Dolan's Uyghur Cuisine — Restaurant in Irvine

Dolan’s serves authentic Uyghur cuisine—a vibrant, Halal-rich cuisine rooted in Xinjiang’s cultural crossroads, blending Central Asian, Persian, Turkish, Arabic, and Chinese influences  . Owned by Bughra Arkin, who hails from the Uyghur region of Dolan in Eastern Xinjiang.

🍽 Standout Dishes • Da Pan Ji (Big Plate Chicken): A signature dish featuring stir‑fried chicken with potatoes, leeks, peppers over wide hand‑pulled flat noodles. It’s rich and spicy, though some reviewers have noted it can be overly salty or heavy . • Laghman: Stir‑fried beef with vegetables atop chewy, rope‑like hand‑pulled noodles—well spiced and highly satisfying . • Goshnaan: A round meat pie with beef/lamb, wrapped in pleated flatbread that bubbles and chars in the oven—juicy and flavorful . • Manti dumplings: Steamed pillows filled with pumpkin or minced onion, and sometimes beef—subtle and earthy in texture . • Uyghur Polo (Rice Pilaf): Flavored rice cooked with lamb or beef, carrots and onion; aromatic and hearty, often served with yogurt and cabbage salad on the side . • Cumin Lamb stir‑fry: Simple but fragrant, highlighted by the warm, earthy spice of cumin seeds  . • Special Teas: Their house tea—blended with hibiscus, cardamom, cinnamon and rosebuds—and salty Uyghur milk tea are aromatic highlights

I actually don’t really like the dessert. A little too sweet to me. But Uyghur Polo is so special for me because my mom used to stay in Xinjiang as a teacher, this dish is what she liked to cook when I was little. Whenever I missed my mom, this dish kinda connect me with my mom. Interestingly this polo has few of Xinjiang raisins, and a little macadamias, which made it more delicious.

All other dishes are good.

👍 It’s worth to try if you are looking for something different from other Chinese food.

Here are the key differences that make Xinjiang distinct from other parts of China:

🕌 1. Ethnic & Religious Diversity • Major Ethnic Group: The Uyghurs, a Turkic-speaking, mostly Muslim ethnic group, make up a large part of the population. • Other Ethnic Groups: Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Hui Muslims, Uzbeks, and Tajiks. • Religion: Predominantly Islam (Sunni), in contrast to China’s majority Han culture which is traditionally atheist, Buddhist, Taoist, or Confucian. • Culture: Influenced by Central Asian traditions — from architecture and fashion to language and music.

🌍 2. Geography & Landscape • Vast Size: Xinjiang is the largest province in China—more than 1.6 million square kilometers. • Deserts & Mountains: • The Taklamakan Desert: One of the largest sand deserts in the world. • The Tianshan Mountains: Divide the region into north and south. • Borders with 8 countries: Including Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Mongolia, India, Russia, and Tajikistan.

🎶 3. Music, Dance & Art • Uyghur Muqam: A UNESCO-recognized musical tradition—combining poetry, dance, narrative, and folk tunes. • Traditional Dance: Expressive, rhythmic, and joyful; women wear long dresses with flowing sleeves and intricate headpieces. • Instruments: Rawap (plucked string instrument), dutar, tambur, and hand drums like dap.

🕌 4. Architecture & Language • Mosques with domes and minarets instead of temples or pagodas. • Uyghur Language: Turkic language, written in an Arabic-based script. • Bilingual signs are common (Chinese + Uyghur). • Homes & Markets: Influenced by Islamic and Silk Road designs—arched doors, lattice windows, and colorful tiles.

🕰 5. Different Time Zone • Local people often use “Xinjiang time” (UTC+6)—2 hours behind Beijing time—even though officially all of China follows Beijing Time (UTC+8).

Xinjiang (officially the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region) is a large and unique region in northwest China that differs from the rest of the country in many ways—culturally, ethnically, geographically, politically, and religiously.

The nature there is vast,...

A beautifully curated Uyghur dining experience!

This restaurant truly stands out as a thoughtfully designed and well-executed spot for Uyghur cuisine. Everything here feels intentional: from the beautifully structured interior to the carefully laid-out menu. The décor is just stunning: elegant patterned tiles on the floor, covered ceilings without ugly communications, and a mix of cozy booth seating, long communal tables, and ambient lighting that brings the space together. According to their signage, the space can accommodate up to 138 guests.

Inside, soft music plays in the background, enhancing the already warm and inviting atmosphere. It’s clear a lot of effort went into both the aesthetic and the experience.

The menu is impressively designed, visually appealing with pictures, clear dish descriptions, spice levels, key ingredients, and even estimated preparation times for some items. The pricing ranges from about $4.50 for desserts and sides, up to $28.95 for premium entrées, with the occasional specialty item like a whole lamb kebab priced at $598 (requires 48 hours’ notice!).

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s offered:

Appetizers ($5.50–$17.95): Salads like Uyghur Salad and spicy Tiger Salad, fresh Cucumber with Garlic, hand-baked Uyghur Naan, and Beef Tripe with bold seasoning.

Exotic Taste & Entrees ($11.85–$20.95): Hearty lamb dishes, cold chicken plates, handmade dumplings like Manta, noodle-based plates including Traditional Laghman and Spicy Rice Noodles, and specialties like Kebab Noodles and Uyghur Goshnaan.

Vegetarian Options ($13.95–$14.95): Spicy stir-fried shredded potatoes, braised eggplant, cabbage, tofu and more.

Soups ($14.95–$27.95): Rich lamb-based soups, including handmade wonton soup (Chochure).

Desserts ($4.50–$8.75): Honey Cake, yogurt with honey and raisins, and assorted baklava.

Drinks ($2.50–$8.95): Teas (mint, green, black), soft drinks, and traditional Uyghur milk tea with a salty twist.

We especially loved the Uyghur Polo Manta, and Uyghur Goshnaan- which honestly tasted like a savory, flaky layered meat pie. It’s a must-try! We also had their traditional milk tea with salt, and while it’s an acquired taste, it was interesting and worth trying once for the cultural experience.

Overall, this place is a gem. Delicious food, amazing ambiance, and a very polished presentation. We’d absolutely recommend it, whether you're familiar with Uyghur cuisine or trying it for...

Disappointing Dining Experience

We recently visited this restaurant and had high hopes, but unfortunately, the experience was far from satisfying. We ordered a chicken plate (boneless), a beef stir-fry noodle, and an eggplant dish. Here's what went wrong:

Incorrect Order: My wife ordered a boneless chicken plate, but they delivered chicken with bones. Despite clearly communicating the mistake to the staff, they initially ignored our request. It took multiple attempts to get the correct order.

Food Quality: When the correct boneless chicken was finally served, it was disappointing. It had a strong raw chicken smell, seemed poorly marinated, and included fatty and skin pieces. It was also overly spicy, which might be fine for some, but not when combined with such poor preparation.

My beef stir-fry noodles were another letdown. They arrived cold, and after being reheated, the dish had barely any beef—just two pieces. The noodles were undercooked, overly long, and watery, resembling soup more than stir-fry.

The eggplant dish was excessively greasy, leaving an unpleasant coating in my throat.

Service: While the staff offered free tea as compensation, the service was lackluster overall. Mistakes were met with indifference, and it felt like the team lacked proper attention to detail.

Portion vs. Quality: The portions were large, but the quality left much to be desired. I would much prefer smaller, well-prepared dishes over oversized, poorly executed ones.

Overall, this was a disappointing dining experience. I hope the restaurant improves its food quality and pays more attention to customer feedback...