Al Markaz

Al Markaz consists of a groceries and a restaurant. My feedback is on the restaurant. When you order, there is no — ‘How specie do you want it — medium?’. This is an authentic place. They cook it the way it is from home land. Here is a good tip. Any thing that ends with ‘Gosht’ is the most species. Everyone that loves specie Pakistani/​Indian food I introduced to this place, love this place. They have a great lunch combo that you can pick 3 sections. Price is very reasonable.. If you need specie fix. This is the place. Come for the specie food you will not be disappointed. Do not come for the atmosphere. After all it is in a groceries store. I love the Karahi Gosht!

Another BIG THANKS to my awesome fellow Unilocalers! Without ya’ll I wouldn’t have found this place. *MUAH*!!!
You know a place is good when it’s filled with people of its ethnic group/​s. We came here once during the early evening, and once during the late evening, both times the place was busy, with people coming and going nonstop. You start out by ordering at the counter, then take your number to a table of your choosing. The food will be brought out to you, and you pay at the end when they bring the check to you.
I played it safe by ordering the karahi chicken/​chicken in a spicy curry sauce, and biryani chicken/​spicy rice with boneless chicken, those are the few items that have the english translation from their lunch menu (the main menu doesn’t have the full translation for any item). Every bite was pretty much a flavor explosion in my mouth.
I’m not as adventurous as my non Asian guy. He went all out, first by selecting a random item on the menu, luckily… just playing, so far everything seems delicious here, it was some kind of grilled curry chicken, very flavorful and tender. For dessert, he opted for the Gajar Halwa which is carrot with milk, almost like carrot cake but without the cake part. I hesitantly went with the Rasmalai, pretty much milk cream with rose water. Both have very interesting flavors, but the texture was not something I’m used to, so he put me to shame by devouring both lol.
The food is excellent and cheap. The portion is big. The service is attentive. And there’s plenty of seating even tho it might not look like it from the outside. It seems almost like a hidden gem for locating in a somewhat awkward part of the service road, that I always end up taking the ghetto route in the back to get to it. Might have to use my gps next time for a better option to get here, if there’s any.

Great tasting food for a good price but expect oily food. The environment is noting to write about. Its simply the right price for what you get.

Pretty disappointed and the experience did not reflect the high overall average Unilocal rating. I promise that the fly that sat on my food is not heavily biasing this review.
I’m from SF Bay Area, lived in DC and Houston so I’d say that I have pretty broad exposure to Pakistani cuisine. In Dallas, I’ve been to several Pakistani restaurants including Al kabob, Eat st. Kabob, Texas Kings and BBQ King. This was BY FAR the worst of the Dallas area spots.
Ordered the chicken boti, Bihari beef, goat curry and seekh kabob. Everything except the seekh kabob was subpar. The chicken boti was dry as hell with very little masala. The beef Bihari was definitely overcooked with some parts being burnt and hard to the point of being unedible. The goat curry was a swimming pool of oil with very little actual gravy and moderate amount of meat which was unimpressive.
When I tried to give feedback or asked them to remake an item, they started arguing with me sand became defensive.
I give them accolades for some how building a loyal fan base, but their continued popularity perplexes me given the relatively poor quality of food.

Delicious food if you want to try the hard core fried meat. I have tried few things and never been disappointed. The staff over here is pretty down to earth.

A combination of grocery store and restaurant tucked in a small shopping strip/​complex by the highway. We have been visiting this place since a couple of years now and every time we visit, we are welcomed by the same fresh and tasty food.
Sure, the food is not healthy — and I say, not healthy at all. The curries have half layer of oil and half of it is the actual gravy. The meat — as in the chicken is fresh and soft. The portions are of a considerate amount. But the best thing of this place — is the naan! It is fresh, warm, fluffy and soft as always. I prefer the naan over biryani. However, the vegetarian options are very less compared to other Indian restaurants.
The place is large, with adequate seating. Usually it is crowded. The orders are taken quickly and service is pretty good.
Food, is one reason but my temptation is the little grocery store. The aisles smell wonderful with all those spices. We can get almost all of the things needed for a desi kitchen. I like the halal cut chicken they have. The produce is not as fresh, but is doable.
They also have plants for sale — I got a few.
In all, this is one of the places I can go when I am in the area or crave for insane grease.

We finally found a good Indian restaurant that’s not overly expensive.
Atmosphere: (²⁄₅)
* This place is attached to a grocery store, so it’s a bit run down looking. It’s also pretty cold, so bring a jacket.
Food: (⁵⁄₅)
* The portions look small, but I could barely finish it because the dish it comes in is deep. I ordered chicken masala, and it tasted amazing.
* The dessert was really small for what you pay, but the taste was very good, so I’m still eating food as ⁵⁄₅.
Staff: (⁴⁄₅)
* The owner and the owner’s wife attend to the tables, and they are both very nice. However the staff at the counter come off as rude because they act like they just want you to go away.
Cleanliness: (³⁄₅)
* It’s alright. The tables were mostly clean. We passed a few tables that were dirty with crumbs, but it wasn’t a problem.
Good hang out spot: Yes, maybe better when it’s warmer out tho, because they don’t hear this place well in winter.

It is a restaurant/​grocery store type setting that offer very authentic Pakistani/​Indian cuisine.
Atmosphere: (⁴⁄₅)
* You get good feeling when you walked in so much space and well organized except the furnitures are very worn out.
Food: (⁴⁄₅)
* Don’t let your eyes deceived you; the portion may looked small but it’s actually very filling and chicken masala is delicious! Some dish like mutton korma the meat can be dry but still good taste. Desserts are exceptional but you get so little for the price you pay. They give you a jug of filtered water to your table which is very nice.
Staff: (⁴⁄₅)
* The employees looks mean and don’t smile but the owners are amazing. They take good care of you with nice smile and hospitality.
Cleanliness: (³⁄₅)
* Like I said they have very run down furniture and their busers don’t clean very well but it’s not so bad to sit for long time.
Good hang out spot: Yes! Highly recommended.

It’s the same situation. Indo pak food in dallas is below par and amongst the depleted competition this place stands out. However on its own, this place is blah and that is how I’ve rated it.
Butter chicken didn’t taste like butter chixken
Beef seekh kabobs were awesome but 2 small pieces in a plate for $ 8 is too expensive.
The chicken kerhai was decent
Flooda was blah
Rus milai was blah.
I’ve been eating indo pak food all my life and have lived in 5 different countries and 8 different cities. This is a one to forget about. But the locals love it.

Best chaat in DFW! I swear! I’ve tried to find good chaat other places, and it just does not exist!

A simple homely place serving the best Pakistani food with love and great flavor. This is another must visit spots for me in TX. Brian masala, Karahi chicken, Dal Ghost, chicken tikka kebab, veggie masala with their simply soft and fluffy Rotis straight from the tandoor. The oily part of the food bothers people, but it’s the key ingredient that adds flavor. Eating here occasionally is still not too bad for your heart. It’s a mouthful of flavor that you cannot compromise.

My parents love this place so I really wanted to see what all the praise was for and it wasn’t disappointing! I feel like I’m very hard to please when it comes to desi food but the food was pretty decent– we had the chicken karahi, nihari, boti and the roll and everyone seemed to like it. It’s in no way upscale dining but I would recommend it for authentic food!

So, you essentially walk in through the little grocery store, and see a counter towards the back. Beyond the counter, it opens up into this large seating area. You order at the counter, get a number and food is brought to your table. This is not an Americanized place by any stretch, so be open to adventure and ask questions. The staff was so kind and helpful. Even other customers smiled welcomingly at us, though this might have been out of pity at our complete ineptness in trying to figure out what names might mean what on the board menu.
Of course, we went with some old stand-​bys: Samosas, chicken tikka masala and chicken tikka (grilled chicken). The tikka was really tasty and the portion was massive. The tikka masala wasn’t the usual red colored creamy stuff you get other places, but a brown oily gravy. I stirred it up and gave it a go, anyway. The flavors were rich and very complex, with a sneaky heat.

FINALLY. I have been trying to try the food here for almost a decade. I kid you not. And let me tell you, it fulfilled all my deepest desires.
VENUE: Tucked in this little plaza off the highway. Plenty of parking but I’ve been told it gets really packed after Mosque services so watch out for the rush. The restaurant shares a space with a market next door, so do some shopping and grab a bite. The restaurant portion is pretty big but i imagine during a rush, if there’s not seating available, you’ll want to order to go. Expect a lot of people, families, and people enjoying delicious food. This is not a place that screams romantic, intimate date night, but more of a light hearted get together where you can guffaw loudly without feeling embarrassed. You’ll feel comfortable and the food will keep you warm.
FOOD: Got the veggie samosa to start. I could destroy a dozen of those. The pastry was nice and soft with just enough buttery flavoring. The stuffing was DELICIOUS. You’d never guess that there was no meat in it. The BUTTER CHICKEN was also great. The Chicken was soft and tender and the curry was amazing — not too oily either. We ordered a lamb dish as well but I can’t remember the name, but just know that if you want lamb, it’s a great option! The naan is so soft and fluffy! Pairs perfectly (duH) with the curry. Every order comes with one serving of naan so make sure to order more if you’re a naan fiend, like me.
SERVICE: you order at the counter and they bring the food too you. Grab a pitcher of water from the water station and you’ll be set. Every now and then a server would walk around and make sure everything was going well. Everyone was friendly and the food was authentic. If you’re in the area, this is a GREAT choice. If you don’t have time, grab samosas to go. You won’t regret it.

Absolutely LOVE this place. I’ve been here twice and I’ve been getting the mutton biryani and some type of curry (got the buhna gosht, which is a type of beef curry). They were delicious! Flavors were spot on. I was concerned about the bones in the biryani though– got to be careful! As for the curry, I loved how the meat was tender and the sauce was great for dipping the naan bread. If this place were closer, I’d probably make a trip at least once a week.

********If you are using a credit card, please ask for a final receipt. Multiple cases of waiters/​waitress adding tips on receipts without customer consent. I was a victim of that on a to-​go order.**********
So where do I start…
I used to be madly in love with their dishes including behari kabob, chicken patties, karahi chicken, and nehari.
This review reflects 3 consecutive visits in which I received poor quality of food.
The karahi chicken was not edible! It lacks that spark of flavor when you take a bite. It has steered off to blandness with a hint of too much oil!
The behari kabob lacked any flavor at all. It tasted «bad.» That is the best way I can describe it. I’m not sure if it was reheated and served or what… the texture was rubbery as well.
Lastly, the chicken patties had a horrendous after taste. After my mom and I ate it, we couldn’t get rid of that gross taste… felt like throwing up all night.

This place gets a 4 for the taste of the food and 1 for the presentation and atmosphere. I’m no connoisseur of Indian food but if you get the chicken or beef grill and the palak paneer (creamy spinach with cheese) with a samosa (deep fried dumpling filled with spicy mashed potatoes) appetizer and gulab jamun dessert (fried dough in sugar syrup), you will experience an explosion of flavor and aroma. Each entrée comes with one naan which is enough because it’s a huge piece, and it’s very doughy and chewy. They are very generous with the portion sizes. I had my protein fix from their chicken tandoori grill.
Unfortunately, the place is dirty. There are noticeable missing paint chips as well as food stains on the walls. There is dirt on the legs of all the chairs. And the food is served on styrofoam plates with plastic cutlery. Terrible for the environment.
So, I’m a little skeeved by the dirtiness of this establishment. I’m not sure if I trust that they have a sanitary kitchen, since they can’t make it a sanitary environment for diners. I’d have to think about whether I’d go back there. If I do, I will take the food to go and eat it in the comforts of my clean home.

I’ve been meaning to try this place out for a while. I have been a vegetarian for over 5 months now so all I went for was the veggie patty.
My friend ordered Mutton Korma. And I just wanted to «taste» the sauce. Boy oh boy I ended up eating half the dish and one whole naan
The naan was one of the best I’ve had: tender, fluffy, straight out of the tandoor. The chutney was on point, a perfect palate cleanser. The mutton was super moist and tender. It fell off the bones with the slightest pull. The gravy was full of clean, simple yet deep layered flavors. Nobody prepares mutton better than Pakistanis (Fact!). Very very delicious!
Veggie patty was good but nothing compared to the mutton korma.

Yeah the food is great — you get that from the reviews below. But just how good is it?
Not good enough to make me ignore consistently sloppy service. Not enough for me to ignore the fly’s that infest the eating area. I would never come here to eat if I had the choice.
Order ahead, get carry out, don’t eff with it.

If India and Pakistan have been in their own fragile Cold War for the last 40 years, I think I know the reason why. Indians are all jeally of what’s cooking in the Pakistani kitchens. And with good reason. As I tore off pieces of the warm crispy naan and sopped up the rich flavors of the leftover karahi chicken sauce, I marveled at the depth of flavor and wondered just how they got it. I envisioned bubbling pots and cauldrons with flavors concentrating over days not hours. Chicken singed by clay oven heat. Tender meats with so much taste… incredible taste! Someone’s grandmother perhaps in back doing it how it’s always been done.
Yes the place is a strip-​shopping center dump if you want to get technical about it: paint peeling around the trim on the walls. But it is filled with pakistanis and with fantastic foods. When we went there were children running around playing and laughing in the large dining room. People lounging around and eating and enjoying what must be the true flavors of home. Service surprisingly checked up on us after we had received our food, twice at that. Based on disposable plates and plastic ware, I would not have expected it.
The Pakistani menu seems to share broad strokes with the more familiar Indian food menu. Chicken tikka /​tandoori chicken, masalas, etc, but I have yet to get to work my way through discovering what is what here. They were out of the Seekh kababs, and I didn’t try the patties at the front counter nor the chicken tikka, but all are on my list. The karahi chicken was delicious although I would suggest going boneless. Dal palak was a wonderful lentil dish. There was subtle, building heat to the spice which I loved. Only thing I did not enjoy too much was the beef boti: a last minute sub when we found out they were sold out of seekh kababs. Oh, did I forget to mention the grease? Be prepared. Yes, there was a lake of grease on our chicken dish. I would prefer it not to be there, but the flavors were worth it to me. Eat around it, skim it off the best you can.
Also be prepared with knowing what you may want to order before you get in line. Check out the menu photo on Unilocal.The front personnel may not be prepared to adequately explain in English what you should get if you aren’t certain. Sure, take a roll of paper towels with you to soak up the grease if you’re skerred, but also be prepared for some wonderful flavors that best anything Indian I have ever had before.