If you love the flavours of Asian cuisine, then make a visit to Karamay Uyghur Cuisine a priority on your next to visit list. This is a restaurant where the flavours of Asia meet modern twists and UK touches. The menu at Karamay celebrates Uyghur cuisine, and is the passion project of inspiration and creativity by over forty individuals. The dishes seek to bridge the history of the Uyghur past with flairs that are inspired by the place the restaurant calls home – London, and the rest of the UK. The name Karamay comes from the meaning for black gold, which is petroleum, and symbolises wealth along with the country’s rich culture. The brand of Karamay first opened restaurant doors back in 2012, and now, there are a few branches in London.
The interiors at Karamay are colourful, welcoming and warm. Dishes and plates are mismatched and the surroundings feel like you may well have been transported to Asia. Beginning your meal you may enjoy some beef pastry balls with the table, or grilled lamb skewers and spring rolls filled with plenty of delicious vegetables. For slightly bigger starting plates, choose the vermicelli vegetable salad or seasoned aubergine with chilli oil, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil.
Big plates are described by their meat or protein contents only, and range from the big plate chicken with hand pulled linguine with marinated bone in chicken, potato, plenty of seasoning and vegetables and Szechuan pepper, or the braised lamb ribs with naan. Dishes you may be better acquainted with from other Asian restaurants, like kung pao chicken, salt and pepper prawns, and garlicky pak Choi are also on the menu.