1/16/2024 0 Comments Meat party nyc reviewsLike Argentines and Texans, Central Asians demand the taste of smoke with their meat, choosing their cuts accordingly. Here, they’re called shashlyks, the term for Central Asian skewered meats that was popularized throughout Russia in the 19th century. Make sure you get some of that pumpkin filling one way or another: The same bright orange mince fills the flaky brown turnovers known as samsa ($8 for two), which are sprinkled with both black and white sesame seeds. The fist-shaped steamed dumplings called manti have a thinner noodle wrapper than usual, and can be ordered either stuffed with oniony lamb or pumpkin that’s slightly sweet, but not too sweet. Carrots lend sweetness and fresh scallions are heaped on Farida’s agreeable version ($15), which is the one associated with the city of Samarkand. Not a bad idea, unless you crave mutton’s funky musk. Elsewhere it usually comes heaped with ragged hunks of fatty lamb, but here the chefs substitute tender cubes of beef. Both Kamolov and his co-chef, Firdavs Saidov, hail from Samarkand - one of three most important Silk Road cities in Uzbekistan - while the owner is from Kazakhstan, but they try to have dishes from all over Central Asia.Įach part of Uzbekistan has its distinctive version of plov, the rice pilaf with Arabian roots. Left to right: Umitjon Kamolov, Farida Gabbassova-Ricciardelli, and Firdavs SaidovĪ Central Asian menu similar to others in town is offered, though not as complete as those of the Brooklyn plov palaces. The servingware is particularly handsome, with a jagged blue pattern edged in gilt. Murals and artifacts are distributed evenly, including battle axes, embroidered pillbox skullcaps, hanging caravan lanterns, and antique pistols. The dining room is deep and narrow, with an alcove in front, and a counter in back that looks into the kitchen. It resembles neither a nightclub nor a quick-service cafe, but looks like many of the other small ma-and-pa restaurants that populate Ninth Avenue’s restaurant row. But the couple opted for the Midtown neighborhood, declaring that it’s “always been a destination for international dining,” Gabbassova-Ricciardelli says - plus a great area for visitors. But what Farida claims is not far from the truth, since the majority of our full-service Central Asian restaurants are in places like Sheepshead Bay, mainly night-clubby spots with pumping Casios like Palmyra, Kaifuem, and the original Nargis, which cater to Central Asian and Russian customers and specialize in banquets.ĭon’t be alarmed by the pistols and battle axes.įarida is named after owner Farida Gabbassova-Ricciardelli, who runs the restaurant along with her husband, chef Umitjon Kamolov, nicknamed “John.” The place lies a few steps south of the Port Authority on Ninth Avenue, far from the mass of Central Asian restaurants in Brooklyn. Much more recently, quick-service Central Asian places have popped up, such as Kebab Empire in Hell’s Kitchen, which calls itself Uyghur cuisine. I’m not kidding! Though the place is still open, the hazard has long since been remedied. As long as two decades ago, Kosher Uzbek restaurants such as the legendary Taam Tov flourished in the Diamond District, regaling customers with plov (rice pilaf), manti (boiled dumplings), lagman (handmade noodles), and shish kebabs, picturesquely grilled over a hoodless charcoal trough placed next to an open window. Farida claims to be “the first and only Central Asian cuisine in the heart of Manhattan,” according to its website, but that’s not strictly true.
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