NOT HALAL: Jack Stack BBQ - First Fine Dining Experience

Restaurant: Jack Stack BBQ
9520 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, Kansas 66212
Buffet or a-la-carte: A-la-carte
Date of visit: 8.20/14




UPDATE 8/10/15: The halal lamb is sold in the store. Per the latest review, they don't serve halal meat. What a shame. I really enjoyed it. Guess I have to wait and see if there's another halal steakhouse or BBQ place in Kansas City.



Background:
Salam/hey guys! Today I will be reviewing the second restaurant that I visited in Kansas City: Jack Stack BBQ. Jack Stack BBQ is considered to be one of the finest BBQ places in Kansas City. They also ship BBQ orders nationwide. Kansas City is considered to be the BBQ capital of America, and this is considered to be one of the main contributors to the Kansas City BBQ food scene. They have four locations in the City: Wyandotte and Ward Parkway in the Country Club Plaza, 22nd Street and Wyandotte downtown, 95th and Metcalf in Overland Park, Kansas, and 135th and Holmes in Martin City. This one reviews the locations in Overland Park, since it is near to my aunt's house. This visit would not have been possible if I hadn't been on the zabihah.com app after my uncle said that we were going there. After giving the cousins food, we left my aunt's house and arrived at the restaurant.



Let The Experience Begin!
When we arrived at the place, there was actually a waiting line! This gives a hint that this place has one of the best foods in the entire city, we just sat at the sitting area waiting for the pager to vibrate. When the pager vibrates, that means a table is ready for you. Inside was bustling. There was a bar that showed the Royals vs Rockies game. Nearly every table was full. We got one of the booths. We were immediately offered water as we sat down along with the menus. After a few minutes, we were ready to order.



Let's Eat!
I ordered the New Zealand rack of lamb, the only zabiha halal thing in the restaurant. My uncle ordered a steak, my sister ordered shrimp, and my aunt ordered tilapia. For appetizers, we ordered onion rings. Condiments included ketchup and homemade BBQ sauce. Everyone in the group eats zabiha except my uncle. Anyone who attacks either on Facebook, email, or this blog will be reported. We specifically asked to cook everything separately to avoid cross-contamination. At $32.50 + tax, the New Zealand rack of lamb takes the title of the most expensive food item that I have ever tried in this blog and my entire life. The waiting time was decent, but I will be lenient since the restaurant was packed like crazy



Menu (click to view): Dine-in,
Well, the prices clearly indicate that this is the most expensive restaurant that I have ever visited in this blog. Pork is served, but the lamb and seafood can be cooked separately. Also, the vast majority of the other menu items only have the non-halal meats.

The Onion Rings, and the red thing is BBQ sauce.  My aunt is also annoyed at how my uncle is always on the phone lol

The Caesar Salad.

The Rack of lamb with a cheese and chive spud and jelly

The Verdict:
To be very honest, we horribly underestimated how big the onion rings would be. But when I tried it, it was absolutely amazing! This takes the title as the best onion rings that I have ever had in my entire life. It went very well with the BBQ sauce. The Caesar salad itself was off the chains. The vegetables were very fresh, and the portion was really big. Then the grand finale: the rack of lamb. It may look small, but it was very filling. The spud came with a bonus: cream! By the time I finished this, I was completely stuffed. Only one word to describe the dish: divine.
The service was top notch too. There were constant refills, and the waitress had a nice smile on her face. She was very helpful, let us take our time to decide what to order, and told us about what had alcohol and bacon so that we would know what not to order.



Conclusion:
Jack Stack shows why Kansas City is the BBQ capital of America. Their lamb was as amazing as the BBQ might be. Let's hope one day that halal meat could be used to cook other items like ribs and brisket. I would definitely recommend and I would definitely come and visit again whenever I visit Kansas City Again.



Restaurant Information
Service: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Waiting Time: 10/10
Overall: 30/30 = 100% (A)
Pricing: $$$$ out of $$$$



Restaurant Information:
Jack Stack BBQ
9520 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, Kansas 66212
Phone: (913) 385-7427
Website: http://www.jackstackbbq.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackstackbbq
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jackstackbbq; @jackstackbbq
Timings: Mon-Thu: 11 AM - 10 PM; Fri-Sat: 11 AM - 10:30 PM; Sun: 11 AM - 9 PM
Caters: Yes

Feel free to comment below, message me on Facebook, or send me an email!

Cheers!
Zain Mohammed

Chilli n Spice Indian Bistro: Vacation Time!

Restaurant: Chilli n Spice Indian Bistro
8562 West 133rd Street, Overland Park, Kansas 66213
Buffet or a-la-carte: a-la-carte
Date of visit: 8/19/14

Photo Credit: http://www.kansastravel.org/kansastravelblog/blog120417a.JPG

Background: 

Salam/hey guys! Sorry I have been late as I had no laptop during my vacation to Kansas City (Overland Park is one of the most affluent suburbs in the Kansas City area). So anyways, here is my first review outside Texas in over a year! Like most cities, the vast majority of halal restaurants in the Kansas City Metro are either Indian/Pakistani or Arab. And we go from right where we left off: Indian food. I don't usually eat Indian food outside because my mom makes the exact same food back home in Houston, but that doesn't mean that I don't like any Indian restaurants. But when I actually go, it is either a family trip or getting takeout; very rarely do I go myself or with my friends. In this case, Instead of going myself, I went with my aunt, sister, and cousin. They said the food was pretty good for a buffet. She also said that food in Kansas City is very good compared to the food in Houston. We planned on going here after watching Maleficient. After the 20 minute drive, we arrived at the place.

Let The Experience Begin!

Chilli n Spice Indian Bistro is located at the intersection of W 133rd and Antioch. Next to the restaurant is an Indian grocery store, so if you need some groceries, you can go there. It was pretty packed inside, even though it was nearly 3 PM. The ambiance was quite dark. We just got in, and started eating.

Let's Eat!

Now why did we just start eating? Because it was a buffet! Now they brag that it is the "Largest Indian Buffet in the Greater Kansas City Area carrying more than 40 different items including Salads, Chutneys, Desserts, Indo-Chinese, South Indian Appetizers, Soups, Vegetarian Entrees, Biryanis, Tandoori Items, Non-Vegetarian Entrees and serving choice of Fresh Baked Nan on the table". Looking at the items, there was everything. The buffet area was divided into condiments, including the salads, chutneys, appetizers and desserts, the vegetarian items, and the non-vegetarian items. Fresh naan was served on the table. To drink, I simply had water. The buffet is $10.99 (tax NOT included).

Menu: http://www.chillinspice.com/PrintableMenu-DineIn?category=All

To be honest, I am impressed at the large number of options that they offer in the restaurant. Contrary to popular belief, Indian food is not just curry or rice. Every state in India has its own specialties. The menu here focuses more on the specialties from the Southern states of India.

A plate of some of the buffet items: chicken biryani, naan, chicken curry, butter chicken, garlic chicken, and chicken tikka

The Verdict: 

The standouts were the butter chicken and the naan. The naan was crispy and fresh when it came out. The butter chicken had a lot of flavor. The others were just acceptable, except the garlic chicken. The garlic chicken had way too much garlic. The food was washed down with a glass of water. Overall, one thumb up and one side thumb.

The service was nothing to brag about. We just ate and left. It did seem like they were uninterested in working here

Conclusion: 

Chili n Spice is an ok place to dine. The food here is actually ok. I would definitely recommend the butter chicken and the naan though. Looks like I will give them a second chance with their dinner menu, since they don't have the buffet.

Grading

Service: 7/10

Food: 7.5/10

Waiting Time: N/A

Overall: 14.5/20 = 72.5% (C)

Pricing: $$ out of $$$$

Restaurant Information:

Chilli n Spice Indian Bistro
8562 West 133rd Street, Overland Park, Kansas 66213
Phone: (913) 681-3663
Website: http://www.chillinspice.com/Default.aspx
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chilli-N-Spice/136475986476240
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChillinSpiceKC
Timings: Lunch --> Tue-Fri: 11 AM - 2:30 PM; Sat-Sun: 11 AM - 3 PM
Dinner --> Tue-Sun: 5:30 PM - 10 PM
Closed Mondays
Caters: Yes

Feel free to comment below, message me on Facebook, or send me an email!

Cheers!
Zain Mohammed

Mama Yu- A taste of Indonesia in the Lone Star State

Restaurant: Mama Yu
10815 Beechnut Street, Houston, Texas 77072
Buffet or a-la-carte: A-la-carte
Date of visit: 8/17/14

Photo Credit: http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/06/40/9c/d8/getlstd-property-photo.jpg

UPDATE 1/31/16: I tried their Nasi Padang Rendang a few weeks ago, which is rendang beef with vegetable curry, boiled egg, anchovy sauce, and rice. It was fairly decent, but I thought the Nasi Goreng Jawa was better. This was a 7.5/10

The Nasi Padang Rendang

Background:

Salam/hey guys! Sorry I'm writing so late. I just got back from my vacation visiting family in Kansas (reviews coming). So my last review before the vacation took me to a place that I had really wanted to visit: Mama Yu. Why so? Because it serves Indonesian food. Despite what it says on the board, the restaurant's specialty is the Indonesian food, and it is a cuisine that I had yet to try until that visit. My craving for food from the Indonesia-Malaysia-Singapore triangle started when I found out that Banana Leaf, a Malaysian restaurant, was not halal. This made me upset because Malaysia is a Muslim majority country, and regardless of the religion of the restaurant owners, almost ALL restaurants that feature a cuisine from a Muslim majority country is halal, at least here in Houston. My craving for it increased dramatically when this place opened up. I wanted to go much earlier, but last minute decisions that I had no control of had forced me to delay it. The time to FINALLY try this place came when my friend and I planned to hang out before I left for Kansas. We decided to go here before heading for some frozen yogurt. After he arrived, we went in.

Let The Experience Begin!

Mama Yu is located in the same strip mall as a gas station at the intersection of Beechnut, and Wilcrest. Inside was like any other restaurant: there was a TV playing and there were tables. You go up there, order, eat, and then pay. The owner let us take our time, since we were new to Indonesian food. 

Let's Eat!

I decided to try the nasi goreng jawa beef. Nasi goreng is basically Indonesian fried rice, and it is generally considered to be one of the national dishes of Indonesia. Along with it is a sliced tomato and a piece of cucumber. My friend got the chicken satay, which is literally chicken on a skewer stick with peanut sauce. We paid around $21, and the waiting time was approximately 11 minutes. To pass the time, we talked.

Menu: 

Indonesian (click to view): Appetizers and Crackers, Soup, Salad, Rice, and Grill, Noodle and Rice dishes, Beef, Chicken, Lamb, Fish, and Vegetables, and Desserts, Beverages, and Catering

Honestly, I am very impressed by the wide variety of Indonesian delicacies offered at this restaurant. There are pictures of their Chinese Menu on their Facebook page.

The nasi goreng jawa beef

The Verdict:

Now in Indonesian restaurants, you traditionally eat it with your hand. It was not a problem for us as we were Indians from the same city (Hyderabad), and in that city food there is also traditionally eaten with the hand. The owner was impressed when he found out that we eat with our hands. After taking the first bite, I realized that these delays had paid off! The fried rice was better than most of the Chinese fried rices that I had eaten. The beef was tender and tasty. The egg was also really good. I had a skewer of satay, and that was also excellent. My friend also liked both menu items. Overall, two thumbs up

The service was also great! The owner gave us ample time to determine what to get and even made conversation with us.

Conclusion:

If you want to try some authentic Indonesian food, then this is the right place to you! If you are new to Indonesian food, don't worry, the owner will let you take your time and help out what the terms mean. But when you take your first ever bite of Indonesian food, you will love it! I'd definitely be coming back here and trying out other menu items

Grading:

Service: 9/10

Food: 9.5/10

Waiting Time: 10/10

Overall: 28.5/30 = 95% (A)

Pricing: $$ out of $$$$

Restaurant Information: 

Mama Yu
10815 Beechnut Street, Houston, Texas 77072
Phone: (281) 988-5470
Website: None
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MamaYuRestaurantHouston
Timings: Mon-Sun: 12 AM - 9 PM
Caters: Yes

Feel free to comment below, message me on Facebook, or send me an email

Cheers!
Zain Mohammed

CLOSED: Afghan Dastarkhwan- A taste of Afghanistan in an upscale fashion

Restaurant: Afghan Dastarkhwan
6800 Southwest Free Suite C, Houston, Texas 77084
Buffet or a-la-carte: Buffet
Date of visit: 8/11/14

Photo Credit: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EsM9Z7_fJY8/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAAABQ/IyV0dDUwZ5U/photo.jpg

UPDATE 8/13/16: They closed down a few months ago. In it's place is a Pakistani restaurant called Lal Qila

UPDATE 8/10/15: They have relocated to 10581 Highway 6 South, Sugar Land, Texas 77498

============================= ORIGINAL POST =============================

Background:

Salam/hey guys! Today I'll be reviewing another Afghan restaurant here in Houston. It is called Afghan Dastarkhwan. Dastarkhwan is a Persian term that mean "spread out meticulous dining spread". I've been wanting to try this place ever since I got a notification from zabihah.com that this place had opened up. What's funny is that I have heard so many stories about this place. It is supposed to be a place that is the "First High End Afghan resstaurant in Houston". I have heard the owner bragging about how great it is and that it's the best restaurant in town. On their Facebook page, they took pictures of the restaurant being full, the restaurant hosting graduation parties, catering to events in Houston and even Beaumont, which is 90 miles away, and franchising all over Houston! Heck, even Indian celebrities and the Pakistan club of Houston have dined here in this restaurant. The Saudis in Houston organization has even recognized them as one of the best restaurants. Now here is the drawback. The last time someone boast on the radio about how good their restaurant was Paradise Biryani nearby on Hillcroft. And this boast seemed more like "come and enjoy the most mediocre and reheated biryani in USA" rather than "come and enjoy the best biryani in USA". But there was a feature that was good: Cafe Pita. I've tried nearly all of Guy's favorites in later trips and they are really delicious! The time came for me to try when my summer macroeconomics class finished, and I had time to kill before I continue studying for my final exam. Initially I was planning on going for my monthly trip to Stanton's, but they were closed as it is was a Monday. So Afghan Dastarkhwan it is!

Let The Experience Begin!

Afghan Dastarkhwan is located at the exact same building that Lucy's Ethiopian is located. While Lucy's is in the front when you turn from the US 59 feeder, Afghan Dastarkhwan was at the back of the building. When I came in, the owner was right in front sitting on the couch and answering phone calls. He just said "feel free to sit somewhere and make yourself comfortable". I was pleasantly surprised that an Indian/Pakistani owner would be so calm. Inside, the restaurant resembled a party hall. It was quite dark in there, and there was also a stage. Maybe it's their definition of high end dining. There was also a TV playing. 

Let's Eat!

I had the buffet. The buffet consists of Kabuli Pulao, a potato and lamb curry, and Biryani (as usual). To drink, I just had water. I paid $11.80 for the buffet (tax included)

Menu: http://www.afghandastarkhwan.com/menu/

The menu consists of various traditional Afghan delicacies. I must say that for a high end restaurant, the pricing was splendid. Normally at fine dining restaurants, the prices are usually above $30

Kabuli Pulao and potato and lamb curry

The Verdict:

Contrary to the majority of buffets I have been to, this was some decent food! The Kabuli pulao still retained the flavor as if it was fresh, and the potato and lamb curry was very flavorful. It reminded me of the time in Turkey when I had a similar dish like that! Compared to Saffron Kabob House in regards to the Kabuli Pulao, this wins because it is less oily. The food was washed down with a nice full jug of water. Overall, two thumbs up

The service was good. The waitress was very attentive and I liked the idea of having a jug to yourself. That way, you can have the water when you feel like it.

Conclusion:

Unlike Paradise Biryani Pointe, the actual taste and service lived up to what the owner had said! As always, actions matter more than words. Very rarely do buffets have taste and high quality. This is one of the buffets that actually have taste and good quality. I hope to one day bring my whole family here or just grab lunch here when driving from UH.

Grading: 

Service: 9/10

Food: 8.5/10

Waiting Time: N/A

Total: 17.5/20 = 87.5% (B)

Pricing: $$ out of $$$$



Restaurant Information:
Afghan Dastarkhwan
6800 Southwest Free Suite C, Houston, Texas 77084
Phone: (281) 784-4900
Website: http://www.afghandastarkhwan.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Afghans-Dastarkhwan/274960609352045
Timings: Mon-Thu: 11 AM - 10 PM; Fri: 11 AM - 12 AM; Sat: 12 PM - 12 AM; Sun: 12 PM - 10 PM
Caters: Yes

Feel free to comment below, message me on Facebook, or send me an email!

Cheers!
Zain Mohammed

Eastern Style BBQ - No Halal BBQ, but rather a taste of home

Restaurant: Eastern Style BBQ
Catering business
Date of tasting: 3/8/14




Background:
Salam/hey guys! Hope you guys had a great Eid! Sorry I've been out, but I've been very busy with summer classes. Anyways, today we are reviewing a catering company for the first time! Now this is different. There will only be grading on the food. Normally there would be a menu available to view with the prices displayed, but in this case, there isn't. There is only going to be the verdict and "Let's Eat!", where the food options available are displayed, because there's literally no experience in a catering company. And there is no waiting time because the main factor in how long it will take for the food to come is the traffic. Now what made it possible was that the ICNA (Islamic Circle of North America) Houston Chapter was having their Eid picnic. I didn't get the food; the organizers did. All I did was play a game of cricket with my friends.

Let's Eat!
The options were: beef kabob, chicken tikka, and every South Asian person's favorite dish: biryani. No idea on how prices were as I didn't order it.

Biryani, Kabob, and Chicken Tikka

The Verdict:
Believe it or not, the food is actually decent! I guess it really pays off when a restaurant actually makes their food fresh. It was very welcoming to see a restaurant that serves Indian/Pakistani restaurant that actually has taste fresh and actually maintains good quality. The kabob was good, but the biryani was the standout. The food was washed down with a bottle of water.



Conclusion:
If you want some good Indian/Pakistani food for a wedding, event, or a simple gathering, then Eastern Style BBQ would be a great option. Their food actually tastes fresh and has good quality.



Grading:
Food: 8/10 = 80% (B)
Call for Pricing

Restaurant Information:
Eastern Style BBQ
Phone: (281) 871-0060

Feel free to message me on Facebook, email me, or comment below!

Cheers!
Zain Mohammed