CLOSED: Paradise Biryani Pointe- Mediocrity at its best

Restaurant: Paradise Biryani Pointe

5711 Hillcroft Avenue, Houston, Texas 77036

Buffet or a-la-carte? A-la-carte

Date of Visit: 10/12/13

Photo Credit (http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/03/0e/57/b3/paradise-biryani-pointe.jpg)

UPDATE 10/6/14: Place has closed down. There is a "For Lease" sign where it was. 

Background:
Salam/hello everyone! Today I will be reviewing Paradise Biryani Pointe. Paradise Biryani Pointe is a chain of biryani-centered restaurants that are located all over the United States. There are locations in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. It even plans on opening up a location in Singapore in the future. As usual, this reviews the Houston location. The exponential growth of Biryani-centered restaurants have taken shape here in the United States, with the bulk of it here in Houston. Within a 5 mile distance, there are three restaurants that compete for customers that specialize in biryani. Many people have regarded that Paradise Biryani Pointe is the best out of all 3 due to its success all over the country. They even advertise it as "The Best Biryani in the USA". They also claim to have the authentic Hyderabadi Dum Biryani, exactly like the ones made in India. Being a biryani lover since age 2, I always wanted to try a Biryani specialty restaurant. The best time came after my Engineering exam. Lab was cancelled thankfully, so I was able to go early. After driving through the pouring rain, I arrived at the restaurant.



Let's The Experience Begin!
Paradise Biryani Pointe is located on the 2nd floor of the two story mall opposite Busy Boy. When coming in, a wall with many Indian-American related events greeted me. A little walk to the right and there was a lady who greeted me. She then asked "dine-in or take out", and also how many people were with me. I was handed the menu and I skimmed through the menu. After a while, I placed my order.



Let's Eat!
I ordered their Signature goat biryani. Since the company claims to have "authentic Hyderabadi biryani", I decided to give it a try. Along with the biryani came raita (yogurt and cucumber condiment) and mirchi ka salan (curried chili peppers). To drink, I had a can of Pepsi. The menu actually said that the waiting time would be 20-25 minutes. However, The biryani came out in only 11 minutes and 32 seconds. The problem was one of the things I hate most about restaurants: MICROWAVED FOOD! Seriously, WHAT'S THE BIG PROBLEM IF YOU MAKE IT FRESH???? I RATHER WOULD HAVE NICE FRESH FOOD THAN HEATED UP CRAP. I could tell because I heard the microwave in the kitchen beeping when it was done. Then a few seconds later, my food came out. Oh and one more thing, if you want to have a CAN of soda, expect to pay $2.00. Ridiculous. Why make it so expensive? If it was a fountain drink, then I would understand, but a can, that's too much. You do, however, get free water. All together, I paid $14.06 (tax included), which is rather expensive for biryani and a soda.



Menu: Before I could actually take pics of the menu, the lady nearly snatched it out of my hands just after I ordered. The website itself doesn't list the prices on the website. This is because the prices vary by location. Why not make the prices the same for every single location? I mean, many chain restaurants list prices on their websites don't they? Also, there is a chance that all the menu items would not be available. Why must this happen? As far as I can remember, chicken biryani was $9.99, vegetable and egg biryanis were both $8.99, goat biryani was $10.99, and shrimp biryani was $11.99. All the items that may or may not be available may be found here ---> http://www.paradisebiryanipointe.com/menu.php

Initial Setup

Goat Dum Biryani

All Done!

The Verdict:
So is it the best Hyderabadi biryani? An absolute no. Honestly, this is mediocrity at its finest. Parts of the goat was burned, and the biryani itself wasn't spicy enough. The mirchi ka salan also needed to be more spicy. I really don't get what the hype behind this place is. Then again, what do you expect when the food is heated up in a microwave and then given to you like last time at Shawarma King. Another thing that made me angry was when I was paying the bill. As the lady was swiping my credit card and was printing out the receipt, a man came in saying that he needed food to go. Instead of telling him to wait or getting someone else to help, she stopped giving the bill back to me and proceeded to help me. Hello, I was first! It's common courtesy. Every other restaurant that I have been to, if I was being helped by a waiter/waitress, he/she would tell the other person "I will be with you shortly" and that person would wait patiently. It's like you are going to an exam and your significant other calls you and is still talking to you while the exam had started. Overall, one thumb sideways for the food and one thumb down for the service.



Conclusion:
Let's get it straight. Paradise Biryani Pointe is not the "Best Biryani in the USA". The hype is just not worth it. There are many places in Houston that serve better biryani. Sure it looks like my mom's cooking, but the taste completely lacks. I mean, just look at the review I did of Royal Restaurant, and you will see the difference. They also need to improve on service. They need to take notes from other restaurants on how NOT to serve food by reheating, and also charge less for small things like soda. If you are looking for a nice place for biryani, then I would suggest you find somewhere else.



Grading:
Service: 4/10 (Overpriced soda, microwaved food, being ignored in favor of another customer)
Food: 5.5/10 (Mediocre)
Waiting Time: 10/10
Total: 19.5/30 = 65% (D) (Only the 2nd D given in this blog)
Pricing: $$ out of $$$$


Restaurant Information:
Paradise Biryani Pointe
5711 Hillcroft Avenue, Houston, Texas 77036
Phone: (832) 460-0128
Website: http://www.paradisebiryanipointe.com/index.php
Facebook: None (Available for other locations)
Twitter: None (Available for other locations)
Timings: Mon & Wed-Thu: 11 AM - 11 PM; Fri-Sun: 11 AM - 11:30 PM; Closed Tue.
Caters: Yes


Feel free to comment below!

Cheers!
Zain Mohammed

Shawarma King- The Worst Shawarma I have had so far

Restaurant- Shawarma King
3121 Hillcroft Avenue, Houston, Texas 77057
Buffet or a-la-cart? A-la-cart
Date of visit: 10/8/13

Photo Credit: (http://c0056906.cdn2.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/671959.jpg)

Background:

Salam/ hello everyone! Today I will be reviewing Shawarma King restaurant, a Mediterranean restaurant located on Hillcroft Avenue. It is one of the few restaurants that have been around since I moved here from Houston. I have always been a fan of Shawarma since my days in Saudi Arabia. I always remember during my childhood when a cheese bread, shawarma and soda costed only SR 6 ($1.60), and every Wednesday, my dad would go there and get it for me and my family. Not once did it taste bad. It was THAT good, Interestingly a shawarma was the biggest meal I had ever had there. The reason for this was because it weighted 1 kg (2.2 lb)! I would eat it also during the times I would visit the US from Saudi Arabia, but it had never had the same taste as the shawarmas back there. When I moved here in 2006, there were limited options to where we would eat. At that time, I was living in Sugar Land and at that time, there were few halal restaurants. We would have had to drive around 10-20 miles just to get some halal food, and most of the time it was shawarma. We would go different places to eat shawarmas, whether it was near our house, or at Hillcroft avenue. We would often come to Hillcroft Avenue, but we would always pass by this place. The time came to try when I had to take my car to the mechanic. The tire pressure has gone dangerously low. And I had not eaten anything, and I was on a tight budget as usual. I also needed to get back to UH to study for my Saturday exam. This was actually the nearest restaurant that had cheap prices. This time, cheap meant under $10 including tax. So after the tires got fixed, I went here.

Let The Experience Begin

Shawarma King is located near the intersection of Hillcroft Avenue and Westheimer Avenue. You can see from the outside that there is a patio. Parking was really tight as there were a few cars that were parked inappropriately. The restaurant itself was a small, clean restaurant. There were two TVs, one playing Food Network, and another one with pictures of the various menu items. The kitchen was set up like House of Kabob, where everything was visible. You could see the chef making the dishes, and also assembling the plate. After looking at the menu, I proceeded to order.

Let's Eat!

Because I had such a tight budget, I ordered a chicken shawarma sandwich. Along with it, I got a can of Pepsi. I paid only $6.39 (tax included)! It was actually cheaper than most food items at UH! Very nice price! The waiting time was a quick 2 minutes and 30 seconds! Very efficient! Within 5 minutes, I ate up, and left the restaurant. 

Menu: http://shawarmakingonline.com/menu/

The Shawarma (Sorry I took a bite)

The Verdict:
Unfortunately, the taste did not complement the fast service. It was not good at all. I seriously thought that the chicken was microwaved then served because it was so bland and tasteless. Shouldn't the chicken be freshly made like other restaurants do? Whenever I would go and eat shawarma at other restaurants, I would always see someone cutting off chicken from the rotating thing that is commonly used to cook the shawarma. They never had to use the microwave to heat up the chicken. Instead they would use a heater that would be put at a constant temperature to make sure that the chicken is fresh. In this case, the chicken was cut off, then the heater was never turned on for the whole day. The vegetables were also not fresh. The lettuce looked as if it was a few days old. The tomato was just alright. Can they not get fresh vegetables and put them inside the shawarma? The greenness of the lettuce indicates its freshness. The more green it is, the more fresh it is. In this case, the lettuce had really faint green streaks, meaning that it was not fresh at all. Never before in my life would I expect a shawarma to have heated up meat and vegetables that were not fresh. This was drained by a nice can of Pepsi. Overall, 2 thumbs down

Conclusion:

There is no doubt that La Fendee's shawarma is a lot better than Shawarma King's. Out of all the shawarmas that I have tried from many restaurants here and in Saudi Arabia, this was the worst. Yup, I said it. THE WORST. Heated up chicken and vegetables that were not fresh are not good ways to make the food delicious. If you want to try shawarma or simply grab a nice quick snack, then I would recommend you trying somewhere else. I know I am not coming back here.

Grading:

Service: 8/10 (No problems, just rudimentary)

Food: 4/10 (Believe or not I thought this was slightly better than Inchin)

Waiting Time: 10/10 (Probably the only good thing; 2 minutes and 30 seconds)

Total: 22/30 = 73.3% (C)

Pricing: $ out of $$$$

Restaurant Information:

Shawarma King

3121 Hillcroft Avenue, Houston, Texas 77057

Phone: (713) 784-8882

Website: http://shawarmakingonline.com/

Facebook: None

Timings: Mon-Sat: 11 AM - 10 PM; Sun: 12 PM - 10 PM

Caters: Yes

Feel free to comment below!

Cheers!

Zain Mohammed

Pasha Turkish Restaurant- A petite restaurant near Rice University

Restaurant- Pasha Restaurant
2325 University Boulevard Houston, Texas 77005
Buffet or a-la-carte? a-la-carte
Date of visit: 10/5/2013

Photo Credit: (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CWrSdvcHkug/T96FSxcRcSI/AAAAAAAAFOs/e1ke8LSw0xM/s250-c-k-no/Pasha%2BRestaurant)

Background:

Salam/Hello guys! Today I will be reviewing Pasha restaurant, a Turkish restaurant that is opposite Rice University. Pasha is frequently populated by Rice Students. It is a petite restaurant, which is common in that area of Houston. I was craving for something that would fill me up. The Chemistry lab today was so long that we had to stay until 2:30 just to finish it up. Thus I had little time to eat and come back to finish my homework. With the Galleria area ruled out, I only had the choice of Pasha, or going vegetarian. Of course, the anti-vegetarian me went here. Getting here was very difficult. Driving around the Rice University area is very challenging. Most roads are single lanes, and you have to watch out for cars that are parallel parked or backing out. The roads are not marked properly, so look out for any cars coming near you. When you turn left into a shop or house, you end up causing the whole road to stop just so you could turn. To top it off, the roads were in poor conditions. My car (2013 Camry SE) was susceptible to scratches on its bumper because of all the surprising ditches. Unlike most models, the SE is lower to give it the sporty feeling. When turning to the parking lot of the restaurant. There was another surprise ditch >.< Now back to the restaurant. Pasha has been awarded many times by food review companies, most notably Zagat. Now having a Zagat is something to brag about because it reviews restaurants worldwide and gives recommendations to those who stand out. So after parking my car and checking for damage (Thankfully there wasn't any), I went in.

Let The Experience Begin:

Inside Pasha is very dark. it seems like the lights were not on. on the walls were pictures of famous landmarks in Turkey. There were also pictures with the Turkey tourism logo seal with it. There was also Turkish music playing. It actually reminded me of my trip to Turkey during senior year of High School, eating delicious kafta kababs in front of the Maiden's Tower in Istanbul on a chilly sunny day. Or eating a delicious buffet at a ski resort near Mount Erciyus in the central city of Kayseri. Or eating at a restaurant frequented by government officials in Ankara, the capital city. In reality, I was eating with a view of Rice University, big houses, and trees. The waitress noticed me and helped me to a table. After skimming through the menu, I proceeded to order.

Let's Eat!

After seeing the menu, I had decided to strike out the things that I have had during my trip to Turkey and the Turkish restaurant in Pittsburgh. This included doner (gyro), adana, shish, and kafta. Now don't get me wrong, I love Turkish food. I went to a school run by Turkish Muslims, where they have invited me to their homes and fed us really delicious food. And in Turkey, it was like Man vs. Food FOR 10 CONSECUTIVE DAYS! Constantly being stuffed down with Turkish delicacies like Kayseri dumplings and Iskender (gyro with yogurt and tomato paste). I have tried everything from pide (turkish pizza) to lahmacun (minced meat on top of bread) to dolma (rice and meat stuffed in grape leaves). There was only one thing I didn't try, the Beyti Kabab. Beyti kabab is basically beef and lamb kabab that is packed in a special Anatolian flatbread called lavash. It's actually named after the world famous chef at the famous Beyti restaurant in Istanbul. It's actually the most popular item in that same place where celebrities, politicians and other notable people have dined in. Along with it came vegetables, rice, and yogurt sauce. Along with that, I got free water. While waiting, the waitress gave me free bread to eat while waiting. A nice touch. The waiting time was a modest 10 minutes and 32 seconds. The price was quite expensive at $15.70 (tax included). After paying the bill, you get free Turkish tea! Another nice touch.

Menu: This restaurant has separate menus for lunch and dinner. It even has one dedicated to dessert and Turkish pizzas. Also, alcohol is served but not used in cooking.

Lunch Appetizers

Lunch Main Courses

Dinner Appetizers

Dinner Main Courses

Turkish Pizzas

Desserts

Bread and water (don't know what that sauce is)

Beyti Kabab

Turkish Tea

The Verdict:

The food definitely reminded me of the Turkey trip. It was fantastic. It was like being there again and feasting on the food. The lavash was very tasty, but the kabab was the best. The rice was well cooked, the vegetables were fresh, and the yogurt sauce was a perfect condiment. The bread at the beginning was very tasty, and the Turkish tea was absolutely phenomenal. All it needed was one sugar cube and it did the trick. The food was drained by a much needed bottle of water. One area of improvement can be the portion size. There could be some more rice and vegetables because they are perfect accompaniments with the kabab. A couple more pieces of kabab would also be nice. The reason why I am saying is because the $15 I am paying for to eat the food should be filling. In Turkey, I only had to pay around $13 at the kabab place in front of the Maiden's Tower to get some nice filling kafta kabab. Taste wise, they are spot on, but the portions can be a little bigger.

Conclusion:

No doubt Turkish home cooked food is better, but between this and Kebab Factory in Pittsburgh, this one takes the cake for being closest to it. Kebab factory may have bigger portions, but this one is definitely better in taste. And you get free stuff too. I cannot however determine whether it is the best Turkish restaurant in this area of Houston. This is because in a 10 mile radius, there are 6 other Turkish restaurants, half of which are near Rice University. So until I try out the other Turkish restaurants, I can't decide. But I can say that Pasha sets a high standard for Turkish restaurants here, and that I would definitely dine here again.

Grading:

Service: 9/10

Food: 9/10

Waiting Time: 10/10

Total: 28/30 = 93.3% (A)

Pricing: $$$ out of $$$$ (Dinner is expensive)

Restaurant Information

Pasha Restaurant

2325 University Boulevard Houston, Texas 77005

Phone: (713) 592-0020

Website:  http://www.epasha.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pasha-Restaurant/654485167905437

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PashaHouston

Timings: Sun-Thu: 11 AM - 10 PM; Fri-Sat: 11 AM - 11 PM; Mon: Closed

Caters: Yes

Party Room available

Feel free to comment below!

Cheers!

Zain Mohammed

Coreanos Food Truck- One of Many Food Trucks at UH

Foot Truck: Coreanos
Various locations across Houston, Texas (Check on website)
Buffet or a-la-carte? a-la-carte
Date of Visit: 10/2/13

Photo Credit: (http://willruntoeat.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/coreanos.png)

Background:
Salam/Hello everyone, and welcome to my first food truck review! Today I will be reviewing Coreanos food truck, which is a fusion of Mexican and Korean food. It is located around various places in Houston, and UH is one of the stops. Every day, it is at a different location around the city. It has been around since I joined UH last year, but only last week, the Univserity Muslim Students Association announced that Coreanos were starting to serve fully halal chicken. This was a huge deal, as I was able to taste what truck food was like for the first time. Food trucks have been on the rise since the decade began all over the US. At first, most food trucks were located in Manhattan, but now they are growing increasingly popular, especially in Texas. There are now separate awards for restaurants and another one for food trucks. The reason for its popularity is because it provides convenience for corporate workers and people with smaller budgets. Now about Coreanos. Coreanos was actually awarded as one of the best food trucks in Texas by Smithsonian magazine. It has been regarded by many to be a nationally acclaimed food truck. And yes, the chicken is cooked separately from the other meats, so no worries about their authentication. They even have a twitter picture of them showing the chicken having a halal certificate (Link displayed below "Truck info"). I had been waiting for another halal option ever since I had reviewed Tandoori Nite last March, and was displeased with it. I first went on Monday to try it out, but they had run out of it, signaling that it was a huge hit for everyone, especially the Muslims. Today I got out of class early and decided to wait it out.

Let The Experience Begin!

After the class ended, I went there. It is located near Cemo Hall, where business classes are usually held. As I arrived, the people who worked there were still setting up. I was one of the first few people to get in line, but the line behind me was building up. As soon as it opened, I proceeded to order.

Let's Eat!

I decided to order the el Loco Pollo, which is a burrito with spicy marinated chicken, fries, pico de gallo, grilled onions and jalapenos, garlic spread, and el scorcho sauce. I customized a little but by adding Korean slaw to it. The price was quite expensive for a food truck at $8 (no tax paid). The waiting time was decent for a food truck at 6 minutes and 41 seconds.


Menu:
Not everything on the menu is halal. It's only the chicken that is halal. It is however cooked separately from the other meats. You can even customize a menu item by substituting chicken for the meat that is stated on the menu.

The menu

The Burrito

Opened up

The Inside

The Verdict:
This burrito was amazing! No wonder it was voted as one of the best in Texas. The tortilla tasted very fresh, but the inside was just phenomenal. The el scorcho sauce was just perfect. The slaw was very fresh, and the chicken was tender. The fries were also perfect addition to the burrito. Another thing that I must credit the truck for doing is making sure that the burrito doesn't break open or leak from the bottom. Normally I eat the Arabic variant of the burrito, which is the shawarma and 75% of the time I had to place tissues at the bottom of it to make sure it doesn't leak onto my clothes! Heck there have been times where it actually leaked and made my clothes dirty! Nor were there any bread crumbs lying on the table. Nor were there remaining pieces of vegetables or chicken standing idly on the aluminum foil. Overall, two thumbs up.

Conclusion:

Finally, after 7 months, there is a better, alternative place for some halal meat at the University of Houston. If you are rushing to class and you are hungry, but have no time to stop somewhere and eat, then Coreanos is perfect for you. They know that people have classes to go to, so they make their best effort to make the waiting time short. And they know how to make the food delicious! I will be definitely coming back here and eating the same burrito, but in the future, I hope they start making it fully halal if this continues to be a success

Halal Certificate---> https://twitter.com/CoreanosHTX/status/373081879462686720

Truck Info

Service: 9/10 (No problems)
Food: 10/10 (Absolutely delicious)

Waiting Time: 10/10 (6 minutes and 41 seconds)

Total: 29/30 = 96.7% (A)

Pricing: $$ out of $$$$

Restaurant Information

Coreanos

Various Locations in Houston, Texas

Phone: None

Website: http://houston.coreanostx.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoreanosHouston

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoreanosHTX/

Timings: Lunch--> Mon-Sat: 11 AM - 3:30 PM; Dinner--> Mon-Sat: 6:30 PM- 9:00 PM; 

Late Night--> Fri-Sat: 10:15 PM - 3:30 AM

To contact restaurant for catering or questions, email Executive Chef Louis at louis@coreanostx.com

Note. For location, check on their Twitter and Facebook Page

Feel Free to Comment Below

Cheers!

Zain Mohammed

Salateen Restaurant- Some hits, some misses

Restaurant- Salateen Restaurant
622 FM 1959 Houston, Texas 77034
Buffet or a-la-carte? Both available
Date of visit: 9/28/13

Background:

Salam/Hello guys! Today I will be reviewing Salateen restaurant, a restaurant that is near Ellington Field in Southeast Houston. The food is mainly Pakistani, which is similar to Indian cuisine. The major difference is that Pakistani food has beef. I was craving for some biryani as it had definitely been a while since I had some cooked by my mom. I haven't had the time to eat for a while because everyone in my family is so busy that all the week's food is cooked on Sunday and it had to last for the whole week. I needed to find some place near UH for some nice, cheap biryani. Southwest side of town was ruled out because a lot of their biryanis cost around $8 BY ITSELF. The cheapest ones right now are $5 after Friday Prayers at mosques all over Houston. Then I found this restaurant. This was literally the only restaurant that is near UH and not in the Southwest area that serves biryani. This is quite shocking considering how there are so many halal restaurants in Houston. Luckily, chemistry lab at UH got out at 11:30. Taking advantage of the early release, I left for the restaurant.

Let The Experience Begin:

Salateen is located a few blocks after the exit for Ellington Field. As I went in, the place was practically empty. For a few minutes, I was the only one in the restaurant eating the food. It felt weird to be honest. For lunch, the restaurant offers an option of either buffet or a-la-carte. One problem though: the people were STILL setting up the tables. Seriously, doesn't the restaurant being open mean that everything would be ready. When I came in, the cutlery was still being folded into the napkin. Suppose if someone came in and they wanted to do a-la-carte? The service would have been a lot slower, and the customer wouldn't have been happy. I have seen restaurants being busy preparing the food and tables before opening for business. Anyways the waitress saw me and asked how many people, and I replied just me. She then told me to sit wherever.

Let's Eat!

I decided to take a risk and go for the buffet. It's been nearly 4 months since I actually ate at a buffet in a restaurant. I wanted to see if it is worth eating a buffet at an Indian/Pakistani restaurant. I was hoping to have a better experience than what I had experienced at Inchin Bamboo Garden in Cleveland. Plus, it would allow me to sample various items from their menu. The buffet consisted of various Pakistani dishes, like biryani, chicken tikka masala, chicken karahi, beef nihari and tandoori chicken, and vegetarian options like palak paneer, mixed vegetables karahi, pakora, and dal channa. Along with it I got a Pepsi with free refills and free naan. The condiments were on the other side of the buffet spread. I paid a total of $12.97 (tax included), which is more on the expensive end. My main complaint was the price of the Pepsi: $1.99!! WHY CHARGE SO MUCH FOR A GLASS OF SODA????? I could buy a bottle of Pepsi from the convenient store for $1.59 instead of paying excessively. Only stadiums and amusement parks charge soda really high, NOT restaurants, unless you are dining under a celebrity chef. But in this case, there was no celebrity chef. Because this is a buffet, there is no points given for waiting time because the food is readily available to be eaten.

Menu: There's no separate menu on their website. You have to click on the types that are on top (appetizers, Tandoori, etc.) -->http://www.salateenrestaurant.com/index.html

Buffet. Condiments to the right. Main dishes on the left

Buffet helping #1 (biryani, karahi, tikka masala, pakora, tandoori chicken, and yogurt sauce)

Buffet helping #2 (biryani, karahi, tikka masala, tandoori chicken, nihari)

The Verdict:

Being a buffet, I had some pretty low standards. With this one, there were both hits and misses. First the hits. The best parts of the buffet were the naan, chicken tikka masala, and the tandoori chicken. Using a clay oven to make tandoori chicken is an excellent concept for an restaurant. It gives the feeling that you are back home in India or Pakistan and eating at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant knows for its tandoori chicken. The onions were a great addition to the tandoori chicken. The naan was nice and fresh. Not too crispy, not to soggy. The chicken tikka masala was cooked perfectly and there was a lot of flavor in it. Now the misses: the rest. Biryani is my favorite Indian dish, but this one missed the spot. The rice was very bland. I could barely taste any flavor in it. This biryani reminds of the one that was at Inchin Bamboo Garden in Cleveland. The karahi was quite oily, and that made it tasteless. The worst part was the nihari. It was one of the most soggiest niharis that I have eaten in my life. It was really cold. It seemed like it was out in the open for quite a long time. The pakora was also soggy. I have not heard of a soggy pakora before. All the pakoras that I have eaten were very fresh and crispy. Everything was drained with a couple glasses of Pepsi. Overall, one thumb up for the hits and one thumb down for the misses.

Conclusion:

So was the risk worth it? The answer is no. Salateen, like most other Indian/Pakistani restaurants, has hits and misses. There are some stuff that are good, and there are some stuff that are awful. A buffet should have top quality of everything in the spread, not just a select few. But then again, we can't expect most buffets to have top quality right? They do, however, have a-la-carte only services in the evening, and I would try that. If you want to have an excellent Indian/Pakistani buffet, then I would suggest you look somewhere else around town. I know I will be waiting for a day where I will have an amazing buffet at an Indian/ Pakistani restaurant.

Grading:

Service: 8/10 (1 point deducted for lack of preparation and overpriced soda)

Food: 6.5/10 (Good and bad stuff = not good overall)

Waiting Time: N/A

Total: 14.5/20 = 72.5% (C)

Pricing: $$ out of $$$$

Restaurant Information:

Salateen Restaurant
622 FM 1959 Houston, Texas 77034
Phone: (281) 372-6335
Website: http://www.salateenrestaurant.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Salateen-Restaurant/217792288318574
Timings: Mon-Thu: 11 AM - 11 PM; Fri-Sun: 11:30 AM - 11 PM
Buffet Time: Open-4:00 PM
Caters: Yes

Feel Free to Comment Below!

Cheers!
Zain Mohammed

Bijan Persian Grill- Houston's Best Persian restaurant?

Restaurant- Bijan Persian Grill
5922 Hillcroft Avenue Houston, Texas 77036
Buffer or a-la-carte? a-la-carte
Date of visit: 9/21/13

Photo Credit: http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/03/34/2f/6a/bijan-s-persian-grill.jpg

UPDATE 8/13/16:

I've been back here on several occasions and the food has never disappointed. They now have a patio where people can smoke hookah. Thankfully, the smoking is not in the restaurant part. I've primarily ordered the mix koobideh combo and the Bijan special. They're both delicious and filling.

Background:

Salam/hello guys! Today I will be reviewing Bijan Persian Grill, which is located in the strip mall at the intersection of US 59 and Hillcroft avenue. It even has a second location in Sugar Land, which opened up a few months ago. It is actually popular among Houstonians. Every time I would drive on Hillcroft, I would see this place packed day and night I've even seen really rich people with their Lamborghinis and Bentleys come and eat at the restaurant. I always thought about trying it, but the parking lot was so full that it was impossible for me to eat. Also, the turning into the restaurant from Hillcroft was so bad that I thought of not going. There were no turning lanes and there was a really high risk of getting hit by an oncoming car. Nevertheless, I actually decided to try this place out. Like almost every week so far in September, I went from UH after finishing my chemistry lab.

Let the Experience Begin!

I arrived at the restaurant a few seconds after I was stuck for 5 minutes on the turning on a jam-packed Hillcroft Avenue. Stepping into Bijan, the first thing that happened was the waitress noticing me and escorting me to a table. She then handed the menu and went off to serve another table. She was however very nice! She smiled, and she let me take my time to decide what to order. She was very attentive and she made sure that I was happy. There was patio seating available, but it was covered because of the torrential rain that has been around Houston for the past 48 hours. There were at least 3 TVs in the restaurant, and they were all showing football (soccer) games. The ambiance was very nice. There were people talking and a Farsi radio station playing in the restaurant. After around 3 minutes, I was ready to order.

Let's Eat!

I ordered the shishleik, which is chunks of filet mignon served with traditional Persian rice, onions, fried tomatoes and onions, onion salad, and , interestingly, butter. Yes, filet mignon. Yes, it is one of the most expensive cuts of beef. Yes it is normally found at high end restaurants. However, the price was amazing: $17.32 (tax included). In normal restaurants, filet mignon ranges from $20 to as much as $100!! To drink, I got a glass of water. Also, while waiting for the food, the waitress gave me traditional Persian bread and feta cheese salad to eat! Definitely rare in other restaurants today! The waiting time was great: 9 minutes and 47 seconds.

Menu: The menu can be found here --> http://restaurantbijan.com/HTML/menue.html

Persian bread with feta cheese and mint leaves

Shishleik with rice, vegetables, butter with water

The Verdict:
The wait for trying filet mignon was finally over, and after taking the first bite of the filet mignon, the waiting was absolutely worth it. No wonder everyone says that filet mignon is the most tender part of beef. I have tried nearly every cut of beef, from sirloin to shank to ribs to brisket, but filet mignon is now my favorite cut of beef. Halal filet mignon is really rare around Houston, but I will definitely cherish it whenever I find out of other places with it. The rice was great, and so were the vegetables. The bread and feta cheese were an amazing combination. In fact, it was so good that I asked for seconds on the same thing. I did not eat the mint leaves as I am not a fan of mint leaves. Overall, two thumbs up for this amazing meal!


Conclusion:
If you want to try out some authentic Persian food, then Bijan Persian Grill is a great place for you to come, especially if you want to try out something you rarely find like filet mignon. There are also other rare items such as quail (baby birds) and shank. Some people say that Persian food is similar to Middle Eastern food because of the presence of kababs, rice, and bread, but that is not the case. Persian food has been around for a really long time as well, and their cooking styles and tastes are distinct from their Middle Eastern counterparts. It is definitely worth trying out and you will definitely enjoy your experience there.



Grading:
Service: 10/10 (Friendly, attentive)
Food: 10/10 (Absolutely delicious)
Waiting time: (9 minutes and 47 seconds)
Total: 30/30 = 100% (A)
Pricing: $$ out of $$$$


Restaurant Information:
Bijan Persian Grill
5922 Hillcroft Avenue Houston, Texas 77036
Phone: (832) 242-1500
Website: http://restaurantbijan.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bijan-Persian-Grill/486856207991211?rf=111558832216290
Timings: Mon-Thu & Sun: 11 AM - 10 PM; Fri-Sat: 11 AM - 11 PM
Caters: Yes
Party Hall and Delivery Available.


Feel Free to Comment Below!

Cheers!
Zain Mohammed

Ranosh Cafe- Houston's best beef kabobs?

Restaurant- Ranosh Cafe
3402 Fondren Road, Houston, Texas 77064
Buffet or a-la-carte? a-la-carte
Date of visit: 9/19/13

Photo Credit (https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-AiBkQ-Tpt8k/UXAs3YXWhjI/AAAAAAAABdM/Pqz8B-142hk/s0/4-18-2013%2B12-26-24%2BPM.jpg)

UPDATE 8/13/16: I made two trips this year to Ranosh with my family. Though we do not smoke, we enjoyed the food. I ordered the mix grill on the first trip and the beef shish kabab on the second trip. Both tasted great! I would definitely make more trips here by myself if there were to be an area that would be just for those who do not smoke, since neither every person is a smoker nor does everyone like the smell of hookah. Same score, same reason for the point deduction.


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

Background:
Salam/Hello everyone and welcome to my latest review! Today I will be reviewing Ranosh Cafe, a popular hangout spot for people near the Galleria. It was around 9 pm last night and I was waiting for my carpool crew to finish their ISM meeting. All of a sudden, they decided to go here. One of them is a regular there, and that he knows what is best to eat there. At first, I was actually not willing to go because of one thing: hookah. Hookah is an alternative way of smoking that has taken the US by storm. A lot of the people that I know have fallen victim to this. I would always see pictures of them smoking it on Facebook. But what they don't realize is that it is 10 times worse than smoking cigarettes and has a higher risk of lung cancer and a shorter life. I have noticed that people have started judging Mediterranean restaurants based on hookah. As a big Mediterranean food fan from my days in Saudi Arabia, it really saddens me. Even the hookah affects the smell and taste of the food. So from juicy, it tastes like nicotine and tar. Heck, I know non-smokers who have complained about the food tasting like hookah when they were at another Mediterranean restaurant. Only on the condition that the hookah would be nowhere near me, I went with them.

Let The Experience Begin:

The parking lot was FULL. In fact, it was so full that we had to park a few blocks from the actual establishment. There were people actually working at the parking lots and telling people that it was full. Whenever there was room, they would come out and escort the car into a parking spot. There is indoor and patio seating available. The patio was mainly used for people who were smoking hookah. Fortunately, enormous fans were there to make sure that the hookah smoke doesn't affect the customers' food. I am glad that the management knows that there are people who do not do hookah and go just to eat. There were two giant TVs at opposite ends showing the Chiefs vs. Eagles game. The waiters were very friendly! They knew one member of my carpool crew. They were smiling and were willing to let us take our time and pictures. They would always go around the whole patio area AND the inside to make sure that the customers were happy. After around 5 minutes of waiting, we decided to order.

Let's Eat!

Out of the 4 people there, three (including me) ordered the beef shish kabab. The other two got rice as their side, while I got rice and fries. The 4th person ordered a chicken shawarma. We all got water, and two of them got hookah to wait for the food. All of them came with bread, white sauce, chili sauce, fried onions and bell peppers, and ketchup. They had made sure that the smoke would not come near me while I was watching the game and eating the food. Roughly 90% of the people were smoking hookah, but the place did not smell like it thankfully. The pricing was decent. we paid around $45 total, thus making it around $11.25 per person (both tax included). The waiting time was also good at around 19 minutes, considering that there were 4 people at the table.

Let's Eat: The menu is pretty basic, but I am not concerned about that (Photo Credits: my friend's Galaxy SIII)

Plates

Platters

Sandwiches, Appetizers, Beverages, and Their Special

Shawarma, my plate, and a plate of bread

Beef Shish Kabob

The Verdict:

No wonder one of my carpool crew members is a regular here. The food was great! It definitely did not taste like cigarettes and tar! The beef was cooked perfectly! It was pleasant seeing a Mediterranean restaurant managing to cook their beef perfectly. The rice was also delicious, and so were the fries. The fries were eaten with the white sauce, because eating them with ketchup is too mainstream. This has evolved into one of my favorite combinations of all time. The other guys really liked their food too, and said they would come again if we decide on another trip like this late at night. The only fault was the bread, which was burnt at the bottom. I took a bite and I could only taste charcoal. The food was washed down with water.

Conclusion:

Ranosh Cafe is a great place to eat even though there is hookah. The smoke is whisked away by the enormous fans, thus the taste was not obliterated. The portions were perfect for the price of the platter. Just don't burn the bread. Other than that, I will highly recommend this place if you are looking for a place to eat some good food and (for some) hookah.

Grading

Service: 10/10 (Friendly, no problems here!)

Food: 9/10 (Point deducted for burnt bread)

Waiting time: 10/10 (19 minutes for 4 people = good)

Total: 29/30 = 96.6% (A) (Highest grade for Mediterranean restaurant yet)

Pricing: $ out of $$$$

Restaurant Information
Ranosh Cafe

3402 Fondren Road, Houston, Texas 77064

Phone: (832) 242-5200

Website: None

Facebook: None

Timings: Mon-Thu & Sun: 11 AM - 12:30 AM; Fri-Sat: 11 AM - 1 AM

Caters: Yes

Feel Free to Comment Below!

Cheers! 

Zain Mohammed