Kabab Paradise (Central & Northern NJ)

Rating: 

Quality, Taste, Cleanliness, Environment, Price, & Staff

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Positive: The menu offers a wide selection of foods. The Burgers are probably the best Central NJ has to offer in this category.  Buffalo wings are not bad either.

Negative: Not as good as the Afghani restaurants in New York, and the only reason their burgers are the best in the area is because no other halal restaurant has variety.

Overall: Finally a restaurant in Central NJ with a wide selection of burgers.

Revisit:  Only for the gyro platter and when craving burgers and can’t find any other place.

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UPDATE MARCH 31, 2012:

I had the chance to revisit Kabab Paradise a few more times and tasted all their burgers, chapli kabab, gyro platter, and spicy buffalo wings.  I still believe that their burgers are probably the best ones NJ has to offer.  With that said, however, I think the meat is tasteless and the patty is too thin given the size of the burger.  The addition of mozarella sticks or onion rings gives the burgers a typical New Brunswick, Grease truck taste which is a great complement to the city and makes the burger better but a lot more filling. However, it is too heavy and fills you up quickly.  The huge gyro platter continues to be the best dish they have at the best price.  It actually feels better to eat it here than at the carts in NYC.   The chapli kabab has too much of a lamb taste and not the best I’ve had.  The buffalo wings at Kabab Paradise are humongous and actually pretty good – definitely better than Douglass Pizza in New Brunwick/Somerset.

I am upgrading the crescents to 3 because of the gyro platter and large buffalo wings.

FROM AUGUST 20, 2011:

This is what you get… for now.

Let me start off by saying that one of the owners of this restaurant that heads the cash register and is involved with communication/dealing with customers is excellent.  I haven’t met a nicer, more friendly Muslim man running a business period. He takes care of his customers and has fun while doing it.  I would go to this restaurant just for him!

The burgers at this restaurant are decent, and the great thing is that they have a good variety of burgers (something that I truly love).  I haven’t found another halal restaurant in the area or even in NJ that offers this much variety in burgers and is actually good.  With that said I believe they can improve on their burgers alot.  They need to also be consistent in how they make the burgers and how they taste.  I would recommend the Saturn, Jupiter, or Neptune burgers (I don’t understand why they name them after planets).   Oh…and remember that everything tastes good with bacon so ask them to put it on any of the burgers you get!

The kabob’s are pretty decent as well.  When comparing with exceptional Afghani restaurants like Bakhtar in New York this place does not stand a chance.  But in NJ this place is it.  I haven’t tried their lamb so I can’t say much about that.  Maybe you can try the Kabob Combo and decide what you like.  Their white sauce is also pretty good but not amazing like other Afghani restaurants.

The restaurant location is subpar.  It is located next to a Subway and Dominos.  There is not much traffic that comes in this area and they are a bit hidden as well.  Inside the restaurant it feels like a cheap joint where you would go for a quick bite.  However, that doesn’t preclude families from filling up all the seats during dinner time.  Location isn’t everything and you can see that by the crowd variety you see in their restaurant.

I think this place needs some competition so it stays up to par in the quality and taste of their foods.  They do need to modify some of the recipes to increase the flavorfulness, consistency, and softness of the meat.  However, with a good leader like they have they’re going to do very well and they will adapt for sure.  So, if you are around town and want a change of pace try out their burgers, and if you can’t make it to the city then go for the Afghani too.  If you are a student, nothing beats good afghani food so dive in!

Update (5/14/2011):  Now I have ate at this restaurant several times and have found the food mostly inconsistent.  Every time I go I feel like I am gambling and hoping to get food that I enjoy.  On a brighter side, their Gyro platter is absolutely amazing.  They give you tasty chunks of chicken and beef with a heap of delicious rice and afghani white sauce – absolutely delicious and absolutely humongous.  Keep in mind that I have only had this dish once so I am hoping next time I don’t get disappointed!  And YES..I WILL GO BACK JUST FOR THIS DISH!

Update (8/20/2011):  (from Sameerseats.com)

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Kabab Paradise Website

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Tre Piani (Central NJ)

Rating:

Quality, Taste, Cleanliness, Environment, Price , & Staff

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Positive:  Excellent fine dining experience with delicious food and superb service. 

Negative:  Not enough virgin cocktails, and the desserts are mediocre.

Overall: Great restaurant to visit when in the mood for a fine dining experience or for a special occasions.

Revisit:  Yes, especially for the steaks and burgers along with the ambiance.

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Ever wonder how it would feel to experience halal food at a fine dining restaurant instead of  just eating seafood all the time?

Well… Tre Piani offers just that! This place is perfect for celebrating a special occasion, having a fancy dinner with friends, or taking out your special someone. They have a separate halal menu that you have to request and they cook everything in separate pots and pans so you don’t have to worry about it being mixed with the non-halal meat. The service here is spectacular from the minute you walk in to the minute you leave. The servers are very well trained and they continuously come to your table to ask if you need anything, constantly filling your water glass. I’ve been there several times and the service has been spectacular every time. Tre Piani also has a catering service and I believe you could rent out a part of the restaurant as well to do a special event such as a graduation party or a birthday party for adults.

They offer a wide variety of food. The appetizers include fried calamari and different types of soups and salad. The entrees consist of Italian dishes, burgers, pizza, and some steaks. I have enjoyed their Tre Piani Burger (cooked medium well), and the filet mignon steak (cooked medium rare) the most. The portion size for the steak is perfect for one person. It is served with mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach. The meat was tender and juicy and I definitely recommended it medium rare for anybody who loves soft and tender steak. The Tre Piani burger was amazing as well. I would recommend getting it cooked medium well or well done rather than medium rare. Also, it is very big and heavy so only get it if you are really hungry. Otherwise I would recommend the smaller burger that they have on the menu.  Their italian dishes are truly authentic and delicious.  I don’t think you can go wrong with anything on the menu.  Please be aware though, the menu they have on their website is old — they have a newer, updated menu with more steaks at the restaurant.

I would really like to see a larger variety off virgin cocktails at the restaurant as they only have a mixed berry cocktail which is not worth nine dollars.  In terms of the dessert, I wasn’t that impressed. i tried the warm chocolate cake but I definitely like the Grand Lux molten chocolate cake better.

Compared to other high end restaurants, Tre Piani is not as expensive as you would expect. If two people go, and they get one appetizer, 2 entrees, and a dessert, they could expect to spend about a $100.
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Tre Piani’s Website

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Al Basha (Northern NJ)

Rating:

Quality, Taste, Cleanliness, Environment, Price , & Staff

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Positive: The best Middle Eastern food joint in Paterson as per Zabihah.com.  The shawarma hummus platter is excellent.

Negative: Their specials finish very quickly. The meat quality is not great compared to other Middle Eastern restaurants.

Overall: Great place to go with family and friends to enjoy a delicious Middle Eastern meal but their ambiance and food taste has dwindled.

Revisit:  I will only revisit for the shawarma hummus platter when in the area.

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updated february 25, 2012

Al Basha restaurant has the most reviews on Zabihah.com for all the restaurants listed in Paterson, NJ.  I have tried it multiple times and had the chance to experience it again.  When I entered the restaurant, I noticed that that it has become more worn down over the years — they really need to do some renovations including painting the walls, cleaning the place, and fixing the carpet.  They should really put some work into it so that the ambiance lives up to the raving reviews.

On this visit I, again, enjoyed my most favorite dish there, the Shawarma Hummus platter.  It was fresh, delicious, and went great with their pita.  The mixed grill has declined in taste since my last visit.   The lamb meat was not soft and the texture was rubbery.  The other meat seemed somewhat overdone and the chicken was burnt.  I was extremely disappointed overall.  However, the service was great and the front house manager was very nice as usual. I am going to degrade their rating from four crescents to one crescent until some improvement is done to their food and place. It is not worth going to eat there just for the hummus. I would only get it if I was in Paterson.

from August 13, 2011

Can’t figure out which restaurant to eat at while visiting the arab hub of patTerson?  well look no further!

I had a chance to visit Al Basha restaurant in Patterson New Jersey on Main Street with various Middle Eastern restaurants and bakeries. It is situated in the heart of Main Street in Patterson and is a pretty happening restaurant in the area, besides the China Pagoda ofcourse.

This restaurant offers both Lebanese and Turkish cuisine. When you enter there are two sections that you can sit at which you can base on the type of people you’re with. The first section consists of seating booths and is more for the younger crowd. It is more suitable when you’re with friends and it can be loud. The other section has more of a family like, quiet atmosphere, unless ofcourse you have kids running around.

The service overall is excellent. The waiters gave us good tips on what to order and how much to order.  They’re also very helpful in trying to give us items on the house.  By the way, they also have specials of the day that usually run out early so make sure to request that as soon as you get in. When you first sit down the waiter brings you fresh olives, radish with vinegar, and their warm pita breads. The olives are actually imported from Palestine.  

I have been to this restaurant three times already and I find that the hummus with shawarma is excellent.  The shawarma has succulent and tender meat and is situated on top of smooth, tasty hummus that goes great with pita. I’ve also had the mixed family platter which I highly recommend when visiting this place. The mixed platter bascially has all their meat products in one dish, while are piled on top of a mountain of rice.  I enjoyed their sheesh kababs and chicken kababs the best.  The tender chicken kebabs are moist and soft from the inside. The meat was flavored well and was juicy.  I have also tried some of their sandwiches which are also equally great.  I haven’t tried their Thursday New York Strip Steak Special though.

 I think that this restaurant is a must to try when visiting Patterson or if you are in the mood for some tasty Arab cuisine.   And on top of that the waiters have cool Hats (and one of them reminds me of the guy from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom)!

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Al Basha Restaurant Website

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Bundu Khan Kabab House (Queens)

Rating:

Quality, Taste, Cleanliness, Environment, Price , & Staff

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Positive:  Great combination of lacha paratha (bread) and fresh naan with gola kababs, bihari kababs, and boneless chicken tikka.  

Negative:  Inconsistent food taste, especially the gola kababs, like many other Pakistani restaurants.

Overall: The best BBQ Pakistani food in the NJ/NY area.

Revisit:  Yes,  I have visited there often and will continue to do so; their food tastes better than other places even on a bad day.

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UPDATED ON 2/25/2012

Bundu Khan is still inconsistent in the food they have, but the naan and paratha are always delicious.  Their bihari kababs and boneless chicken tikka were excellent on this visit but their gola kababs were too spicy and a bit salty.  It would be so much more satisfying if they were more consistent. With all that said I still believe they still have the best all around Pakistani bbq food in the region.

FROM JANUARY 9, 2012

Craving good pakistani kababs and paratha?

Bundu Khan, no relation to popular restaurant in Pakistan with same name or the restaurant in Houston with the same name, is a clean and small quick bite restaurant located on Union Tpke in Glen Oaks, NY. The walls are painted bright green with large photographs of food hanging on the walls; despite the description, this all works very well for the restaurant and gives it a nice feel. They also have a large screen TV playing various indian movies on a given day.  It can accommodate four families of four people but not more.  Most people seem to order or take out.

There are usually the same three people working at the restaurant in the front end:  the owner, his wife, and a female worker.  From what I hear, they have been working together for a very long time when the owner had another well known Pakistani restaurants in Long Island which he later sold.  That restaurant (Kababchi) by the way, has dwindled in quality after the current owner of Bundu Khan left to start up a new restaurant.

Nonetheless the food at his new restaurant is delicious.  Yes, it is like other typical Desi restaurants, where the taste is inconsistent because of the large amount of different spices that are put in and the intricacy that is involved.  On the back end he has several Mexican cooks who do most of the work.  I enjoy their lacha paratha, naan, boneless chicken tikka, and gola kababs.  I have tried their bihari kababs but think they are mediocre.  The gola kababs can be very delicious at times, melting in your mouth, while you eat the crispy lacha paratha (no this paratha is not the typical flaky one from the Pakistan based restaurant or the one in Houston, but its still damn good).  The gola kabab used to be very spicy but the owner managed to make the spice less but now the problem is cooking – sometimes its burnt and other times its perfect.  They need to get this right soon otherwise they’ll lose me as a customer for sure. They do have some delicacies as well, including Magas Nihari (Nihari with brain in it).  I haven’t tried it and don’t plan on it.  I have heard its decent though, but of course cannot compare to the one you find in Pakistan.

Despite the inconsistencies, they have the best BBQ Pakistani food around and their food still tastes better than other restaurants on a bad day.

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Related articles

• Kabab Paradise (Central & Northern NJ) (halalfoodcritic.wordpress.com)
• Bakhtar Halal Kababs (Queens) (halalfoodcritic.wordpress.com)