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Cafe Kashkar
Categories: Restaurants Turkish Restaurants Russian Turkish, Russian
1141 Brighton Beach Ave(between Brighton 14th St & Brighton 15th St)
Brooklyn, NY 11235
Neighborhood: Brighton Beach
(718) 743-3832
- Nearest Transit:
-
Brighton Beach (B, Q)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 10 am - 11 pm
Sat-Sun 10 am - 2 am
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
50 reviews for Cafe Kashkar
Review Highlights
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"Lagman was delicious and the noodles perfect." In 25 reviews -
"Lamb Rib Kebabs: Very very good." In 3 reviews -
"...like me, you've never had Uighur food, you'll want to bring..." In 13 reviews
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50 reviews in English
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Review from Sunil B.
New York, NY
4/16/2012
I went for dinner on Saturday night around 9pm. It's a small place with I think about 8-10 tables. The decor is either cute/kitschy, nothing fancy, but not dull or boring. It's BYOB.
The true highlight is the food. We ordered the fried lagman, samsa, lamb kebabs, and some sort of shredded potato stuffed pasta shell. All were delicious, but the stars were the fried lagman and lamb kebab. I'm looking forward to going back and trying the manti and creating my own lamb-agasm. I love lamb.
The service is so-so, but I didn't mind given the laid back, home cooking feel of the place. And it's very cheap. I'm looking forward to going back. -
Review from Cameron L.
Seal Beach, CA
3/12/2012
I really wanted to like this place, having gorged myself on lagman when I lived in Central Asia a few summers ago. Sadly, I was sorely disappointed.
I should preface this by saying that for some reason, my taste buds can't appreciate the exquisite taste of lamb and unfortunately most, if not all, of the meat dishes at Cafe Kashkar come lamb only.
Perhaps I overly romanticized the lagman in the years since I last had it, or perhaps the dish's $1 price tag in Central Asia and China (vs. $10ish at this location) made it all the more appetizing. Eating the lagman I ordered here actually verged on the semi-arduous. The texture of the noodles seemed good, but the co-mingling of the flavors in the dish provoked a gag reflex for me. The manti, unfortunately, was not much better although I'll admit it was likely due to the lamb flavor.
Even if the food was a letdown, the decor of the place made the visit worth it, if only for the relative uniqueness of seeing Uygur style decorations in an American restaurant.
And for what it's worth, my dining partner- a neophyte to Central Asian cuisine- couldn't stop raving about this place and even ordered an extra serving of manti to go. -
Review from Charles B.
New York, NY
1/13/2012
I'm generally a fan of Central Asian food, but Cafe Kashkar--owned by a Uighur family from Uzbekistan--is one of my favorite spots. Like many other Central Asian spots, most of the dishes are on the small side... kind of like tapas, but without the pretentious price tags.
A few highlights: the fried lagman, a moderately spicy noodle dish topped with a fried egg; manty, large ravioli-like dumplings stuffed with lamb and sauteed onion; and skewers of grilled meats, especially the perfectly-charred lamb ribs.
If I had to pick a favorite, I'd go for the chilled meat and vegetable salad (I believe it was the otush salad, but don't quote me on that), served with charming assloads of dill. And who doesn't love charming assloads of dill?
For what it's worth, our server--the owners' son--was absolutely spectacular. And the food was cheap: two of us ate like a pack of ravenous hyenas for a grand total of less than $40. So if you don't have the appetite of a pack of hyenas, you'll surely spend far less than that. -
Review from Fanya B.
Manhattan, NY
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
A great option if you are looking for something other than standard Russian food. Every dish we had was excellent, the meat was incredibly flavorful. The pilaf was perfection and the eggplant salad was light and had a great balance of flavors. The service for the most part was friendly and efficient. I loved that the little window into the kitchen, allowing one to see the cooking magic.
The ambiance is not the fanciest but the food makes up for it. Highly recommend it.
I'm not a hindered percent sure, but I believe you BYOB. I saw other patron bring their own refreshments. -
Review from Ajay R.
Brooklyn, NY
12/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Okay, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that the folks at Kashkar took your previous negative reviews to heart and made some changes. I walked in here bracing myself for bad service and a 20 min wait for my microwaved food. So thanks to all the previous yelpers for setting my expectations low. However I'm glad they didn't stop me from going.
We went there at 2pm on Saturday for lunch and while it was empty when we walked in, it filled up quickly. Our waitress was lovely, our food came quickly, there was no sign of a microwave, and it was all awesome. We had the samsas and the lagman. The only negative was that our water tasted like onions. Not sure if that was a Brighton beach water issue or what, but we just ordered some tea and skipped the water. We ordered extra samsas to go. I'll be going back here for sure, with a group and alcohol in tow so we can sample the menu proper.Listed in: Old faithfuls, NYC
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Review from Chad T.
9/5/2011
If you're going to take the train all the way out to Coney Island / Brighton Beach, I find there to be only 3 rational dining choices:
1. Nathan's Hot Dogs
2. A 6-hour banquet at Tatiana on Friday or Saturday night when the circus-show will come by
3. Uighur food at Cafe Kashkar
The food here is amazing. Grilled lamb, chicken, and beef flavored with peppers and spices, especially cumin. Huge dumplings, steamed or fried, and so large that each one takes multiple bites to consume. They also specialize in home-made noodles which you can get a variety of ways (in a soup, boiled, or fried) and fried is apparently the best because it was so good we ordered a second round of them. Lamb ribs are to die for.
I could go on and on. We literally had a feast with for people for $75 total. The staff speak english so there is no need to worry about that. BYOB, no corkage fee, so come stocked with big bold red wines to pair with this excellent food. -
Review from Lia L.
Brooklyn, NY
8/16/2011
I don't understand how anyone could give this place a bad review. What's up with all the haters?
Extremely affordable and BYOB to your heart's content, and the food is absolutely delicious and a taste that you don't come across very often.
My boyfriend and I spent Christmas eve there last year and it was so much fun. We brought a bottle of red and they opened it and put a white paper towel around it, a la sommelier style. They recommended dishes, and gently forewarned per the liver (although I love liver so I enthusiastically nodded). Note - do not get the dishes where the liver is over cooked. I mean, they're not bad or anything, but not what you're looking for when you're looking for liver.
We're also really big fans of the meat bread (?) and the fried lagman, of course.
Come here with a small group of friends and you will not be disappointed. If you live off the BQ it's a jiffy. Cute neighborhood, too. -
Review from A A.
Hempstead, NY
A real food contains:
- No artificial BS
- doesn't have to be in an expensive bowl
- has a lot of veggies
Well, you still can disagree with me. But I ain't call per se type of food as a real food.
THIS IS IT.
Beef broth that makes you miss your mama,
A lamb dumpling that tastes REAL good,
I think I will be coming back repeatedly. -
Review from Jarred W.
Mt Vernon, NY
7/12/2011
This place is awesome. I disagree with the poster below that the service is rude unless you're Russian but understand, this is Brighton Beach and not everyone around speaks English and its hard to be in that environment if you don't speak Russian.
That said, my Russian is terrible and I don't speak it here. None of my friends I have ever brought speak Russian either. I found this place when patrolling Brighton Beach with a few friends and we were interested in Uygher food, as we never had it before though all studied China.
This is Uygher food, but also Uzbek food. I'm afraid I can't fully tell the difference for sure, but there is a lot of food here that isn't common to Uzbek cuisine.
Everything appears homemade, and while it is a bit of a dive and hole in the wall, the food is much higher quality than a lot of supposedly higher quality restaurants. This is working man's food, and thank god the price reflects that.
Some things might be tough on the American taste sensibility too. If you don't like liver, don't get it. Stick with things that look like you won't dislike them. -
Review from Atif I.
6/5/2011
Marco Polo would surely have fallen in love with Uyghur-Uzbek food at Café Kashkar, which displays the varied Mongol/Chinese/Turkic/Uzbek/Russian influences of the cuisines. After half a dozen visits, I'm hooked too.
My meal usually starts with the Manti or the Samsa. Both of these contain tender lamb chunks with sweet onions, the difference being that the Samsa are baked and have a golden brown, flakey, crusty exterior, while the Manti are thin skinned, ginormous, steamed dumplings served with sour cream. Vegetarians have the option of trying the Khonoom that have a potato filling and are served with a tomato based sauce. But, the appetizer I've found particularly intriguing was the "Naryn", which is simply boiled, jerked meat served with dough. It's a cold appetizer, with the dough resembling shaved mozzarella, topped with meat slices. It's lightly seasoned with cumin, and has a nice chewy texture.
People who've tried it in other cuisines might be tempted to order the "Pilaf", which is pillowy, fried rice with carrots, lamb, and cumin. As someone who was brought up eating the Indian version ("Pulao") at least once a week in my childhood, I just don't find their version as complex, and didn't develop a liking for it.
One of the star attractions in the cuisine are the Shou La Mian ("Lagman" in Uyghur) that are handmade noodles made from flour, salt, and water. The noodles are boiled till they are soft and then topped with stir-fried meat, vegetables (onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, hot peppers, scallions). There are three different versions available at Café Kashkar. One is a lamb broth, and is simply called Lagman Soup; the other is called Geiro Lagman and is served as an appetizer (though the serving size could well be an entrée); while the third one is called Fried Lagman. You can douse the noodles with the vinegar based sauce on the table, or enhance the spice level by requesting a hot sauce. The noodles are fluffy, chewy, and not very dense, with Geiro Lagman being my preferred version.
The Kebabs, cooked to order, over charcoal, are my favorite menu item. Given my preference for spicy food, I prefer Pakistani Kebabs over all others, but Kashkar probably has my next favorite interpretation. Served on a pointy, metal skewer and seasoned with chili powder, pepper, salt, and cumin, it's meant to be eaten with the skewer parallel to the mouth, and sliding the meat off the pointed edge into one's mouth (I describe this after witnessing many a dainty attempts of people trying to use a fork). The Kebabs are the juiciest I've eaten in the city, and while not spiced to make you sweat (as they could be at Xinjiang BBQ cart or the Mongolian BBQ cart in Flushing) have a nice charcoal taste to them, are deliciously tender, with the flavor enhanced by the raw onions and accompanying sauce.
Given that the restaurant doesn't serve alcohol, my preferred drink has been the Compote: a punch like fruit drink common across the former Soviet Republics / Eastern Europe, tracing its origin to the Ottoman Empire. On occasion, the naturally carbonated mineral water, Borjomi, has been good to cut through any carb/grease overload. Given its Georgian roots, I wonder why we didn't try it at Pirosmani!
You can end the meal with dessert: Chak Chak is a Rice Krispies like treat that is served in the shape of a fried, noodlesy brick, held together by honey. It's surprisingly light, but the portion size is huge.
The one disappointment has been the bread, called Nan, but more like the Bukharian Lepeshka. It's chewy, dense, and isn't served freshly baked - which makes eating a challenge after a few minutes. Also, as there is no dip or butter, one doesn't know what to do with it other than use it as a way of chewing food between courses. It could easily be so much more!
I was surprised by earlier reviews criticizing the service. Possibly due to many visits, but I'm always greeted warmly and with a slight smile. Also, I don't have any expectations of people flashing me faux million watt smiles. The ambiance is minimal, there's always an Uzbek stage show on TV, with the singer belting fairly catchy and hummable tunes, even if you don't follow a word. Café Kashkar always attracts serious diners, who leave with a lot of respect for the quality and value.
I am amazed though, that Jill M beat me to this place by a few years. Seriously. -
Review from Randy F.
New York, NY
6/7/2011
This establishment would make Marco Polo and his boyz cry if he decides to come back to life and devour food from the silk road.
Fellow yelpers, this place doesn't deserve the 4 star average yelp rating. It's just a hole in a wall that will just surely decieve you because this is the closest to eating Central Asian/ Uighur/ Uzbek food.
My friend, who is a fiend when it comes to eating Uighur food (she studied Xianjiang culture in Shanghai) ordered for me. I wanted noodles but we settled on rice. We got the lamb pilaf and lamb kebobs. We also got a lamb soup. The lamb soup was pretty good, tasted like any other homey soup that your mom would make you in the middle of winter. The lamb pilaf on the other hand was such a failure. First of all, it was at room temperature. Second of all, you could tell it was not fresh because the rice was flavorless. The lamb that they claim it was tasted like beef.
That lamb kebob was pretty good but it was a bit salty. My canton ass deems too salty.
Overall- ain't comin back here. No matter what. -
Review from Courtney C.
Granite Bay, CA
7/10/2011
Food is actually really good.
Service RUDE RUDE RUDE ( unless you're Russian).
Went today and my boyfriend and I were treated VERY poorly, while the Russian family next to us got the star treatment. I've never been so offended, seriously.
Never going back. -
Review from Süleyman Khan G.
Queens, NY
5/17/2011
OK, let me preface this by stating that my rating is based solely on the food - it is off the chain! However, the waiter / former gulag guard who 'served' us this past Sunday, 15.May.2011, was about as personable as a kavkaz ovcharka with rabies.
If you can get past the surly, inattentive, Soviet-era 'service,' you will love the food - try the lagman - it is sooooo delicious. -
Review from Danielle G.
Brooklyn, NY
4/17/2011
Worth the trek from wherever you are...know that Manty requires pre -ordering, you can call ahead. Kebabs, lagman, pilafs and samsa are terrific.
It was not warm inside, Russian TV is playing and many neighborhood customers carried their own - Jameson, etc.
Plan on wandering around the neighborhood while you are here - fruit, vegetable and Russian grocery stores have wonderful items that are hard to find outside the neighborhood. -
Review from Leese H.
6/7/2011
Self-acclaimed "Uighur foodie" that I am, I think this place is nothing but a hole-in-a-wall that will disappoint you beyond belief. Don't let the embroidered hats and traditional garment hung high in pride across the walls fool you.
I was chagrinned when I saw my food was lackadaisically prepared in the microwave. How could Cafe Kashkar present Uighur food in this manner? I mean it's one thing to have a soviet-esque waiter who will be kind of short with your order, but it's another thing to have a chef prepare your meal sloppily.
The customers ranged from all ages and ethnicities - a group of young Uzbeks, sprinkles of babushkas and their grandchildren, and some devout customers.
Anyway, I ordered lamb pilaf and the lamb kebobs. I'm used to having my pilaf rice on the thinner-grain side. I'm not sure why the grains were a lot thicker, and the portion was so small. I could barely taste the seasoning or the carrots. The lamb meat tasted like the tender ends of a dog.
HOWEVER, the lamb kebobs reminded me of legit Uighur shashliks. I savored every bite of the chunky, seasoned, savory lamb meat. At least Cafe Kashkar did that one right.
I don't think I'll make the trek out here if it wasn't for summer and the beaches. I'd rather much rely on my nostalgia of Uighur food than to return back. It's also too bad that I didn't get to try their other entrees but I'd rather much save my money for a better meal. -
Review from Pamela P.
Brooklyn, NY
11/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
The best are the noodles - lagman - which are homemade and irregularly shaped. Plump and juicy. I had the good fortune to watch the noodles being made - basically pulled into a mile long strand that is cut and boiled. Simply one of our favorites. Delicious salads including eggplant, cabbage and carrot. The restaurant is Uyghar, a Chinese-Muslim minority. The food seems a little Chinese and a little Aghgani. The waiters and owner are super nice and the food is ridiculously cheap. Also try the manty (kind of giant steamed dumplings), and the bright green Tarragon soda.
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Review from Mykel B.
New York, NY
1/24/2011 3 photos
1. It's far. If you're coming from Manhattan, it'll take more than an hour to get there.
2. It seems authentic. Most of the customers spoke something I didn't understand. I don't really know if someone "looks Uyghuric". Eat Club, our group, was half Japanese, but the Asian customers here looked very different.
3. It's tastey. The kebabs are familiar, but the addition of special spices (cumin?) makes all the meat taste different, something new. The "Uyghur ravioli" I forget the name, was outstanding.
4. They charge for tea.
5. It's Muslim. That means no pork or booze.
6. It's friendly. The cook, waiter and fellow customers were friendly and sociable. There were a lot of regulars and they welcomed the guests.
7. It's COLD. I guess they need to save money on heat, but no one took his/her coat off inside. We saw one young woman (the customers seem to be mostly men) who ate wearing gloves.
Bottom line: worth a visit, but you might want to pick a warm day. -
Review from Andrew A.
9/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I finally got the chance to visit Coney Island and knew i had to check out Brighton Beach, "Little Odessa" area... I had Kashkar Cafe bookmarked for the longest and had been wanting to try this place since I had the opportunity to travel in XinJiang and had not eaten food Uyghur like this my last trip to Shanghai last year....
Although this restaurant is called Kashkar (the city is actually called Kashgar), the people that run and own this place are Uzbeki - and it appeared that most of the clientele while i was there were Kazakhi - i wonder how many if any Uyghurs actually reside in NY...
So the food they serve here is a mixture between Uyghur and Uzbeki (per our waiter) but the food from the central asia region is similar anyway...
We ordered for our entrees the Geiro Lagman which was one of main dishes i ate in Xinjiang - hand pulled noodles with meat and vegetables - i dont know if the pulling process is the same here as they do in xinjiang where some stands and stretches the dough like a jump rope... The dish itself does not look very appetizing but it tasted really good - super flavorful and the noodles are deliciously soft - usually this dish comes with lamb but i think they might have used beef here. Secondly we ordered the Manty which are basically momo's (i think this might have been beef as well - but also typically lamb) .. If you've read my other reviews you know I LOVE dumplings - and these definitely were up to my speed - the sauce that accompanied these was a red cold spicy-garlicky tomato sauce (kinda like salsa) - also deliciously.. Lastly we ordered a lamb shish-kebab which was really good too - great flavor and nice and tender meat.. We also ordered a drink - Compote which was kinda like a non-alcoholic sangria - fruit drink with actual fruit on the bottom.
You would think that this wasn't very much food for two people but it was actually really filling. With the little of bit of room we had left - we decided to squeeze in a typical dessert - ChakChak which is like a rice crispy treat made from the fried chinese noodles you get with wonton soup, honey, and nuts... It was... interesting, kinda dry, not my favorite, but worth trying.
This was definitely an interesting spot to try and recommend if you are in the area, or worth the trip if you want to try something different. -
Review from Ravi J.
7/19/2010
What's Uighur food all about? Well, its an odd mix of Central Asian cumin-laced kebabs, meets Russian pickled salads, meets Chinese stir fried noodles, meets Uzbek sesame-speckled bread, meets Persian style slowcooked rice pilafs.
Yeah, it's weird. But weird in a good sense.
I returned to Cafe Kashkar after a few year hiatus (the tiny restaurant's remote location in Brighton Beach doesn't allow for frequent visits) and I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did the place get a face lift and a new sign, but the food was better than I remember it.
Highlights were the succulent lamb kebabs, which were dripping with juicy flavor, garnished with crunchy chopped onions and an amazingly delicious dipping sauce made of dill, tomato and vinegar.
The laghman noodles, which are a Uighur specialty, came in two forms: the traditional soup and a "fried" version, which was more akin to Chinese fried noodles. It's dishes like this where you see the strong Chinese influence. The noodles had a great bouncy texture, served with an array of green onions, bright red peppers and other veggies, and topped with a julien sliced fried egg and an aroma of smoked cumin.
Salads were nice compliments. My particular favorite was the ubiquitous Korean carrot salad, spiked with a tangy sauce and chopped fresh garlic.
Plov or rice pilaf was average and full of cumin, although it wasn't as good as Cheburechnaya's version in Rego Park (Uzbek style). Lepyoshka or Uzbek style bread was okay too, although Cheburechnaya may also have a better variety.
Overall, Cafe Kashkar is a solid spot for a little known cuisine. [a small shout-out to Jeff O for reminding me that this place exists. Although I wasn't able to dine with him and his group (including a Uighur food expert), I was able to get my plov and shashlyk fill.] -
Review from Marnie B.
New York, NY
8/22/2011
The salad I got there was greasy, and the dumplings were huge, doughy, and stuffed with suspect meat. You get a lot of food for your money, though, so I am giving them one more star than the food merits.
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Review from Steven S.
6/14/2011
When I moved to New York after a long bout of traveling, I naturally began seeking out all the delicious cuisines I encountered, in whatever local pastiches I could find, because if you can find it anywhere, you can find it here, and also "pastiche" sounds like food. One of the places I visited, Western China (Xinjiang), was home to some of the tastiest food I've ever had. Any time I mention the Uighurs to my friends, they give me a strange look, because nobody's heard of them, but let me tell you, madam, the Uighurs know their way around a bowl of noodles. And they know their lamb. And cumin. Oh the cumin! If you like noodles, lamb, and cumin, this Brighton Beach outpost, about as far from downtown Manhattan as a flight from Beijing to Kashgar itself, is definitely worth a visit. One reason is that it's the only place you can get Uighur food in New York. Xi'an Famous Foods comes close, but it's not quite the same. You also don't get the homey old-timey restaurant atmosphere and surly Russian style service. Are you sold yet? Georgian Bread is also nearby, and you can go puke your meal all over the tracks of the Cyclone down the beach afterward. Note, Uighur is pronounced "wee-gur" and rhymes with meager. Their traditional music also happens to be an Intangible World Heritage if that's your thing.
Extra star for being the sole establishment in New York serving Uighur food. The restaurant is not, otherwise, terribly remarkable, and you may (if you've been privy) find the food pales in comparison to proper Uighur restaurants in China (even Beijing and Shanghai), but this is all we've got.Listed in: Day Trip from Manhattan
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Review from Jewelry Y.
Brooklyn, NY
9/15/2011
The food was good but the service was awful! The service was so bad not even the food redeemed this place. But I'll start with the good (the food) before I get to the bad (the service).
Here's what my friend and I ordered:
-Lagman Soup: delicious broth, chewy noodles
-Fried Lagman: flavorful meat and noodles with just the right amount of heat
-Steamed Manti: big thumbs down. The filling was so sparse that the dumplings looked like pancakes. They were also extremely bland.
-Lamb Rib Kebabs: Very very good! tender with just the right amount of spice.
-Compote: tasted like water-downed fruit punch it was meh.
Now to get to service. I went on a Friday for dinner and it was not crowded at all. There was one other table that had two people besides us. The gentleman that served us (I think he was the owner) was not friendly at all. Everything was ok (when I say ok I mean he brought over our order and ignored us the rest of the time) until I asked for the check. The guy nodded so I'm sure he heard what I wanted. IT TOOK 20 MINUTES! I I finally lost my patience and went up to the counter to ask him again and he had the nerve to snap at me. My friend then asked him for a toothpick (such a typical Chinese person haha). The guy picked up a toothpick container and banged it on the table while rolling his eyes and mumbling things. The place is also filthy!!! The table and glasses we drank out of were sticky and greasy. I asked for cleaner glasses and the ones that were replaced were no better. For what the meal cost this place is not worth it. -
Review from Taiyo O.
10/12/2009 5 photos
Is this what Genghis Khan ate? He may be too far east but may walk through Silk Road to get some.
I thank you to Lackadaisical N. for an info about where this food is from (half Kazakh and Uzbek). Definitely I tasted Chinese, Indian, Arab and Russian. It was a complex melody of flavors and was much fun to experienced something new. Although they gave us English menu with pictures, I had to ask what I was eating but no one spoke English I love this kind of experience. It felt I was in somewhere not in America.
Salad Kashkar $7.50
- It was a depth in flavor. I could not figure out what's making it but it was definitely a good mixture of cultures. soy sauce & chili, lam fat(?), and some spices. My first bite I felt was light and greasy and it was a bit salty but was really good.
Fried Lagman $7.50
- stir fried noodles with veggies and ?
Uneven shape noodles (hand pulled?) was chewy but pleasant.
Monty (4 fist size dumplings for $7)
- This dish was ordered after we already ate some dishes because most of the table had them and looked good. It was tasty but too greasy for me after eating greasy dishes.
I definitely go back to try more new things but I limit to couple and try something acid, lemony or vinegar dish to balance the grease. -
Review from Ryan D.
New York, NY
Updated - 9/5/2008
How do you say "no nuke" in Russian? Kashkar has got to get rid of the microwave!
Dropped in last night with a friend I picked up at JFK.
The fried lagman didn't disappoint, but the samsas and cheburek were hastily microwaved so the dough was like a day-old pancake. And alas, the bread was cold and not very fresh.
It seems they're doing a brisk business selling the pre-made samsas and similar items, even frozen mantys. Maybe this is taking their eye off the ball.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/21/2008
Fabulous. The lagman soup is great, and so are the manty (dumplings). The last time I was there I… Read more »
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Review from Ruibo Q.
Brooklyn, NY
8/18/2009
As others have stated, most everything is mysteriously listed as an "appetizer", but these ain't your mama's appetizers. They will explode you. We had a long day watching the large be-makeuped Russian ladies tanning their boobies at the beach and were really looking to get a snack before exploring more of the Brighton Beach goods, but that was not to be. I'm not sorry.
For two, we ordered the geiro lagman, lamb pilaf and 4 manty. The pilaf was our fave - creamy and savory. Lagman was delicious and the noodles perfect. The manty were ginormous. We couldn't even finish. This was probably our least favorite of the three, but still good and would likely have been better had we not just inhaled two big plates of meaty carbs.
We saw other folks bring beer but I'm not sure if it's BYOB or if they were friends of the owner, who was delightful. The atmosphere's relaxed, Uighur music videos on the telly and kelly green tarragon soda should you choose to accept. -
Review from Dimitrios D.
New York, NY
8/30/2010
Uyghur food (from the predominantly Muslim Uyghurs who inhabit parts of central Asia) is, in my personal estimation, a blend of Russian, Afghan, Chinese, and middle eastern cuisine.
For first timers to Uyghur food, expect familiar looks to the aforementioned cuisines (soups, dumplings, long noodles, kebabs) but with some unfamiliar though tasty seasonings.
I had a type of soup that consisted of long noodles (seemingly homemade), some vegetables, and beef chunks, in a red broth that tasted of dill. It was much like Ukrainian borscht with Chinese long noodles added.
Next came the beef dumplings, which were also stuffed with onions. I used a funky looking bottle of yellow liquid that was sitting on my table to flavor the dumplings; this turned out to be vinegar.
All in all, the food was tasty, but the sub-par quality of the beef was something I could have done without. Expect lots of fat and some rather gristly pieces.
Had it not been for the cheap-grade meat, I would have given this place 4 stars. -
Review from Jess B.
3/28/2010
I wasn't being ambitious yesterday. I've never trued Ulghur food prior, and I was too lazy to ask what everything was. So, I stuck with familiarity. I wanted to be surrounded by lamb and na'an, and was planning on it since prices were so cheap.
To my surprise, the na'an that came out wasn't the one I was used to. Instead, it was a Frisbee-shaped loaf of bread. I looked dumbfounded, but rest assured I ate a good half of it. Tasted great with vinegar. The lamb kebabs were, as I put it when I was devouring through it, extremely succulent. So juicy, flavorful, and filling (I could throw in a That's What She Said right now, but I'll hold back). But, it was some of the best lamb I've had in recent memory. -
Review from michele a.
New York, NY
5/13/2011
Really delicious and unique soups. Try the "meat bread," too.
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Review from Dina V.
New York, NY
6/18/2008
Everything a po' meat-eating student can ask for. We came here on my brother's birthday so, admittedly all the $3.50s probably added up because we had a ton of food, but everything I sank my teeth into was good. The lagman soup, the manty, the pickly salad (there's a picture of it on this page), the big mushroom of bread.. I recommend the samsa, which are little meat pies, in particular. The funny thing is that what I liked the least were the lamb kebobs and pilaf that we had as entrees. This bodes well because when I take my friends here, we can fill up on appetizers. We have to order individual lagman soups, though. I had to share with my dad last time, it was bloody.
Other notes: The waiters were cute, (my dad said they were kind of doofy and slow to take our orders, though, but what do I care). I couldn't exactly hit on them after they saw me stuffing my face, though, and plus they are brothers. The bad point is the tv blaring terrible Russian music videos which have chicks in bikinis no matter what the song is about. Maybe that's a good selling point for some Americans. Plus, who doesn't like chicks in bikinis. But the prospect of my dad looking up and seeing that kind of thing makes me squirm. It was weird enough almost watching Zumanity with him (we wanted to see a Cirque du Soleil show, the sweaty naked bodies on the brochure should have given us a clue about what kind of "family entertainment" it was). I had to leave.
Oh yeah, and don't invite your vegetarian friends unless you want to trick them into paying and eat their food. -
Review from Ben C.
Brooklyn, NY
8/4/2009
If, like me, you've never had Uighur food, you'll want to bring friends and share, because there's a lot to choose from. Start with an order of Manty, boiled dumplings filled with ground lamb and a rich, salty broth ($7 for 4 large dumplings), or Samsa, a layered lamb pastry ($2.50 apiece). Don't be confused by a misnomer on the menu: what they call "hot appetizers" are actually sizeable entrees. Go for the fried lagman, a traditional spicy noodle and vegetable dish ($7.50). Or if you're feeling a little more adventurous, go for the gigar-rice with an earthy, sweet mixture of fried liver, bell peppers, eggplant, and more-for $8.50. Round out your meal with juicy kebabs, around $4 each.
We had a really friendly waiter who helped us out with our pronunciation, and who was very happy when I ordered the liver, which made me happy/a little creeped out. There was also an Uzbek version of MTV serenading us from the corner, adding quite the ambience. Definitely check it out, especially if you're spending a day at the beach. -
Review from Jocelyn B.
Brooklyn, NY
7/26/2009
We'd been wanting to try this place for a bit, so I was a bit excited to go this afternoon. But I think I totally ordered wrong since everyone on this review had a much better food experience. They were out of Langsai, so I ordered a mixed salad. Too much oil and mealy tomatoes. The pilaf (fried rice w/carrots, lamb and spices) could've have been quite tasty. Any joy from the mild sweetness and the juicy lamb was completely overshadowed by oil. You know it's super oily when there's a slickness that stays on your lips. Bummer since I really wanted to like it. I just checked out a recipe for it online and it calls for a lot of oil, enough cooking oil to make the rice yellow. The saving grace of the meal was the chicken kebab - mild spice, a hint of smoke and unlike many other chicken kebabs, moist. Also, it's BYOB.
I'll go again though and reorder. Maybe it was an off day. -
Review from Bogdan T.
Brooklyn, NY
1/7/2010
After a warm welcome and a brisk January night, you can sit down and relax. With the t.v. playing a russian movie or sitcom and the uzbek grandma giving you a smile , order away.
I chose the Fried Lagman. Nice stir fried noodles with vegetables. Had a nice texture and the right amount of spice. The lamb in the Lagman was great too. Was just what the doctor ordered.
After that it was the "," ( Kazakh) MAANTEEE (English)
http://en.wikipedia.or... . A nice four piece of fist sized dumplings. Minced lamb,onions,an spice. Unlike other dumplings which break or explode upon being devoured...these bad boys keep true.
To compliment it I had green tea. I was full. The waiter hospitable and the atmosphere cozy.
Recommend it to all who come down to "Little Odessa" -
Review from stacey s.
Brooklyn, NY
4/7/2010
Take the Q train out to Brighton Beach for one of the only Uighur restaurants in ethnic food mecca New York City. Though I had a serious hankering for Xinjiang Uighur cuisine after living in China for a while, this Uzbek Uighur restaurant definitely satisfied. Delicious fat-laden lamb is the focus here, and I recommend the geiro laghman (lamb, vegetables and noodles in a tomato-based sauce) and lamb rib kebabs, which come speared on a sword-like skewer with a savory dipping sauce. It took a while to get there, but I would travel to the ends of the earth (more realistically, the ends of Brooklyn) for this meal.
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Review from howard T.
Brooklyn, NY
2/18/2011
this place is like so many ubiquitous shish kebab joints in this neighborhood, what makes this place stand out is how rude and generally unfriendly they are, I came here after reading a good review in the village voice, I guess if your a critic service is great, for my wife in a wheelchair on a totally uncrowded (and frankly I've driven by this place dozen of times and there's never anyone there), Saturday afternoon, it was as unpleasant as it gets clearly on seeing us struggle to get through the door in a wheelchair we where branded as pain in the ass and therefore deemed unworthy of service, no one came to remove a chair and the two people behind the counter never offered to help, i did it my self got settled, none came, I went to the counter and got one, we pick some kebab's and a baba and hummus appetizer, no one came to take our order, i went back to place it at the counter, after about 10 minutes one of the two counter men brought out our appetizer, sans any bread, think he was going back for we waited, after about three minutes I went to the counter and asked, after first getting the I don't understand you cause you don't speak Kashkar, or Russian, they finally gave me two pita's out of a bag unwarmed, and while I was waiting for this a the counter they shoved my shish kebabs at me, I went back to the table we ate, an indistinct and boring middle eastern meal and left, never getting any service, while we were there a Russian group of 3 came in and were greeted with hello's and helped to a table, I guess if your American at Kashkar your an unwelcome immigrant,
Not handicapped accessible, and also some of the worst food grades in the neighborhood from the department of health
skip this place unless you want to be abused -
Review from Lisa M.
Alexandria, VA
10/19/2007 6 photos
My first foray into Uighur food, and hopefully not the last. Uighur food (pronounced WEE-gher) is native to central Asia and thus counts Persian and Chinese among its influences. The Persian comes out in the tasty kebabs while the Chinese is apparent in its pastries and noodle soups. I was introduced to Uighur food by an old college friend who travels to Brooklyn for the only Uighur restaurant in the New York area. I heard a rumor that there is Uighur food in Germantown but it is otherwise a rare creature in the Washingtonian area.
And what a shame it isn't more common. My friend ordered a literal feast with a little bit of everything. We ordered veal and lamb rib kebabs, which come out under a pile of shaved raw onions. If one wants their food spicy, there is a small container of (very potent) hot sauce that looks and tastes homemade. The kebabs themselves are flavorful, slightly salty, and VERY addictive. The pastries stuffed with minced lamb are a meal in themselves. I usually find lamb to be a bit tough and gamey but this reminded me of the Chinese curry beef buns in texture yet with the distinctive lamb flavor. No less addictive is the lagman noodle soup, a bowl crowded with fat noodles, chunks of braised lamb, and long stripes of red and green peppers. The soup had a strong, rich flavor that had my friend and me shamelessly picking up the bowl to catch the last drops. My friend also had the foresight to order langsai salad, a cool summer salad of bean thread noodles, bits of lamb and loads of veggies in a vinegary dressing. We washed all this down with a ginger ale from a company I've never heard of before (presumably from the Uighur region). It was a tad sweet but went well with the spiciness of the hot sauce while a pot of tea complimented the rich flavors of the lamb.
Since this is my first experience with Uighur food, I can't compare it to other restaurants. All I know is that everything made me want to eat more of it, especially the lamb rib kebabs. The kebabs come four pieces to an order for a very reasonable price, and it's not inconceivable to build an entire visit around them, if the rest of the lot is as good as the veal and lamb rib. One thing that diners may want to remember is that a lot of the dishes are centered around lamb. If you're not a fan, you may find yourself limited but remember those kebabs! I wasn't able to try the salmon, chicken, pork, etc. Also, because so many of the dishes are so rich and flavorful, you have to be careful how you order. Luckily my dining companion ordered the langsai salad, and the beverages provided a good balance.
My dining companion whispered in a somewhat conspiracy-ish tone that their desserts weren't great but no matter, we were too stuffed to partake anyway. Too bad this place is so far away or else I'd find myself here over and over again. -
Review from Jane M.
Oakland, CA
9/22/2008
I definitely recommend visiting Cafe Kashkar if you like to explore new foods and/or if you love lamb. The waiter was super helpful in getting us half portions of a bunch of dishes so we could try various Uighur delicacies. #1 winner was the lamb rib kebab - juicy and tender and addictive! Lagman was also excellent, though the meat could have been more tender, we tried the version with no soup and loved the sauce and lots of chili peppers. Manti, samsa, good, bread ok - dense and not so fresh. Overall a fun experience in a unique neighborhood!
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Review from Alphonso I.
Brooklyn, NY
6/14/2009
Upon request, the waiter recommended we try the langsai salad, samsa, and geiro lagman, accompanied by a pot of Chinese green tea. The langsai salad consisted of highly addictive thinly sliced vegetables with a semi-sweet vinegar dressing. Samsa are delicious lamb and onion-filled pastries, which make a very palatable precursor to the geiro langman and its perfectly noodly mess of sauteed vegetables and tender marinated lamb. The lagman here are as supple a noodle as you are likely to find anywhere, and they may just be hand-made by the plump central Asian women you can find getting their palms read in the dining area. If your date speaks Russian, maybe you can get a reading as well.
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Review from Bonnie C.
New York, NY
4/22/2009
truly a silk road experience from chinese like dishes through to turkish based salads. the noodles were my fave, both sauce version and the soup version. nice springy wheat. the giant dumplings were also quite good, although a bit droopy and messy. kebabs were solid as well...watch the mini sword kebab skewers.
tomato salad was also good but it didn't quite go with the rest of the menu.
you also get some vocabulary lessons in uzbek and uighur and the latest in central asian music videos. -
Review from L R.
New York, NY
7/22/2010
Excellent authentic Uyghur food. You will LOVE their in-house made fresh noodles and dumplins. The atmophere is great. I spent 5 hours here!
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Review from Li C.
New York, NY
5/7/2010
Do not judge this place by the appearance..because the food here is absolutely delicious! Their Shurpa soup is awesome, as well as their lamb kebabs.. but the fried lagman was probably my favorite. You will not be disappointed!
