***UPDATE NOW CLOSED for business******Cafe Chenar is a small casual restaurant in North Phoenix that serves Bukharian (also spelled Bukharean) Cuisine. You might be wondering WTFork is Bukharian Cusine. To sum things up as simple as possible Bukharian Cuisine is a kosher offshoot of pan-central Asian Cooking with influences from Russian, Muslim, Uzbek and Korean Cooking. Cafe Chenar serves grilled kababs, meat pies, potato pies, assorted dumplings, soups, salads, vegetable plates and more! On my most recent visit they also offer specials of the day!

This restaurant has been featured a few times in our local paper the Arizona Republic and has been named a top 10 best new restaurant of the year for metro Phoenix. Cafe Chenar has also been featured in the Phoenix New Times and Phoenix Magazine.

Take a peek!

Inside is small but clean and neat.

The walls are textured tiles that are more colorful than my photo shows. My photos don’t catch the rhinestone embellished light fixtures either.

Bright light comes threw from the window front. Since I took this photo they’ve added two outdoor tables.

This is an alcohol free restaurant. The beverages are coke products, Snapple and hot tea. Today I tried the hot tea.

The Hot Tea set up is quite pretty isn’t it!

Today we shared three plates that I haven’t tried before.

We shared Hanum.

It’s a very large steamed pasta roll that is stuffed with potatoes and onions and is also topped with chunky fresh tasting tomato sauce. In the center of the roll is a almost salsa-like condiment. It’s tasty and different. It’s seasoned nicely.

Next was Chuchuara.

My husband really loves this one….It’s pan fried beef stuffed pelmeni with onions. My husband calls this plate beef tortellini after I got full my husband goes to finish off the “tortellini.” (wink!)

Went for one of the chalk board specials and tried the stuffed cabbage rolls.

These are the most tender light cabbage rolls that I have ever tried……The cabbage just melts in the mouth….The beef is very light and extra tender similar to being cooked in a sous vide water oven. it’s mixed with rice and some potato. These are so light and easy to inhale. DANG these cabbage rolls almost dissolve in your mouth like cotton candy. The seasoning is absolutely perfect. These are the best cabbage rolls that I have ever had…..

Just like my past visits we had yummy extras to bring home.

Summing up past plates I’ve tried.

Piroshki and Belyash – potato and beef pastries

Very Gingery Kimchi

Chicken, Lulya (seasoned ground beef) Kababs (we also tried sea bass)

Fatir Bread – Onion Bread (GIANT PORTION very delicious)

Markov – Russian/Korean Carrot Salad

Pelmeni Soup – Beef Dumpling Vegetable Soup

Crusty Lepyoshka Bread

Plov – Russian Beef and Chicken Vegetable Rice Stew

Every dish we tried was fresh tasting, delicious, perfectly seasoned and well prepared. Service on all visits was helpful and efficient.

I have to say Cafe Chenar is Worth a Fork!

You might want to give Cafe Chenar a try but you need to check hours as they differ from most other restaurants. it’s best to call first because they might be closed for a holiday that you don’t know of. 602-354-4505

I haven’t found a website for Cafe Chenar but they are on Facebook.

******UPDATE NOW CLOSED for business *****

Every thing is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

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