Registan Kebab House

Authentic and delicious Uzbek food with attention to detail. Service is fast and friendly. Even tea has a special aroma. Pilaf is the best.

For many years, Samarkand Restaurant (at the intersection of Parker Road and Beeler Street) was known among Denver's pan-Soviet food aficionados for its selection of Uzbek (etc) specialties. This tradition continues with the business that replaced it, Registan Kebab House.Bits and pieces of the space have been remodeled, but much has also been left intact, for an overall feeling of "Something's different, but I can't quite say what it is". Nevertheless, it's still a very classy place - and that sentiment extends towards the food as well. Settle in with a nice glass of seasonal fruit drink (Kompot) while you have a leisurely look at the available offerings. This rapid change in the seasons calls for a bit of soup, don't you think? And whether you choose the noodle-some Lagman (distantly related to the Chinese classic Lanzhou Lamian), or Central Asia's legendary chickpea/potato casserole Nokhut Shurpa, you're sure of a hearty start to your meal. (This becomes even more true if you accompany your selection with an enormous loaf of Obi Non (bread rings sometimes also known by their Russian name, Lepyoshka)). If you're in the mood for a smaller starter, I think you'll agree that a bit of Achik-Chuchuk (tomato/pepper salad) or a few Manti (meat dumplings) are closer to what you had in mind.But I guess it seems a little silly to make the effort to review a kebab specialist (or, if you prefer, Shashlichnaya) without discussing, oh I dunno, kebabs. I thought you'd agree, so let me expound on some meaty morsels before we get too far off-track. The classic minced-beef-and-onion skewer Lyulya Kebab (actually originating in Azerbaijan but now popular all over the former Soviet Union) gets a tantalizing treatment here, helped in no small part by just a hint of Qurdiuq (sheep's-tail fat). And on that note, I'd hate to omit a mention of the eatery's firm and flavor-y lamb chops, with just the right proportions of char and gaminess. If you're clucking for chicken, I wouldn't dream of ignoring you - in fact, Registan's Tovuq Kebab more than competes with its red-meat rivals. But not all kebabs are created equal - this last one's not even on a stick! Yes, I'm talking about the toothsome beef-and-tomato stew Tu'y Kebab, which will really fill you up. Anyway, now that you have the scoop, why not pay Registan a visit yourself?

This is also known as Samarkand Cafe, you won't see a road sign for "Registan". Was traveling and in the mood for some Central Asian Cuisine, and found this place in south east Denver. (It also seems to have a website that goes by the name Registan Kebab Cafe, the sign on the road says Samarkand). The food in this restaurant is just awesome. In short it is the best Uzbek food I have had inside or outside of Uzbekistan. The Samsas are flaky and the filling is made with fresh spices. The salad was good, though it's a bit early in the season for tomatoes and cucumber. It seems as if they are locally sourcing their ingredients. I asked what beverages they had and they offered a berry juice drink that was very fresh, like something that was homemade, very flavorful. The best part of the meal was dessert was the Medovik. It is a thin layered honey cake, but the key is the honey. That honey made the cake and tastes nothing like honey you can buy in the store. It reminded me of Central Asian honey, which tends to be super sweet but have a distinct floral flavor. I asked them if they imported it, but no it comes from a local person ho keeps their own hives.I picked up a loaf of Non to try when I get home. Looking forward to it as well as trying their plov on my next visit.Rakhmat!