The owners of Halal Kabab Express know how tedious it can be to find affordable yet authentic Persian food in Manila. As such, they came up with authentic Halal Persian food at mid-range prices without compromising the authenticity of the food!
Halal Kabab Express aims to provide foodies with authentic Halal Persian food at reasonable prices. Before I forget: the word “Express” in their name isn’t there for decoration. You get your food served relatively fast just like in fast food joints, hence the name Halal Kabab Express! I also mean it when I say the food is authentic! They import all of their spices from Iran, so they don’t compromise the taste of the food.
To be honest, I was a bit reluctant about the taste of the food since the prices were unbelievable. When the food was served, I became all the more skeptical because the serving size looked like it was good enough for 2 people. The presentation was also on point and you’ll notice that they don’t scrimp on any ingredients.
For starters, we had the Chelo Jujeh Kabab, Chicken Barbecue with Saffron, Grilled Tomato and Persian rice. Don’t be fooled, though. While the description will make it seem like you will only get a handful of items on your plate, you will be amazed once the dish is served.
The chicken is grilled to perfection, and isn’t tough or dry at all (which is usually my problem when it comes to Persian food). The rice on its own also speaks wonders! My usual Persian rice is just plain Basmati rice topped with butter; but their rice, on the other hand, beams with different flavors and spices. I was trying to identify each one, but eventually gave up because I just wanted to enjoy the food.
(Chelo Jujeh Kabab – P179)
Our second course was the Kabab Kubideh Wrap. After having rice, we wanted something a bit lighter, so we could ease into rice again, lol. It’s made of Beef Kabab, Tomato and Onion. For the price, this wrap is well worth the price. It’s also the perfect meal if for someone who’s always on the go.
(Kabab Kubideh Wrap – P99)
Our last meal was the Chelo Kabab Kubideh or Beef Kabab with Grilled tomato and Persian rice. I made sure I tried this last because I’m very fond of Chelo Kabab. The Chef mentions that if you eat Chelo Kabab with pure beef, though, you have to make sure you eat it as soon as it’s served because it gets drier the longer you let the meat sit.
We were also informed that some Chelo Kababs may still look juicy even after a while because they are actually not made of pure beef, but have pork and extenders in it. This would make it non-halal food.
(Chelo Kabab Kubideh – P179)
To complement our meal, we had a Lassi, a Yogurt Drink in Plain and Rose Water. I’ve had a couple of favorite yogurt drinks in the past, but their plain yogurt drink is a revelation. It is sweet, tangy and refreshing. The Rose Water Yogurt, on the other hand, gave me butterflies on my tongue (is there such thing?). I hadn’t had any rose water-flavored drink before and I was surprised that it tasted so invigorating.
(Lassi/Yogurt Drink – P70)
Overall, Halal Kabab Express offers an awesome dining experience. It’s the first of its kind that offers affordable and authentic Persian food that’s also Halal! I was so overwhelmed with the serving sizes, I still can’t stop raving about them. I can usually take on a lot of food; but admittedly, I was unable to finish the whole plate—which is kind of sad since I really enjoyed the flavors.
So, the next time you’re in QC and looking for affordable, authentic Halal Persian food; make sure you drop by Halal Kabab Express! They also have a branch over at the all-out-popular food park–The Yard.
Halal Kabab Express
Unit J 6, Park 9 Alley Street Corner Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City
https://www.facebook.com/Halal-Kabab-Express-950515041708412/
