Cafe Kashkar is one of the rare places you can try authentic Uzbecki food in the city. Located in Brighton Beach, it makes for a great stop during a trip to the beach. The food is fresh and a really nice change of pace from the classic “beach” foods you’d normally eat. The wait staff is polite, the place tends to be busy (though I’d assume during the winters it’s perhaps pretty quiet), with many patrons familiar with the place, the cuisine, or Uzbecki themselves. Always a great sign.
Cafe Kashkar is really relevant to the Brighton community and it serves Uygur and Uzbecki cuisine, which has influences from the Middle Eastern, China, and India.
We ordered:
Samsa Parmuda – four small savory pastry balls lightly fried and stuffed with ground lamb. Of course this is very similar to other boreks or borekas you’d find in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, but I didn’t think this was anything particularly special or delicious. Probably our least favorite of what we ordered.
Mixed salad – very fresh, light, and healthy. Comes with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, feta. Another classic Mediterranean/Middle Eastern combo. Great accompaniment to the rest of the meal as it was very refreshing.
Kohnoom – similar to a small, light lasagna stuffed with shredded potato topped with tomato sauce. Vegetarian and a super safe option. Really tasty and very traditional Uzbecki food.
Ground beef kebab – great. Nice char-grilled taste, cooked well, seasoned appropriately with a side of white rice.
The menu is quite comprehensive and you can find very niche, authentic specialties, but also more generic options as well. If you’re in Brighton Beach, definitely check out Cafe Kashkar.
