Houston food tour starts with a bang! Silver spoon chicken roll - 👍 Beef dhaga kabab - 👎 Nihari - 👍 Naan - 👍 I finally made it to Ashar’s Kitchen in Houston after much anticipation. Traveling 1000 miles for a Houston food tour, this was my first stop (and also my 10th, see below), and I was not disappointed. The moment I walked in, Ghazala greeted us immediately, making sure to take our order efficiently. The other staff was plentiful and prompt as well. The no-nonsense menu offered a satisfying variety without overwhelming choices. Our food arrived within 12-15 minutes, beautifully presented with the same attentive service. The Silver Spoon chicken kabab roll was a standout - it reminded me of the ones from Karachi, matching every detail down to the wax paper wrapping. The flavors were exquisite, from the first bite to the last. The beef dhaga kabab, though not exceptional, was decent, while the Nihari, a king of beef gravy dishes, impressed with its generous portion size. The naans were a delightful accompaniment, incredibly fresh and soft. It was a fantastic start to our Houston food tour, offering authentic Karachi taste that's a must-visit. The decor was pleasing, the tables and utensils were clean, and the presence of chafing dishes at the table to keep food warm was a thoughtful touch. The abundance of attentive staff made the experience even better. I'm looking forward to exploring their weekend brunch buffet if time allows. Whether you’re a local or a traveler, seeking exquisite Pakistani (Karachi) taste, this place deserves a spot on your culinary journey. UPDATE: Chicken biryani - 👎 Chicken boti - 👎 Silver spoon beef roll - 👎 We returned to Ashar’s kitchen once more making it (our first and also) our 10th stop on a continued Houston food tour in an effort to explore more of the menu. This time around, however, the items we selected didn’t work out so well. The chicken biryani (on the bone) did not have the authentic biryani aroma and the taste was lacking compared to what we were anticipating. The portion size was good and the meat was fresh and not overly dry, but missing the true biryani taste did not win us over. We also tried the tandoori chicken boti, which are boneless cubes of chicken breast bar-b-q’d in a clay oven. You get 6 decent size pieces to an order and they fittingly looked the part - orange, a little moist, and slightly charred - just as expected. But again, the taste was a letdown. It’s not that it tasted bad, but it didn’t create any wow! We also ordered the silver spoon beef kabab roll. Given how delicious the chicken kabab roll was on our previous visit, we were confident this would be the star of the meal tonight. Unfortunately, we were wrong. Perhaps the previous meal set the bar so high that we set ourselves up to be disappointed or perhaps the reality is that not all items on the menu can be excellent. This doesn’t mean we will give up on Ashar’s. There’s so much more to try. On Tuesday’s they have BBQ night (buffet), on Wednesday’s they have Nihari night (buffet) and on Sunday’s they sever their famous brunch. All of which we want to try.