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Nina's Desi Kitchen

4.9 (44 reviews)
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Updated 3 weeks ago

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What's the vibe?
Hipster
Casual
Outdoor seating

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Chicken pulao
Anna L.

This is a relatively new Pakistani restaurant in the charming town of Southington. I had high hopes for this restaurant based on all the good reviews, but I was left disappointed. We ordered chicken pulao, lamb pulao, chicken handi, and naan. Both of the pulao is the same; just rice with a few pieces of the choosen meat on top. We were disappointed. The meat is usually mixed in with the rice. The portion is large with a lot of rice but the taste was average. The chicken handi was delicious but the portion was tiny for the price. It was very flavorful but too spicy and uses chunks of breast meat so the meat is a little on the dry side. It comes with one naan. The naan was the biggest disappointment. It was more like pita than naan. (Edit: Note that the naan is tawa naan so it is supposed to be like that). Maybe I should have gotten the biryani instead. That one looks delicious. I wish them the best as they are nice people, but the food was not for me. It's great if you like spicy though albeit the small portion unless you get a rice dish. They have a lot of different Pakistani food that may be hard to find elsewhere. I will give them another try.

Pink sheer chai
Sho R.

Everything I had here was excellent. It was packed with flavor. Pink sheer chai was the best thing I had here. I had pink tea before, but never so good. It had good amount of nuts, which I never thought would be this good in a tea. I would say the highlight is the street food section. I haven't seen these many street food in another menu. Chicken Dum Omelette wrap , as well as Achari chicken pocket was excellent. Shahi chicken biryani was also good.

Sumatra L.

Amazing food. Warm comfortable. Covid safe. Thankful. Very good quality. Can't get enough!!!

Exterior. It's super cute inside. I should've taken a photo of the inside but was busy enjoying the delicious food!
judy m.

Found this by chance and am so happy we did. Just left the place and the food was delicious, the decor charming and the owners/chefs are super nice. We got the potato samosa with a fresh tamarind chutney as a starter. Claude had the chicken shami kabab roti wrap and I had the eggplant bharta roti pocket. We finished it off with a desi lassi. We are smiling ear to ear after that delicious lunch! Highly recommend!

Ali S.

Good place to be. It's small inside but the environment is relax. I will bring my family here

Best sheer khurma ever!!
Zeib Z.

This cute little place is just sparkling clean the moment you walk in. I was there for the first time and had looked up the menu before my drive. I knew I wanted the chicken Shami kabob naan sandwich. I then asked the gentleman at the counter for his best sellers and recommendations. He kindly turned around the iPad and showed me the nice photos and described the menu items to me. He also answered my questions specifically to each item that caught my eye. He was very courteous and patient which further enhanced my experience. I decided to go for the sandwich which was made with chicken not beef, but I figured that's healthier anyway. I was curious to try it. The photo had looked amazing. And I also ordered the sheer khurma which I hadn't had in two years and never on the east coast since my move from CA. And there's no proper Eid with out this sweet dish so why not? I was going to celebrate with it for myself! Hah! Well when the food was ready, I was impressed with the gentle handling of the professionally made natural brown paper bag stamped with the restaurant name. I carefully handled it flat as instructed, to my car. I opened it up and my hot and toasty sandwich was even wrapped so nicely with a sticker on it. And my dessert nicely waiting in a solid plastic container warmed up. Unwrapped, I gasped and said wow! This sandwich was a beauty! Perfect slices of tomatoes and green leafy lettuce. Perfectly made Shami kabobs, green raita and bread. My mouth watered...boy was my 25 min drive just for this, totally worth it! The taste was delicious! So fresh and amazing! My tastebuds were so happy I ate it all up immediately. Later that night I tried the dessert and I was in heaven! Best sheer khurma I've ever had! So smooth and creamy and with the perfect amount of raisins and nuts like pistachios. And the perfect sweetness. Wow! I regret not getting more! I highly recommend this place. I wish they were closer to me in Manchester. They have an impressive menu, even pink chai! This is probably the best top notch high quality Indian Pakistani eatery I've seen in CT and one of the tops anywhere! Very high quality and these guys really know how to run a business professionally which is rare to see in this food genre. This place is 5 stars for a reason and I'm so glad I made the drive on that beautiful sunny Saturday!

Zeera Rice (V) Cholay Chat (V, Ve) Pink Sheer Chi Sheer Khurma (Ve)
Amy V.

Ordered delivery on a snowy afternoon. The meal arrived hot and delicious and packaged with care. Flavors are absolutely incredible!

Chickpea dal and bean salad

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1 month ago

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4 months ago

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2 years ago

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9 months ago

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6 years ago

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5 years ago

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2 years ago

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4 years ago

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6 years ago

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Thank you very much. Happy to hear you enjoyed your meal.

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6 years ago

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4 years ago

Amazing service! A lot of vegan options! Perfect sized portions, and most of the time I have left overs.

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4 years ago

I had the chicken dum wrap and it was amazing. The flavor was incredible. I will definitely be back to try more of their dishes :)

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4 years ago

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6 years ago

Crazy good! Ordered ghatay wrejay with naan. So good. Spicy comfort food and the naan was a great buffer.

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5 years ago

The best! Delicious sauces and condiments, making meals a delight! I would eat there every day if possible.

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6 years ago

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5 years ago

Wow! This join is amazing. Beautiful decor. Food was delicious and extremely courteous service

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6 years ago

The biryani is little spicy, but has amazing flavor. I love it and recomend to everyone to try

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Ask the Community - Nina's Desi Kitchen

City Kebab House

City Kebab House

4.8
(54 reviews)
15.0 mi
$$

Came for some apps before a show in town Service was fast &…read morefriendly Cold apps were a hit! Would come again Be sure to try the babaganoush :) Prices very resonable

City Kebab is a Middle Eastern kebab restaurant that opened in Hartford, Connecticut in September…read more2023. It was founded by husband and wife Uzbek immigrants Timur Rakhimov and Aziza Djalmamedova. The couple immigrated to the United States from Uzbekistan in 2010. After over a decade of education, training, and hard work, they decided to try their luck as restaurateurs. They found a space that used to be home to Hook & Ladder Restaurant (right next to Hartford Fire Department's historic South Green Station). The couple hired Turkish immigrant Hasan Korkmaz as their head chef. Together, they curated a menu full of traditional Turkish and Uzbek cuisine that is all prepared in accordance with halal dietary laws. Some of the menu items include kebabs, samsas, falafel, gyro, and mezzo platters. I recently dined at City Kebab while I was in Hartford to see a concert. I checked Yelp to see if there was anywhere good to grab dinner before the show, and Middle Eastern/Mediterranean cuisine sounded fantastic to me. When I entered, I was greeted by the very friendly co-owner Timur, who said, "I work for my wife. She's the real boss." After being seated, I began to look over the menu. When Timur returned, he tried to recommend that I get gyro. I told him, "Oh no. I know exactly what I want. I'd like to order a variety of small plates to sample. I'm a local food blogger and I want an authentic experience." Timur was just ecstatic and quickly went to give my order to the kitchen staff. I started off first with a small "Mixed Cold Appetizer" (combo of hummus, babganush, haydari, soslu patlican, antep ezme, avocado ezme), the "Falafel" (mixture of chickpeas, parsley, onions, garlic, Middle Eastern spices, deep fried) and a small teapot of "Turkish Black Tea". Timur brought me some complimentary "Ramazan Pidesi" (Turkish Bread) as well as a glass of "Fresh Squeezed Lemonade". He said, "You need to try this!" So far, everything was excellent! For the main course, I had the "Mixed Grill" (mixture of chicken shish, beef shish, kofte, lamb adana, beef & lamb gyro, served w/ white rice, bulgur rice, Mediterranean salad). It was a symphony of Mediterranean flavors! Timur surprised me with a "Pumpkin Samsa" (pumpkin filling in crispy pastry, seasoned with spices, served w/ tomato sauce) and said, "You can't leave without trying this. It's an Uzbek specialty!" It was very tasty! Before the meal was over, he said, "Save some room. I have another surprise for you at the end." He brought me "Künefe with Dondurma" (Turkish ice cream). I had never tried this before. Stuffed with melted mozzarella and then topped with pistachio and almond crumbles, it was simply divine! I repeatedly thanked Timur for his hospitality and for sharing his culinary cultural traditions with me. I had enough leftovers for both my wife and I to have for dinner the following evening. I'll definitely be returning with my whole family. If you're looking for an authentic Middle Eastern culinary experience in Hartford, then look no further than City Kebab!

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Interior
Interior
"Ramazan Pidesi" (Turkish Bread)
"Ramazan Pidesi" (Turkish Bread)
Interior

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Interior
Sofra Turkish Grill

Sofra Turkish Grill

4.4
(49 reviews)
7.4 mi

Came here for the first time on a Saturday night and it was really busy. We made a reservation but…read morestill had to wait a bit to be seated. It's tiny inside but clean. We got the mixed cold appetizers which tasted really good with their bread. The mixed grill was very good, their lamb is one of the best we've had. I hope they consider adding iskender to their menu in the future. Unfortunately we didn't experience the best service when we were there. They didn't give us menus so we looked it up on our phones, and we had to flag the staff down to take our order after almost 15min. We asked for water refills and yogurt sauce but received neither and no one came to check on us. We didn't want to wait longer so we opted to skip dessert.

Let me talk about the kebab -- the quality of this place has significantly declined over time. When…read morethey first opened, they were truly making authentic Adana kebab. The chef was from Adana, and he used to prepare lamb meat properly with a zırh (traditional curved knife). But those days seem to be long gone. During my last two visits, there's been a noticeable drop in flavor. It seems they've switched from hand-minced meat to machine-ground meat, and they've started mixing in beef as well. The kebab, which used to crumble with rich texture, has now turned into something more like a cheap supermarket meatball. Despite charging above-average prices, this decline in quality is unacceptable.The kebab was served with both rice and bulgur pilaf, but both had clearly been sitting for a while. The rice, in particular, seemed like it had been cooked 2-3 days earlier -- it was far from fresh. It might still appeal to Turkish customers who have never actually had proper kebab even in Turkey, but to anyone who knows what Adana kebab is supposed to be, this is a joke. I assume most of their customers are foreigners who don't really know what to expect from a real Adana kebab -- so they've taken the easy and cheap route. To make things worse, during my last visit, one side of the kebab was burnt. And the chef, like a typical trickster, had placed the burnt side facing down on the plate, trying to hide it. That's just shameful. And finally -- here's a photo of the cooked tomato they served. Completely white and unripe. Really, chef? You didn't notice when cutting it? You didn't see it while cooking? Or even when plating it? If good tomatoes are hard to find (which they're not -- they're just coming into season), then don't serve them at all. If someone asks, you simply say "It's not the season, and we couldn't find good-quality tomatoes, so we chose not to serve any." But you don't serve pickling-grade, pale white tomatoes on a plate. Also, the place is now covered with signs saying it's alcohol-free -- seriously, there are nearly ten of them across the entrance, exit, and walls. When I asked the waiter about it, he explained that the restaurant is now a "halal establishment." But here's the strange part: since the place opened, I've been there around seven times, and every time I brought my own alcohol, the staff gladly served it to me at the table. Surely they didn't just now discover that alcohol isn't considered *halal* in their religion.

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Sofra Turkish Grill
Sofra Turkish Grill
Sofra Turkish Grill

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DUNYA fresh halal food

DUNYA fresh halal food

4.7
(361 reviews)
7.5 mi
$

As a chef, I do not say this lightly. Dunya in Waterbury is a gem…read more Whenever my wife and I are anywhere near the area, we make it a point to stop. It is not just convenient. It is intentional. The food, the market, the people, the energy of the place all make it worth the trip every single time. The flavors here are deeply rooted in the Middle East and the Mediterranean, and you can taste that authenticity in every bite. The hummus is silky and perfectly balanced with tahini and lemon. The baba ganoush carries real smoky depth. The chicken kebabs are juicy and seasoned all the way through. The shawarma is warm, aromatic, and layered with spice. The falafel is crisp outside, vibrant and herbaceous inside. My personal favorite is the Iraqi Chicken Sandwich. It is absolutely phenomenal. The chicken is tender, boldly seasoned, and packed with flavor. Every bite is balanced and satisfying. It is the kind of sandwich that stays on your mind long after you leave. Everything is halal and incredibly fresh. The place is always busy, which tells you everything. The food turns over quickly. The products in the market turn over quickly. There are always people picking up takeout and others shopping the shelves. And the market itself is a treasure. Authentic meats, cheeses, sausages, dairy products, dry goods, teas, dried beans, spices, specialty ingredients and more, all reflecting the flavors of the Middle East and the Mediterranean. These are items you simply will not find in conventional grocery stores. If you love to cook, you will walk out inspired. If you have never been before, do not be intimidated. Walk in. The staff are incredibly welcoming, friendly, and accommodating. There is space to sit and enjoy your meal, and they do a huge takeout business as well. Dunya is easily one of the best places in Waterbury and the surrounding areas. Authentic flavor. Unique products. Warm hospitality. I highly recommend it.

So damn yummy I cannot believe how great this Halal was. I would eat it 10 times fall asleep wake…read moreup and eat at 20 the service was awesome and the ambience was even better.

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DUNYA fresh halal food
DUNYA fresh halal food
DUNYA fresh halal food

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Nina's Desi Kitchen - halal - Updated July 2026

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