Nargis Cafe, Underrated Uzbeki Cafe in Brighton Beach at Coney Island

[manolands]

HeyyyYYYYyyyy peeps,

SOOOOOO I don't live in NYC on the reg BUT soon to be doing so again!! TO start the summer off right I wanna rep one of my fave Uzbek spots that gets not nearly enough love Nargis Cafe. It's a bit outside the bend from the boardwalk and the subway so it doesn't get the traffic of like Cafe Kashkar and unlike those restos hasn't been written about so I consider this my secret lil gem. My Belarusian friend told me about this place and I went one summer a bit ago now. Full Disclosure this was like a year ago so it may have changed but at least when I went the Plov was really really good. In a sea of plov that is NYC this one ranks high. Dunno if you guys agree. Wanted to get the Manti as well but getting like 7 dumps for ones lone self always seems excessive. They even give you sour cream!! The small things count lemme tell ya!!! 

[Steve R.]

Funny, several of us have been going back and forth on CH's Outer Boroughs board in the past several days (on a Seattle visitor's thread no less) about going to Nargis or Kashkar or Glechik soon.  I actually haven't been to any of them in the last several years and could use a return.  Take a look.  

(Don: I assume its okay to link to a CH thread?  If not, feel free to delete)
[Yes, please feel free. DR]

[manolands]

Kashkar is also very good as well!! They actually have horse or at least claim it is horse (I believe them cuz I give restos benefit of the doubt). i love horse meat so for me this is an automatic win. I have yet to go to Glechik but have certainly heard of it and need to add it in my repertoire. My friend who reccomended Nargis also gets food from Glechik frequently as I recall. If your interested in some of the other cuisines in the area I can show you some articles. Georgian, Koryo-Saram (Koreans from Russia and Central Asia), even Moldovan food (which is actually better then the food in Moldova having been there in my opinion) just lemme know!!! Really also wanna recommend just going there. It's one of NYC"s best "little's" and truly a revelatory and fascinating experience. I try to go once a week when I'm in NYC. My only caveat with Nargis is its a bit further away from the boardwalk then the others so it's not as centrally located if distance is a concern.

[Steve R.]

So, a bunch of us (me, some CH oldsters, a couple of solid food bloggers, etc.) are hitting Nargis this coming Fri 6/3 & I'll probably report back.  I, personally, haven't been to any of the places near Brighton Beach for a couple of years but have been to Glechek, Kashkar and several others (including a now defunct Moldovian place that didn't impress us) over the years.  It's almost home turf since I grew up off Coney Is. Ave/Ave L (although that was a lot of years ago).  At any rate, I look forward to Nargis.  

[Steve R.]

Forgot to follow up and report that Nargis was pretty damn good.  Very crowded on a Friday evening but one of our party knows the owner and we got 8 of us seated as reserved (not always the case, as I understand it).  All the food was above average, with special mention going to both the steamed and fried manti, with meat or pumpkin fillings.  Also the skewers of lamb and of chicken hearts.  And the salads.  I'm not a plov guy, but this version was good.  Would've liked to try more but we were all stuffed.  Looking forward to a return visit, although its really tough for me to not go to my favorite Turkish place, Taci's Beyti, when I'm in this area.