Gulzaar: San Jose Middle Eastern, Indo-Pak + Afghan Mish-Mash

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Restaurant Sign San Jose

Don’t let Gulzaar‘s worn look dissuade you. This is indeed a House of Full Flavor in West San Jose. A native South African opened the restaurant in 2007, featuring Halal Pakistani cuisine. In 2012, Najib Khairy and his family, who hail from Kabul, Afghanistan, took over for their restaurateur friend. The result is a surprising culinary amalgam, the type of which is only possible in a cultural crossroads like California. Somehow, the Indo-Pak and Afghan mish-mash still works.


Restaurant San Jose
The small storefront features layered white and green walls decorated with hand-painted roses, arched doors and mirrors, green clothed tables, and a sign announcing Gulzaar as “House of Full Flavor.” Photos help to illustrate the restaurant’s often disparate dishes.

Afghan Food San Jose
Mixed Plate ($10.99) combines supple beef kebab with chapli kebab, a ground beef patty flecked with onion and pepper. The base consisted of flavorful biryani tossed with fried shallot, saffron, lentils. Masala spices bring heat, and tangy yogurt mint chutney helps cool your palate.

Afghan Food San Jose
Chicken Samosa ($2.95) contained ground, herb-flecked white meat. The crisp sheathes weren’t greasy, and dipped readily in spicy tomato sauce.

Najib Khairy hopes to sell his family’s samosas at Whole Foods. For now, enjoy them (and more) at Gulzaar.

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Joshua Lurie

Joshua Lurie founded FoodGPS in 2005. Read about him here.

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