Kababi Cafe by Kuluck
Reviews
Name: Yalda Nematzadeh
Occupation: Homemaker
Lives In: Hollywood
Restaurant Pick: Kababi Cafe by Kuluck
Reviewed: Kababi Cafe by Kuluck
I went in one car with two friends and I brought my son who is almost three. My friends are a married couple who have only had Persian food once before, and that was at my wedding (in 2012). They brought their 16-month old daughter. We used GPS to get there, so we had no trouble finding the shopping center. Although, once we pulled into the shopping center, I realized that without me having been there before, it would have been pretty hard to find. It’s nestled in the southeast corner of the plaza next to a pre-school and an abandoned retail store; with no obvious signage or lighting, other than a string of bulbs hanging outside. We parked and got out of the car and approached the black windows and doors. Luckily, I knew what awaited us inside, so I wasn’t worried. I could see how others might not be so forgiving though. When we walked in, we were immediately greeted and seated by the same person who would be our server for the evening. His name is Jason. He was warm and friendly as he asked us how many we were, while mentally trying to calculate how many high-chairs we’d need. He guessed 2, we said 1, and then I jokingly (by jokingly I mean seriously) mentioned that they don’t actually sit down in chairs for meals anyway.
He smiled back at me reassuringly and gave us the choice of sitting on the left side of the restaurant, which had booths and a bar, or the right side, featuring a huge TV screen and large round tables-- which was the obvious right choice for us. Jason got us situated with our menus and gave us a few minutes to look them over while he went to get water for the table and the kids cups I requested. They ran out of kid’s cups from the busy Halloween party weekend, which he told us was a big success, with live music, belly dancing, pre-fixed menu and a cover charge—all as he Macgyvered drinking straws into coffee cups with lids for the kids. My friends noticed the buffet setup along the wall and inquired about it, which Jason enthusiastically explained is every weekday from 11:30-3:00 costs $11.95 and is a great way to try many of the menu items.
We started by ordering the crispy rice with green stew, which I referred to by its proper name of Ghormeh Sabzi (pronounced like the word gourmet combined with Saab- like the car and zeee: gourmet saaab-zeee). For me calling it green stew would be the equivalent of asking for noodles with red sauce, when ordering Spaghetti Bolognese in an Italian joint. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. For everyone else, I thought, how smart is that!? The crispy rice, green stew and shirazi salad arrived in good time and Jason explained that “tah-dig” which is the Persian word for crispy rice literally translates to “bottom of the pot” which is what crispy rice is. The green stew was savory and herbaceous and contained kidney beans and stew meat. The shirazi salad was a quintessential Middle Eastern chopped salad made with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and dressed with olive oil & lemon juice. Back to the crispy rice: the crispy rice was not your typical mound-of-long-white-grains-on-a-plate; rather it was shaped like shards and looked like it was seared to create a golden, crunchy, almost caramelized, crust.
As soon as Jason walked away, I did what any Persian would do-- I flipped the crispy rice over so the crust was on the bottom and poured the stew on top. The rice soaked up all the juices of the stew and the crust kept them from leaking out. I told my friends to dig in and after the first bite we were, in true Persian fashion, fighting with forks over what remained of the tah-dig. All together, the brightness of the salad balanced the earthiness of the stew and the crunchiness of the rice made every bite crazy delicious!
For entrée’s we shared the Chicken & Berries, Ground beef Kabob w/ basmati rice, and Filet Mignon Kabob with fava bean & dill rice, eating everything family style. All three kabobs were so tender and juicy, especially the boneless chicken breast kabob—which is so rare and was surprisingly my favorite of the three kabobs! The barberries in the chicken & berries were tangy and tart which really livened up the dish. When it was time to order dessert we were stuffed. Plus, we needed to get our kids home and off to bed. So, while we didn’t need dessert, we still got it. We took a chocolate and a vanilla roulette cake to go. The cakes were not as custardy and dense as I’m used to. But they were light and fluffy, and bonus: not overly sweet, which I appreciate—but nonetheless it just wasn’t memorable. I regretted going the safe (and transportable) route and getting the roulette cake and not choosing my usual go-to Persian dessert of Faloodeh. Next time for sure.
Name: Ami Gavarian
Occupation: Attorney
Lives In: Dania Beach
Restaurant Pick: The Federal
Reviewed: Kababi Cafe by Kuluck
When we walked into Kababi Café, we had no idea what to expect. We soon realized that the only option was the lunch buffet and we were dubious of what lied ahead. Instead, we were treated to a pleasant surprise of exciting and authentic Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavors. The hummus was almost as good as my dad’s. The kabobs were jam-packed with spices without sacrificing their tenderness. In all honesty, I could eat the bread and hummus all day and be perfectly content. While the large tables for 6-8 makes it a little awkward for smaller parties, the overall ambiance is still warm and inviting, and the staff is very friendly and willing to explain the menu to those unfamiliar with this region’s cuisine.
Name: Julio Mejia
Occupation: Designer
Lives In: North Miami
Restaurant Pick: Ricky Thai Bistro
Reviewed: Kababi Cafe by Kuluck
Located in non-traditional style mini mall, I felt this place was not like every other Middle Eastern restaurant. It was definitely not a busy night and even the surrounding businesses showed it but once you walk through the doors of Kababi, there’s a very homey feel to it, despite my wife and I being the only ones for the majority of the night. The staff was very helpful, as I don’t tend to eat Persian food very often. Not long after our first question about the menu, our waitress gladly recommended some of the popular dishes.
Restaurant Information
Location: 3828 N University Drive, Sunrise
Parking: Yes- Free lot
Phone: 954-909-4133
Website: Kababicafe.com
Restaurant Owners: Hamid Sherdel
Executive Chef: Lauren Campbell
Pastry Chef:
Type of Cuisine: Persian/ Iranian
Signature Dishes: Kababs (Ground beef, chicken, filet)
Vegetarian Options: Pomegranate stew, eggplant dip, hummus, falafel u
Alcohol Served: Full bar
Corkage Fee: $10
Bottle Limit: 1 per 6 people
Restaurant Hours:
Monday –11:30 AM-9:30 PM
Tuesday – 11:30 AM-9:30 PM
Wednesday –11:30 AM-9:30 PM
Thursday –11:30 AM-9:30 PM
Friday – 11:30 AM-9:30 PM
Saturday – 12 PM-12 AM
Sunday – 12 PM- 9 PM
Meals Served: Lunch, Dinner (Lunch buffet 7 days a week)
Prix Fix Menu:
Take-Out: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Average Dinner Price Range (per person, full meal, tax, 20% gratuity, w/o alcohol): $20
Average Lunch Price Range (per person, full meal, tax, 20% gratuity, w/o alcohol): $15
Payment Options: do you accept credit cards and if so, which ones? All
Accept Reservations: Yes
Need Reservations: On weekends
How far in advance do you require reservations be made: One day
Accommodations for Children: Yes
Dining Style: Casual
Disabled Access: Yes
Restaurant Size: 6,000 square feet
Accommodate Groups: Yes
Private Dining Room:
Tables with Scenic Views:
Outdoor Dining: Yes
Entertainment: Yes