Feeling daring and adventurous, I dragged a group of friends out for Uighur cuisine at Silk Road. For me, the food is a fusion of Asian and Middle Eastern influences. Located on Port Road in Allenby Gardens, the restaurant is surrounded mainly by industrial facilities and residential housing. It’s usually quite difficult to get a park in the city on a Friday night, so eating out in the suburbs was a bit of a godsend.

The restaurant exterior looks like a run down building, while the main section of the interior is better presented. The authentic ornaments hanging off the wall, the beautiful cornices and the lavish chandelier would make a welcome presence in any classically styled living room. The staff here speak broken English and it was difficult to order our food. We often had to point at the pictures on the menu in order to communicate. The service was also slow, and the waiters were never around when needed.

Tonight, I ordered the Uighur Style Lamb Shish Kebabs with Naan Bread. The first meals came out 30 minutes after ordering, and a few of the group were still waiting by the time I finished my meal. My kebabs were nicely presented, however, the lamb was fatty and overcooked. I had a really tough time prying the meat off the skewers. On several occasions the meat was flying across the table.

The food at this place reminds of me of home style cooked meals. The service was poor, the atmosphere relaxed and the food was cheap, but my meal wasn’t that great. I’d really like to say my first experience with Uighur cuisine was a pleasant one, but it would be further from the truth. It’s safe to say I will never set foot in this restaurant again.

WHERE: 580 Port Rd, Allenby Gardens