New Pakistani restaurant

It only works if the place is good! Fortunately, the food and service are first rate. Thanks for the tip.

You're right. And it is good. Went there today with wife, son and son's girlfriend for our traditional Easter Pakastani food feast.

Biryani ($6.99) was terrific. Handi ($5.99) was excellent. Kabob ($1.99, a meat and veggie patty) was tasty with great spices. Good report on the samosas. Service is not much of an issue since it is sort of self service - order and pay at the register and they bring the food to you. Very nice people. Several neighborhood people came in for burgers and stuff take-out while we were there. Good value. We'll return often.

I just got done polishing off some "Omar Fast Food Restaurant" dinner, and I can join the chorus of its fans. I got the Chicken Handi (yum) and samosa (great!) for me, and Mutton Karahi, Samosa, and Omar Kebab for Robert. He really isn't a big fan of this style of cuisine but he really enjoyed his meal. After I ordered all of the individual dishes, the nice man taking my order pointed out that I would really want some rice with that (the dishes don't automatically come with it), and when I asked if I could just get a side order of plain rice, he kindly offered to give me the rice for free. I later saw that it is on the menu for $1.99, so that was very cool of him. Oh, and the rice was very nice. Also, while I was sitting there waiting for my (carry-out) order, he even brought me a cup and invited me to help myself to a fountain drink while I waited - double super nice gesture! He also urged me to call and report back whether or not we liked it, and how we felt about the spice level. I called him and told him that we loved it and that we thought the spice level was just right. There was a little bit of heat, but not an uncomfortable amount of it. I also think they are smart to have burgers and sandwiches alongside the Pakistani dishes. That way, I won't have to twist my meat and potatoes friends' arms to go eat there with me. My only disappointment was in not having tamarind sauce to go with my samosa. I'm a freak for that stuff. They should just make packets of it like ketchup.
p.s. They are taking Visa and Mastercard now. Oh, I now see that's already been mentioned.

It's stuffed with veggies.

He asked us about our opinion of the food spicing, too. I got a big kick out of the way he phrased it: "Was the spice a little too much or perfect?"

I like a two-answer multiple choice where one of the choices is "perfect."

He asked us about our opinion of the food spicing, too. I got a big kick out of the way he phrased it: "Was the spice a little too much or perfect?"

I like a two-answer multiple choice where one of the choices is "perfect."

Haha, yeah that's pretty cute.

i'm curious, what is a samosa. i see it's triangle, is it stuffed with something. thanks. annemarie

Like Leah said, it's stuffed with veggies, usually potatoes and peas spiced to be super yummy.

Lunch today, I pondered trying something new, but the Chicken Handi is so freaking good I had that again, this time I tried it with Omar's Kebab. Not what I think of as a kebab, but a patty, very tasty and spicy. A huge portion of rice, easily enough for two meals, for nine dollars and change. Amazing! They have Mutton Karahi on the menu now, which is new from this Saturday's visit. Now if I can talk them into adding Lassi to the menu...

[Robin Garr]

Mutton Karahi

Hmm, may have to check this out! What's the kebab, Mary Anne? Ground beef?

You know I wondered the same thing, it was spicy enough I couldn't tell lamb or beef...another question to ask Akbar! It was ground meat, onions and spices in a patty and it was cooked on the grill. Whatever it was it was very lean. I ate it with my rice but I am thinking it'd be awesome on a piece of pita with some raita schmear...

Mutton Karahi

Hmm, may have to check this out! What's the kebab, Mary Anne? Ground beef?

It says "Halal meat" on the wall menu near the kebab. I have no idea what that means but I'm sure many of you do.

The Mutton Karahi is pictured in my post.

Halal is an Arabic word meaning permissible. It is meat a Muslim is permitted to eat (although Halal can describe a whole range of permissible things). It is a designation something like kosher.

Here's a good Halal primer

[Robin Garr]

It is a designation something like kosher.

If I'm not mistaken (though I very well may be), it indeed goes back to the very same biblical roots in Leviticus. I'm sure differences have evolved over the centuries.

It is a designation something like kosher.

If I'm not mistaken (though I very well may be), it indeed goes back to the very same biblical roots in Leviticus. I'm sure differences have evolved over the centuries.

Exactly. But I figured since the usage has evolved in the two traditions, to say it was the Islamic equivalent of kosher would bring up all the differences. For instance, Halal doesn't include a prohibition on meat and dairy together as does kosher.

I just read a helpful explanation that Halal meat only is concerned with source of meat (cow, not pig, for instance) and how it was slaughtered. It does not apply to how it is consumed. Kosher is a stricter category. I don't know if this is always true, but I think so: all Kosher meat is Halal, but not all Halal meat is Kosher.

[Robin Garr]

I just read a helpful explanation that Halal meat only is concerned with source of meat (cow, not pig, for instance) and how it was slaughtered. It does not apply to how it is consumed. Kosher is a stricter category. I don't know if this is always true, but I think so: all Kosher meat is Halal, but not all Halal meat is Kosher.

Thanks, Charles, interesting stuff.