Dolan’s Uyghur Cuisine

I have a deep appreciation for Uyghur traditional cuisine. Recently, my husband and I embarked on a nearly two-hour drive to dine at Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine, and it was absolutely worth it. I savored every bite of the hand-pulled noodles paired with flavorful chicken and eagerly anticipate our next visit.Their menu features a variety of authentic dishes, such as the renowned Big Plate Chicken, also known as Dapanji, which is a spicy chicken stew served with hand-pulled noodles. Will come soon again

Big Plate Chicken: 4/5. The brothy sauce was quite spicy yet delicious and savory. It went well with the bone-in chicken chunks and wide, thick noodles. Those noodles were surprisingly the best part for me. I'd ask for less spicy next time.Dolan's Tower Kebab: 4/5. I was glad that this wasn't spicy. I liked the savory spices used for the meat, even though the meat itself was kinda tough (we had to ask for knives). Came with a few tiny lettuce leaves and some shredded red cabbage, which were probably more for presentation but were welcome additions to the richness of both dishes.They didn't include serving utensils for either dish. It would have been nice to have some for the Big Plate Chicken since it was a bit difficult and messy to grab individual portions. A pair of small tongs would help with removing the kebab meat from the hooks when eating with company, along with a couple of knives for cutting.Interior was clean and showcased adorable, ethnic decor at the front. Tables and booths were available for indoor dining. It wasn't busy during lunchtime on a Saturday, which contributed to the quiet and relaxed atmosphere.What was also quiet was the staff. They kept a low profile haha - stayed at the back and pretty much left us alone while we ate. They didn't make eye contact or swing by to see if we needed anything, so we had to flag them down for utensils, water refills, more napkins, and the check.

The "fried Naan with Beef " is extremely salty and they used bread instead of "Naan". Very disappointed it. The service was not unfriendly, but non-existent. They even didn't offer water, I had to ask for it.

Saw Dolans' on LA Times 101 Best Restaurants list, and bookmarked it to try. Let me preface by stating that I have never had Uyghur cuisine before, therefore I can't speak for its authenticity. This review is solely based on my personal taste and preferences. First of all, the restaurant is clean and beautifully decorated. There is a little nook by the entrance that is furnished with Uyghur traditional artifacts. Not having any expectations or know what to order, I decided to go with a salad and korma chop, a noodle dish. Korma was very greasy, salty and vinegary. Noodles were chewy and had a good bite to it tho. The salad was very sad looking but surprisingly refreshing. And the dressing was acidic but not in a bad way. It actually complimented the korma well, it really helped to cut the grease. I also ordered the honey cake, which came out before the salad and korma. Unfortunately the honey cake was quite dry and not as good. Service was lacking. Food was ordered via the app. The server brought food but never spoke, or checked in. And the fact that the honey cake came before appetizer and entree was a sign of inattentiveness. I think it's fun to experience different cuisines and broaden your culinary landscape, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come back.

Food was good, but not something I'll crave. We were hoping for more spice but it was still good.Manta: dumplings with beef. I really liked this and it reminded me of momos. It would have been nice with a sauce.Goshnaan: crispy and flaky, but the ratio of beef filling was too little so it was too much to have the oily bread. Skip this.Small plate boneless chicken: tasty, wish there were more veggies and noodles. The fat noodles were the star of the dish. Laghman: thinner noodles. We preferred the flatter noodles in the other dish but this was also good. I preferred the beef and veggies here - melt in your mouth!Honey cake: honey flavor came out really well and it was tasty. Just a little too dry.Service/ambience: it was busy for a weeknight. Service was fine and quick. Nice family ambience inside and good seating.Parking: easy in a big plaza.

I love trying out new cuisines, so I was excited to try this place out. The restaurant is in a very busy plaza shared by a lot of popular restaurants. We had to park a bit far and walk over to the restaurant, which was not busy when we came on a Saturday afternoon. The restaurant itself is beautiful and modern, almost giving an upscale feel but still feeling like a family restaurant. The bathrooms were also spotless.These are the items we ordered:1) Dolan's Special Tea - Came in a traditional ceramic pot that never seemed to run out (to our benefit!). The tea had rosebuds, cardamom, cinnamon, hibiscus, and cloves, and we could taste all the ingredients! The strongest taste flavor was probably the cinnamon and hibiscus, but everything paired well and tasted flowery with a subtle spice. 5 out of 5.2) Uyghur Goshnaan - This reminds me of a flat version of am empanada; the texture was crispy on the outside and hot and meaty on the inside. It's definitely on the oilier side as it was deep-fried, but it was worth trying out. 5 out of 5.3) Uyghur Polo - Came with chopped seasoned lamb atop a large portion of rice seasoned with carrots, raisins, onion, and chickpeas. The lamb on top was on the dryer side but wasn't so dry that it was hard to digest, and the rice was delicious despite my aversion to raisins. 4 out of 5, as I think the lamb could have been seasoned more.4) Samsa - Reminds me of an Indian samosa but seasoned differently, with only beef and onions inside. Absolutely delicious and quite filling (could be its own meal). 5 out of 5.When we are back in town, we will definitely try their other items, though we will definitely re-order the goshnaan and special tea again. Also, the staff and service were great.

What a great addition to this Irvine plaza! The restaurant interiors are clean and beautiful, and our waitress was friendly as well. Visited on a weekday during lunch, and we were able to be seated immediately.For my first visit, I tried these menu items:Dolan's Special Tea: I've never had such a uniquely warm and spicy tea! The cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves made this tea both spicy and floral. Uyghur Goshnaan: flaky pastry with a deliciously crunchy crust and a yummy meat filling! A must-order that I will be sure to get every visit.Laghman: noodles had really nice and chewy texture. Protein and veggies were also very well-prepared. Would definitely order this again!Broccoli: tasted fresh and flavorful. There are so many other dishes on the menu that look interesting and delicious, so I would recommend going in a larger group to sample more dishes family style. Looking forward to visiting again soon to try the lamb and chicken!

My colleagues and I visited this restaurant for our weekly lunch, intrigued to try Uyghur cuisine for the first time. It's located in the Walnut Village Center, which has decent parking, though it can be tough to find a spot during peak hours. The restaurant boasts a beautiful ethnic Turkish-inspired ambiance, with fancy seating and detailed interior decorations. There's plenty of indoor seating, and a few outdoor plaza tables for those who prefer dining al fresco, though they are limited. We ordered the Big Plate Chicken (small portion), Uyghur Polo, and Cumin Lamb. The Big Plate Chicken was spicy and flavorful, with delicious hand-pulled noodles that are perfect for sharing. However, I'd recommend opting for the boneless version, as the bone-in option can be tricky to handle if you're not using your hands. The Uyghur Polo featured tender, well-cooked lamb, but the dish lacked depth of flavor for my palate and was excessively oily. Similarly, the Cumin Lamb had tender, flavorful meat but was also overly greasy. While the food was unique and enjoyable, the service, though courteous, felt a bit aloof. Overall, this restaurant is worth a visit if you're looking to explore a different cuisine, with some standout dishes that showcase the rich flavors of Uyghur cooking. Just be prepared for a heavy dose of oil in some dishes!

Food here was super tasty! Came here with two friends and we split the lamb polo, the fried naan with beef, and the goshnan. It was my friends' first time trying Uyghur food and they were raving about how good it was! The fried naan and beef was probably my favorite, but I wish they cut the naan into smaller pieces and gave more naan instead of fries.One star off for lack of service at this place - my water was never refilled and the waiters pretty much never came to check up on us. Took a while processing our check too even though the place was not busy.

Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine is a Uyghur restaurant with three locations in SoCal. I first saw this charming little restaurant when I was visiting Omomo, and I think it is definitely hidden by the other popular food spots in the plaza. However, I wanted to try it out, so I marked it down and made it a point to visit in the future. I'm glad I made that decision, as I ended up loving my entire experience there. The restaurant is bright and lively, in fact nearly every table was taken up on a Sunday night! All of the dishes had an amazing flavor to them (although in hindsight getting 3 "dough with meat" dishes was probably too redundant so I will mix it up in the future). The service was also great as all of the workers were super friendly and helpful! Overall, I highly recommend trying Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine for a taste of authentic Uyghur food and a great experience.