read more

Turan Uyghur Kitchen - Uyghur Goshnaan - Halal Near Me - Houston, Texas

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We ordered the lamb kebab and lamb leg with rice. Both tasted very good and prices were reasonable. Service was prompt and attentive. The ambiance is fine, nothing fancy but the restaurant was clean. read more

Possibly one of my favorite restaurants at the moment. Been here twice and both times I enjoyed it. Very unassuming restaurant but the food will leave an impression. Both times I've gone it wasn't busy so it was easy to find a table. Parking is easy as well. Very affordable too. Really relaxed vibe overall. read more

Excellent food. Highly recommend the oxtails as well as the lamb dumplings. Will be back for sure.

I had Turkish Simit and Diced Meat Noodles (Sui Rou Lagman) for lunch at Turan Uyghur Kitchen in Houston Chinatown. Don't be mistaken with the Turan Uyghur Kitchen restaurant in Dallas (Plano TX to be exact). I don't know the relationship. But they share the same cuisine. This Turan Uyghur Kitchen restaurant took over the space where used to be Chinatown Dim Sum, which another restaurant occupied with abnormally different style of Chinese food. I am just glad that Turan Uyghur Kitchen hung the different name on the building and replaced the decor inside. I remember there was an Uyghur restaurant in Houston years ago. I always welcome diverse of Chinese regional restaurants to Chinatown. This little hole-in-the-wall had customers filled up the restaurant during the first week of opening. I came here to try the Chinese Halal cuisine. The menu seems simple but the portion is enormous. Reading the first 2 items from the top, Small Plate Chicken 小盘鸡 and Big Plate Chicken 大盘鸡 are the signature dishes. The small plate can feed up to 3 adults and big plate can feed up to 6 or 8 people. I saw a family of 2 with a baby consuming a small plate chicken. The plate is covered with a mound of cut up chicken with spicy sauce over a layer of noodles. I haven't had a chance to try it yet. But I will, once I get some friends together that are willing to share a spicy meal. I studies the menu before visiting Turan Uyghur Kitchen. There are a few items on my list that I want to try. The Turkish Simit tasted like bagel. Not sure if they didn't heat it long enough or center was supposed to be ice cold. I normally don't eat that much starch with my meal. So, I took it home to enjoy some other time. The owner showed me how the noodles were made, not in front of me but it was refrigerated on a giant platter. I was intrigued to try it. So I ordered the popular item Sui Rou Lagman 碎肉拌面 aka diced meat noodles. I was glad that sauce came separately. I can only add the sauce little by little onto the noodles. The sauce was too spicy for me. As the owner recommended, I will tell them to put less pepper next time. Again, I don't know if noodles supposed to serve cold. I would love to come back to try the lamb soup and dumplings. read more

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Dumpling 3/5 Korma Chop 5/5 Uyghur Laghman 5/5 Small plate chicken 5/5 Samsa 5/5 This has become one of my favorite new places to show my friends, especially Muslim friends who don't usually get the opportunity to try Eastern Asian food. As someone who also has never had Uyghur food, this has been a treat for me as well. My highlight has definitely been the Korma Chop which I would say is comparable to hibachi and is ridiculously flavorful. The different appetizers like Samsa and Uyghur Laghman also very flavorful and great to share among a group! Finishing the small plate chicken is also no "small" feat as it even me and one other friend could only manage to tackle 2/3 of it. I would say the weakest thing we have tried was the dumpling - while it was filled with meat, the lack of any veggies in it (now I sound like my mother) made it a little too overwhelming by the time we are half way though the meal, though the vinegary dipping sauce did help a little to cut into the fatty meat. Overall I loved my experience here and can't wait to introduce Uyghur food to more friends! read more

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We had excellent Halal Chinese food here for lunch. We were a large group and tried several dishes. All were delicious. The cumin lamb, korma chops, fried rice, boso lagman and the orange chicken were very tasty and the spice level was just right for us. We had dumplings and samsa for appetizers which were also very nice. The restaurant was clean and well decorated. The staff was friendly and the food was served in a timely manner. I highly recommend for anyone looking for Halal Chinese in Houston. read more

Never had food like this in my life but everything was 10/10. Beef korma chop was a must try. We ordered extra plates of it the dish was so good. read more

So so good. So flavorful. Fresh noodles. The sauces were amazing. The staff was helpful with helping us pick out dishes. The food came fast. The dumplings came out last, but that wasn't a huge deal. Inside was so cute and decorated nicely. No issues. Will return. read more

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My friend and I came here for lunch on a weekday. We were served hot black tea (they had water upon request) and we ordered the small plate chicken (feeds 2-3 people) and the cumin lamb (comes with rice). The small plate chicken was pricey but a huge portion. Lots of meat (with bone), potatoes, and peppers on top of hand pulled wide noodles (wish there were more noodles) I'd say the spice level was medium to high but perfect for my own taste. The cumin lamb was 70% onions and 30% lamb and the lamb was cut super tiny and thin. The restaurant was very clean and the decor and table set up made it seem homely and welcoming, as if you were in someone's kitchen. I'd definitely come back again to try the other items on the menu (I like how it was small). Happy there's a Uyghur restaurant in Chinatown now (the last time there was one was before covid in the HMart plaza). read more

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Love the lunch special they have to offer here plus complimentary tea. There's so much more I want to try!!! Hope to be back soon!! read more

Turan Uyghur Kitchen - Halal Near Me - Houston, Texas

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My son and I have been looking forward to trying this place because Houston has been devoid of Uyghur cuisine for several years now. We shared the korma chop (sliced lamb with laghman) and the lamb leg polo. The lamb leg polo was served with a salad of shredded carrots, red onions and vermicelli topped with chili oil and sesame oil. For dessert, we shared the yogurt topped with honey, walnuts and dried cranberries and the complementary baklava. The delicious baklava was served warm with what tasted like ghee. It was similar to yet different from the Middle Eastern baklavas that I'm accustomed to. We're looking forward to coming back and trying the other menu items. read more

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It's been a while since I've been able to enjoy Uyghur cuisine since my other favorite spot in Chinatown closed a while back. Came in on a weekday for lunch with an old colleague, and there were about 4 or 5 other tables also there at the time. Unfortunately it seemed like only the owner/manager was taking orders so it wasn't the fastest. The interior has a very homey feel to it. The kebabs were flavorful and the pearl noodles we ordered were tasty. I'm not a lamb eater but the lamb soup was pretty good as well, very light. Although ordering and waiting for the food to come took a while and the prices are pretty steep, the owner was nice and the food was good. Will come again in the future to try other dishes. read more

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