Tangritah Uyghur is located in a room the size of my double garage with a kitchen area concealed in the back part of the building. The decor here is very basic with a few decorative ornaments hanging off the walls. The tables were very narrow and the neighbouring chairs were too close to one another. The service was quite poor, as we had difficulties communicating with the staff who didn’t have a proper grasp of English.
When it came to ordering, we were provided menus in plastic folders. These were similar to what I used back at school. One thing to their advantage was that they provided pictures with all their menu items. I also noticed that their pricing was quite cheap, particularly when some of the servings served 2 or 3 people. Tonight, I ordered the Stir Fried Lamb and Bread. After a 20 minute wait, most of our meals were ready. My friend had to wait a further 10 minutes before his meal arrived.
The dishes seem to be spicy at this place. I could physically see all the chili flakes in my dish. The quality of the lamb wasn’t that great as there were so many fatty bits in the meal. The meat was also overcooked as it was quite difficult to chew. The bread that they used was cut up into cubes and the flavours were absorbed well. The dish itself was way too spicy for my liking as I was sweating profusely. Not bad if you wanted excitement for the evening.
The atmosphere was relaxed, as this place had a homey feel about it. When our meal was finished, a staff member came out and told us how much the meal cost. We gave him the money and then left. There wasn’t a cash register or receipt to be seen. In a way, it was almost primitive. I must admit, I’m not a fan of Uyghur cuisine after going to a similar restaurant in the outskirts of the city. I was hoping that my experience here would be different, but it wasn’t.
It’s certainly a place to dine for the adventurous, but I’m not a fan.
WHERE: 116 Grote St, Adelaide
ADELAIDE FOOD CENTRAL 
This sounds like a genuine Chinese restaurant 🙂
Narrow tables, plastic menus, lamb fat, minimal service. It’s just in China! If only there were lots of cigarette butts on the floor it would complete the authenticity.
Too often westerners complain that the Chinese food in the West is faux and ‘westernised’. I don’t see anything wrong with unauthentic Chinese food if it tastes pleasing, but I prefer authenticity to comfort.
Chinese food is supposed to have quite a bit of fat in it. When I make Chinese kebabs in Australia I have to remove the lamb fat because people are afraid of it, but that’s where all the taste lies. Hence I unwittingly bastardise the cuisine even when I have full control over it. Uighur kebab should be one piece of fat for every two pieces of meat. And always lots of chilli, of course.
Thanks for the insight and visiting my blog! I must admit I’m one of those people that is afraid of fat. I guess it’s because it’s seen as unhealthy. While I usually like dishes with heat, Uighur dishes make me sweat like I’m in a sauna!