Khan Saab Desi Craft Kitchen
Pakistani restaurant · Hawaiian Gardens ·
Pakistani, Indian, & Afghan halal dishes, biryanis, dosas
Pakistani, Indian, & Afghan halal dishes, biryanis, dosas
"Wedged in a Hawaiian Gardens strip‑mall slot next to a Bank of America ATM that’s almost too close to the front doors, this place surprises once you step inside: an energetic room awash in blood‑orange and teal walls, frosted windows that feel like golden hour in Lahore, and black‑and‑white photos of Pakistani and Indian street‑food scenes. Founder‑chef Imran “Ali” Mookhi — also behind the Michelin‑recognized Khan Saab Desi Craft Kitchen — might not have the same décor budget as Indibar or Tamba, but the space feels sumptuous and the halal menu refuses to pull punches. I dig into a shatteringly crisp dosa perfumed with ghee and stuffed with masala potato and beef keema; delicate Afghan mantu served on an elevated, cloud‑like plate (just five to an order, but delectable and precise); and tandoor‑grilled beef sirloin that arrives with a puff of smoke released from a glass enclosure tableside. Peshawari‑style chicken karahi comes loaded with enough spices, garlic, ginger, and minced chiles to make me forget about butter chicken, and dessert — airy‑foam daulat ki chaat with dried rose, crumbled pistachio, edible gold, and a printed rice cracker in the form of a $100 bill — gleefully leans into ostentation. The menu stays short and simple, intentionally incorporating flavors from Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan to offer something completely different for the area." - Matthew Kang
"Hidden beside an ATM in a Hawaiian Gardens strip mall, a humming space dressed like a television set opens onto a South Asian restaurant serving inventive takes on Indian, Pakistani, and Afghan classics. Chef Imran “Ali” Mookhi, previously of Tumbi in Santa Monica and founder of Michelin-recognized Khan Saab in Fullerton, helms what might be the most destination-worthy restaurant in Hawaiian Gardens. Dahi puri arrive on a traditional wood-handled plate with cool, sweet yogurt for a refreshing start; crispy dosa comes with potato masala, a brothy beef qeema, and sambar tomato chutney—take spoonfuls and create little bites with each ingredient. Of the Afghan dishes, the yogurt-laced beef mantu come five to an order and sport snappy wrappers. There’s no butter chicken here, so go for the Peshawari-style chicken karahi: a metal bowl filled with a deep red chile sauce featuring minced ginger, garlic, and peppers to coat tender chicken pieces. The beef top sirloin kebab comes capped with a smoke-filled glass cover that’s unveiled tableside. Latticed windows and bold swatches of teal, orange, and earth give the vibrant dining room a timeless appeal, and while there’s no alcohol—a nod to Mookhi’s Muslim heritage—the bar turns out stellar non-alcoholic drinks like the passionfruit Seedlip blood orange Sunset and a spot-on piña colada with vanilla bean kulfi." - Matthew Kang
"I’ve been on the hunt for South Asian food that really shines, and the excellence at Shor Bazaar surprised me: founded by chef Imran “Ali” Mookhi, who helped open Tumbi and followed his Michelin-recognized Khan Saab, this could be the most polished Pakistani halal restaurant I’ve experienced in the Southland. Start with the generously sized dahi puri, served street-style on a wood-handled plate and filled with cool, sweet yogurt; Afghan dishes dot the menu, like a stellar beef mantu presented as an appealing array of five dumplings. A shareable, buttery dosa is best with spoonfuls of potato masala, and while there’s no butter chicken, it’s better to order Mookhi’s signature chicken karahi, which loads up chiles and spices in a thick, oily paste. The smoky beef kebab is another highlight that separates Shor Bazaar from other Indian restaurants, its blackened tender meat giving whiffs of the hot tandoor oven; overall, it’s an amply destination-worthy entrant." - Eater Staff
"This upscale Hawaiian Gardens restaurant, filled with royal blue accents and moody spotlights over each table, works best for special occasions. Shor is run by a fine dining chef from Orange County and specializes in Halal dishes from across South Asia: chile-encrusted Afghani lamb chops, paper dosa longer than your forearm, and superb chicken biryani with a flaky baked crust. Instead of cocktails, there are fancy mocktails and luxury mineral waters from around the world. Come to splurge on a family-style spread the next time someone in your life wants to celebrate with sag paneer and chocolate truffle cake." - nikko duren, brant cox
"This upscale Hawaiian Gardens restaurant, filled with royal blue accents and moody spotlights over each table, works best for special occasions. Shor is run by a fine dining chef from Orange County and specializes in Halal dishes from across South Asia: Afghani lamb chops with chili, paper dosa longer than your forearm, and superb chicken biryani baked with a flaky crust. For a first visit, we’d point you toward the chicken tikka masala—which might sound snoozy until you realize the velvety, cumin-scented sauce in Shor’s version tastes like it was made with tears from the god of tomatoes. Instead of cocktails, Shor offers fancy mocktails and luxury mineral waters from around the world. Come to ball out on a family-style spread the next time someone in your life wants to celebrate with sag paneer and chocolate truffle cake." - Nikko Duren
