I’ve had this idea where me and Amelia research all of the restaurants around us and put ones we’re interested in into a jar. The main criteria for what’s included is just that it’s somewhere we wouldn’t normally go or a cuisine we haven’t tried before. Well, the idea has finally come to fruition and today’s first random draw was this place. No research allowed so let’s go!
We arrived and it was mostly full! We seemed like the only outsiders which was a great sign. We were seated right away from a very friendly server and we asked for all of the recommendations. My intent when visiting these jar spots is to try as much as possible, so we followed that with our order.
To start we shared a pot of the Turan Special Tea. I did think it was a little pricey at $9, but when it came out I could see why. The pot is gigantic! There’s lots of floral components and jujube dates that make for a very herbaceous and floral tea. We both loved it and it was an excellent compliment to all of the food we ate.
For the food, we followed most of what was recommended with the Uyghur Goshnaan (lamb & veggie pie), Korma Chop (noodles), and lamb kebabs.
The Goshnaan came out first was we were both in love. The pastry is buttery, flaky, and holds up well while still being thin and not overshadowing the filling. The lamb and texture inside was perfect. Each bite was savory goodness that had Amelia wishing she could eat this every morning. It also came with chili oil that added great flavor. It’s one of those oils that isn’t too spicy while still adding a heat component (still too hot for my mom probably.) Lastly, the veggies inside left me feeling guilt-free about eating all three of my allocated slices.
As good as this was, it wasn’t the best item we had this evening. The lamb kebabs that came next were heavenly. Each piece of lamb was incredibly tender and chock full of flavor. My first bite was an audible “woah” moment and it wasn’t a feeling that diminished with each follow-up. Amelia dropped a piece and I cried while offering to take one less.
The last items we received were the noodles with beef. The issue with eating all this delicious lamb is that how is beef even going to have a leg to stand on after? We went with beef on recommendation, but looking back the noodles would have been better either meatless or with chicken. Still, the actual noodles were chewy, bouncy, and irregularly shaped which made for a fun chewing experience. The spicy pepper, green onion, and bell pepper made the bites varied and gave dimension. Regardless, it was the least complex of the dishes and the only one we had leftovers of.
For desert we went with the suggested honey cake. We both had the same initial reaction on first bite that the cake was dry. Then weirdly enough, we had the same follow up realization that it actually wasn’t. It’s so smooth, light, and subtle that it’s one of those deserts that gets better with time. The honey takes a second to find with each bite and it keeps you wanting more. For such a large meal, this was the perfect desert to end with.
This was the best meal I’ve had in a while and should be in the 900’s, however there is two negatives to go along with the review. First, there were random bugs throughout the meal that would come and fly around our food such as a gnat or fly. There was even a gnat that landed on my plate that I killed with my finger. I used to be a big bug hater, but my time walking the camino in Spain made me extremely used to them, so I wasn’t too grossed out by this. However, it’s still something that is bothersome and annoying to deal with during a meal. I’m hoping this isn’t a regular issue.
The second negative is more of a funny moment that won’t affect the score much, but there are little cloth ceiling things strung up on the ceiling. Well, the a/c there started leaking and at the end of our meal it started dripping so Amelia scooted over. Thank goodness too because the cloth was holding a lot more water than that and suddenly it gave and downpoured! Luckily neither of us got wet, but could have been a disaster.
Overall, this was a great first draw and I’m very happy with the experience. The whole meal with tip was around $80 which is a steal. We also had a ton of tea left and we filled two whole to-go cups up with it. We’re already fantasizing about coming back and trying more of the menu.
Rating: 842/1000
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