Afanti Restaurant 阿凡提新疆餐厅都柏林 — Restaurant in Dublin

Beef manti Uyghur samsa Uyghur pilaf (lamb) Pearl noodles Beef laghmen Lamb skewers

Very well made dumplings, and unique as beef fillings are hard to come by in the dumpling world. They're richer, juicy, and more intense - a perfect winter dumpling.

The samsa were spectacular - flaky, crisp pastry encasing saucy, flavourful beef. Funnily enough they reminded me more of Cornish pasties and other Anglo-Euro pies than anything else I've experienced in Asia.

The pilaf was a comforting dish - simple in flavour but slicked with flavour and a cosy, carby dish. They have chicken and veggie options, though note for the more selective meateaters, all variations come as meat-on-bone.

The pearl noodles are a very regional classic, the noodles coming as small 'pearl' sized morsels. Bouncy and delicate, mixed in with a not-as-dangerous-as-it-looks spicy sauce with your choice of meat/veg. Fun, though I prefer my starchy dough to be bigger for a more fuller mouth feel.

The laghmen was delicious, the noodles really well made, the sauce very much like the pearl noodles in being salty, spicy and more nuanced in flavour compared to other Chinese cuisines - not overpowering and in fact highlights and complements the noodles.

Lamb skewers were also surprisingly nuanced - well cooked and with just the right amount of cumin and other spices. Compared to some skewers in other restaurants in Dublin, more subtle and not overpowering.

Also shout-out to the special tea - a black tea that was so good I asked where I could buy some and they said there isn't anywhere...

This restaurant had been on my “Restaurants to Try” list for a while, and I finally visited this weekend. I was absolutely blown away by how incredible Uyghur cuisine is! Some dishes were truly outstanding especially the Shredded Potato Lagman and the rice noodles. And the lamb skewers… wow. They were out of this world super spicy, juicy, and packed with flavor.

I’ve tried lamb skewers from various cuisines like Turkish and Pakistani, but none have come close to how delicious these Lamb skewers were. I absolutely loved them.

The spicy chicken lagman, however, was a bit underwhelming and could use some improvement.

What made the experience even better was the hospitality. The staff and the owner were incredibly welcoming. A lovely woman from Kazakhstan, who I believe was the owner, kindly offered us a free special naan bread. And the girl from Uzbekistan and the guy, along with the rest of the team, was warm, friendly, and very helpful.

I’ll definitely be going back to try more dishes. It’s truly a blessing to have such unique and delicious Chinese-style cuisine, and the best part everything is fully halal: chicken,...

Late on a Saturday night when restaurants were either closing or not allowing kids in due to bar regulations, this place was a godsend.

The staff generously invited us in even though we rushed in 40 minutes before they closed (I hate being that guy!). On that, let’s talk service. It’s probably due to the fact that they wanted us to eat and get out but the service was great, preemptive and fast.

Now let’s talk food. First off, the food was delicious. It’s not traditionally what one envisions when thinking Chinese food. That’s because it’s of Uyghur origin (a Turkic-speaking people of inner Asia mostly in the NW of China). The noodles are thicker and potatoes are largely featured in their dishes.

The food was delicious but gave our lips and tongues a crazy tingling, buzzy feeling that I believe was due to the Sichuan peppercorns. It was crazy because it’s never happen to us before while eating any foods. Just be ready for it if you go. For four plates, four drinks, and a batch of beef manti we paid €85.

Overall, for my taste, this place was a little pricey. Nevertheless, it was a kind and friendly place with good...