New Uzbek Restaurant ‘Tandoori’ Opens On Coney Island Avenue

A new Uzbek restaurant has set up shop in Sheepshead Bay — joining the neighborhood’s already plentiful number of eateries specializing in Middle Asian/Eastern European cuisines.

Tandoori, named after the dome-like tandoor brick ovens used to bake some of its meals, had colorful flags fluttering outside the restaurant at Coney Island Avenue and Avenue X during their grand opening on Monday. The owners invited neighbors to try their food during a free lunch.

Co-owner Albert Kataev, who moved to the United States in 1988 from Tajikistan, another former Soviet country south of Uzbekistan, said he and the other owners set up shop in Sheepshead Bay because of the neighborhood’s growing Middle Asian population. Kataev said he has opened several fast-food franchises in New York City, but he wanted to operate a restaurant that served the cuisine of his homeland.

“People want to eat the food from the place they were born. That’s why we opened here,” he said. “We also want to show the American people our food. Many people know Italian food, French food, Mexican food. We want them to know how wonderful the food is from Middle Asia.”

I dropped into Tandoori late in the evening, after the lunch party had ended. The restaurant still has a few loose ends to tie up: They are waiting for the menus to arrive, part of my meal was served on a plastic plate, and Kataev said he wants to change the table arrangement. The place is also cash only.

But the restaurant is definitely off the ground and soaring. Fresh samsas and other baked goods were neatly displayed in front of the kitchen. The drool-inducing treats looked ready to pluck from the window and stuff into my mouth. Intricately ornamented plates and paintings, some depicting the ancient Uzbek city of Samarkand, were set up on the freshly-painted walls.

I decided to order some of the classics from Middle Asian cuisine: Two samsas, one pumpkin ($2) and one meat ($3), and the lagman soup ($7).

Tandoori may be an upstart in the neighborhood but their food certainly holds up against more established competitors. Both samsas had a flaky, pastry-like crust that crunched when I pulled it apart with my fork. The pumpkin samsa, something I’ve always been eager to try, had a sweet spice to its flavor and the pumpkin was soft with an almost creamy texture that made it perfectly satisfying on a cold winter day. The meat samsa, made with lamb, veal, and onions, also added a glowing comfort to my belly.

But the highlight of the meal was the lagman soup. A mound of meat, green beans, onions, peppers, and hunks of garlic piled out of the broth. Underneath the plentiful ingredients were the doughy hand-pulled noodles, which I coiled around my fork for a bite. The flavors all mingled nicely in the broth.

Kataev said Tandoori plans to add to the menu some of the fresh water fish that are eaten in his home country. They are also drawing from some of the other cuisines found in that part of the world so eaters can expect dishes from places like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Turkey.

Good luck Tandoori and welcome to the neighborhood.

Tandoori, 2650 Coney Island Avenue, between Crawford Avenue and Avenue X, 718-975-8787. Open daily, 8am – 10pm.