Al-Markaz: The Best Pakistani Restaurant in North Texas?

Restaurant: Al-Markaz
Address: 1205 West Trinity Mills Road, Carrollton, Texas 75006
Buffet or a-la-carte: a-la-carte
Date of visit: 6/3/15

Photo Credit: https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/39016100/almarkaz.0.jpg

Background:
Salam/hey guys! Welcome to my latest review. Today I will be reviewing a Pakistani place that is actually regarded to be one of the best places to eat in all of Dallas. The place is called Al-Markaz. I first heard about this place on my Instagram when someone left a comment on one of my pages saying that this place is legitimately excellent. I never had the chance to do so during my last trip back in December, because it was near the Bush Turnpike and I-35E interchange. The time actually came to try as I promised to treat my uncle. It was long overdue to be honest. I never got the chance to treat him in the past, so today was the best opportunity. As soon as my aunt and cousin found out that we were going there, they got really excited. This gave the initial hint that it is indeed considered to be a great place to eat. This is big as both are really picky eaters. After stopping at the nearby mosque in Carrollton for prayers, we arrived at the restaurant.

Let The Experience Begin!

Now let me tell you this. W Trinity Mills is not a separate street. In fact, it serves as the feeder of the Bush Turnpike in Carrollton. The intersecting road that is nearest to Al-Markaz is Old Denton Road. The restaurant was inside a Pakistani supermarket. When you enter, the right side is the market, and the left side is the restaurant. Inside was significantly packed. We had to wait in line to order our food.

Let's Eat!

When you order, you get a number card. Also, you pay after eating the food. We ordered three things to eat at the restaurant: Bihari kabab, chicken boti, and daal fried. We also ordered two things for takeout for everyone back in Allen: daal fried and two extra naan. The eating in items came with three naans. Altogether, I paid $41.41 (tax included). For that much food, that's a good price. The waiting time was 16 minutes and 6 seconds, the longest it has been for a long time, but still within the 20 minute tolerance I have. To wait, I spoke to my uncle.

Menu (click to view). This place offers the normal things you see at a Pakistani restaurant, You get karahis, kabas, and different rice alongside naan

The Menu: Photo Credit: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/al-markaz-carrollton?select=EIDkRS-qmRn8mqWKra_AQA

Naan, dal fried, bihari kabab, and chicken boti

The Verdict:

After a while, I have finally gone to a Pakistani place and actually enjoyed the food! The dal fried was definitely one of the best dals I have ever had at a restaurant. The taste and quality is up there with the places that I used to frequent in Saudi. The Bihari Kabab and chicken kabab were top notch as well. Overall, two thumbs up.

The service was much better than most Desi places I went to. The lady who was helping us was extremely nice and had a smile on her face. She came multiple times and made sure that everything was ok.

Conclusion:

I have been to Dallas about 20 times after moving from Saudi Arabia in 2006. Until now, my top place for Pakistani food in North Texas was Zyka restaurant. I really loved their biryani and chicken 65. I last had it in 2010. They closed down a few months ago. Now, I can safely say that this place is definitely one of the top places for me to eat at in Dallas, and is a top place for some excellent Pakistani food. I would definitely recommend this place.

Grading:

Service: 9/10

Food: 9/10

Total: 18/20 = 90% (A)

Pricing: $ out of $$$$

Restaurant Information:

Al-Markaz
1205 West Trinity Mills Road, Carrollton, Texas 75006
Phone: (972) 245-9525
Website: none
Facebook: none
Timings: Mon-Sun: 10 AM - 10:30 PM
Caters: Yes

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

Cheers!
Zain Mohammed