A Feast at Arzu
‘Nauts!
Ah, four years ago, when we had a phenomenal dinner at Arzu, this Bukharan Jewish place in Queens, it was during another presidential election. Back then, a former CEO of a pizza company running for president famously and unfortunately could not remember the name of a moderately significant, but tremendously delicious country during an interview, and so he simply referred to it as U-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan.
How things have changed, right? We’re better now.
But, he was forgiven, as will be others. But, he wasn’t the only leader to get lost easily east of the Caucasus. Way back when, a Jewish tribal leader, Naphtali the Lost, he of one of the lost tribes, settled his people in Uzbekistan, but he was.. well… truth be told, he was actually aiming for Europe. Just really, really bad at maps. Really bad.
But, he and his tribe made the best of it… they made great, great food. And the best of it is right here, in Queens, at Arzu. And, we’re once again taking it over, and going’ Uyiguring, so to say. But, Arzu is still phenomenal, the kebabs are amazing, and the flavors are as complicated as the Central Asian region. We seriously don’t know why you’re even still sitting down and not Uy-going.
A Dinner at
Arzu
SALAD
Olivie
Fried Eggplants
Morkovcha
APPETIZER
Uygur handmade Lagman
(Handpulled noodle soup with vegetables and meat)
KEBABS
Veal Liver
Sweetbreads
Chicken Hearts*
Lamb
Lamb Ribs
MAINS
Khaseep
Lamb kidneys and fat*
Plov
(Bukharan version of rice pilav)
Samsa
This dinner is BYOB, but includes a shot of vodka.
Arzu
101-05 Queens Boulevard
Queens, NY