Sometimes you just have to escape the comfortable surroundings of your regular haunts to discover new food sensations. It’s so easy to gravitate to the same spots over and over that are close to home, and become part of the normal routine for many of us here in NYC. Having friends who live in each suburb does offer the occasional opportunity to meander outside of the comfort zone and check out different food ethnicities to try out. We happen to love the foods of the Afgani and Pakistani peoples as there is just something so tasty and comforting about it. Intoxicating aromas. Plus, eating kababs are fun!
We were recently invited for a brunch at Bakhter Halal Kababs way out in Fresh Meadows, Queens. It was definitely a trek to get out there by subway and then a short car ride to the restaurant. Normally, we kind of avoid Queens as much of it is akin to the suburbs and you can’t get to many parts of the area by subway alone. Good thing for friends with cars. I have not owned a car since 1998 and don’t miss it at all! They picked us up and drove us there after arriving at the subway stop they told us to arrive at. When we walked up to this place along a main street strip mall I was wondering what we had gotten ourselves into here.
We were well rewarded with great food and low prices. You can’t go wrong with the amount of delicious food we got served up here for the cheap overall cost. Walk in hungry with a small amount of cash and walk out sporting a food baby!
Delicious rice and kababs. Chicken tikka, chicken kufta, lamb tikka, beef tikka, lamb chops, and beef kufta – Oh My! Each plate were all really good. Plenty of combinations on the menu to choose from. Love the seasonings, spices, and smells. Dat basmati rice tho. Yum! Dare I say I ate way too much? Maybe we ordered too many dishes. Didn’t matter as none of it was going to waste with this crew. Carnivorous animals!
Decor is pretty much meh, as are the cleanliness of the bathrooms. Just passable in my eyes. Service was ok for what it was, and drinks were self serve (soda cans/water bottles) out of the fridge. Cash only. No booze as it is a Muslim place. We had seven people here over the weekend, were all totally stuffed, and the bill before tip was less than $100. We even took some food home there was so much. It was pretty crazy. Our eyes, and appetites, were too big for our stomachs. Sure, it can be decribed as a “no frills” kind of joint, but one that was a pleasant surprise and that we would surely visit again next time I’m craving another Queens food baby.
Also, there are two squeeze bottles on each table with different sauces to pour all over your food. One is a green concoction that is on the hot side. The other is a white sauce of the gods! That white sauce is the shizz! Hot damn I want to pour this stuff on everything and lick it off. Including my own body!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bakhter-halal-kababs-fresh-meadows
That certainly looks like it was well worth the trip all the way out to Queens!
Hey Karen!
I was worth the long trek. Sometimes here in NYC a trip to the outer boroughs rewards for the travel time.
Hahaha congrats on the food baby!
That looks like a huge serving of food and you can’t beat that price!
You licking white sauce off your own body….I can’t even. Watch your whore mouth around the food baby!
Hey Joy!
I bet you would help lick it off me if you tasted how good this stuff is! 😉
Awwwwe Congrats on the Food Baby! I LOVE kabobs and I just know I would all over that white sauce. Damn it’s been too long since I had some good Greek food!!
Hey 4fourgeorges!
My food baby makes me happy! I have had too many of them lately. My pants are getting tight!
Looks so much like the unbelievable food in Kuwait. Yum! Yum!
Hey Shelley!
I love food from around the world as the tastes are terrific. Why limit oneself to the normal?
Hi Phil: So sorry for the absence as of late. Between the three jobs were working, trying to finish our book and Inion’s recent health issues, we’ve been struggling to network. But tomorrow Inion will have her surgery & hopefully be on the fast road to recovery and we can get back to our blogging buds. Now onto the post. That’s some seriously tasty looking kabobs!!! I’ve never eaten middle eastern food, but Inion has and loves it. She likes the spices that come with that region of food. I’ll have to put that on my list of “Must-tries” lol 😉 Most excellent post, sharing now!! 😉
Hey Inion/Mathair!
Hope all is going well and things are looking up. Hope the health issue is better now for Inion.
Oh, you must try some tasty middle eastern food! How can you not? Just the smell is alone amazing.
These look fantastic Phil! I love kabobs, all kinds. The longer sausage style kabob I used to love when a friend of mine from turkey used to prepare them, the seasonings are so complementary and flavorful. Looks like a great meal.
Hey Peggy!
It’s all about those seasonings and spices, right? The taste, the smells…..
Damn, now I’m hungry and this place is too far from my office!
I’m so hungry right now, I could totally eat all that! Kabobs, Kababs, Kebabs, so many different spellings (we use the Kebabs spelling in the UK), and so many variations, love them all!
Not keen on lack of cleanliness in the bathrooms though – that’s why if I go somewhere new to eat, I aim to not visit the bathrooms until after I’ve eaten so that I don’t get put off the place!
Hey Vanessa!
Thanks so much for dropping by and commenting!
I have also seen many different spellings, but as long as they taste good it doesn’t matter to me! This place made some delicious kababs!
Yeah, the bathroom thing is a turn-off if they are shoddy looking. Sometimes I wait until I’m done eating too!
I love your adventurous ways in food! What was the white sauce? It sounds intriguing. I should never read your posts before my lunch hour. I am so hungry now!
Hey Holli!
Living in NYC does offer us the best of foods around the world. Everything is here!
That white sauce was crack!
Sounds like another great place. Not sure exactly how you’d manage to lick the white sauce off your own body, but I’m sure you wouldn’t have any trouble finding a willing female volunteer to slather the stuff on her person so you could enjoy it that way. Just a suggestion.
Have a great rest of the week. Looking forward to the next great food post.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
Hey Patricia!
Sounds like you’re suggesting a good old fashioned food orgy!
I might suggest this next time we dine out! Hope I don’t get arrested! 🙂
Hey! Food baby! Get in Phil’s belly!
We don’t have much in regard to food choices like that up my way, but the Kebabs look pretty tasty!
Hey PJ!
You really need to head down into the city more often. With an empty belly to fill up!