Restaurant search site for food minorities

Supervisor / Recommender

Takako Doki

General Incorporated Association Japan Halal Business Association Secretariat Public Relations / Director

Click here for introduction

I am currently working as an editor. However, I experienced working as a cook in restrunts, hospitals, and catering industry. Looking back now, I was connected to the Idea of Hala, since then.
At one point, few decades ago, I worked in a cafeteria at an auction site. More than 60% of the visitors to the venue were foreigners, including many Muslims (There were mosque in the venue as well). I remember many people asked me about the food we serve, the types of meat and whether they are Hala qualified.
At a certain time, the cafeteria becomes lively like a festival. Because the Indian restaurant next door to the venue served food for free. Indian dish, such as biryani, curry and sweet drinks were served to the visitors. Over 100 foreigners dressed in red turbans, garabayas and folk costumes gathered in the cafeteria, and everyone had a great time surrounding the same table. Now I learned about Muslim culture, it was a fast-starting Iftar.
Also, I remember that many participants were only eating curry from the Indian restrunt, eventhough there were choices of other food. As I study about Halal, I learned that they did not chose to eat curry, but they did not have a choise. I personally think that they wanted to try some of the Japanese food, if they had a chose. I still regret that moment, when I could not do anything because of the lack of information. “Inconvenience” of food is quite different based on their cultural background, and therefore, I understand now, that it is crucial to create an environment where all people can enjoy delicious meal, regardless of their backgrounds.

In Japan, Halal food is still a minority. Many people from Muslim background visit Japan, but they fell enconvininet about it. Japan Halal Business Association advocates in the halal business: HAVO (Halal, Organic, Vegetarian, Allergy).
The idea is to aim to create products and services that many people can eat and use, regardless of their religion and various backgrounds.
Seeking for delicious, safe and secure meal is commonly shared through the nations. The time demand us to find new ways of living that transcend borders and religions. We hope that Halal will help eliminate food inconvenience and contribute to the harmony of the world where you can respect, coexist, and co-prosper with a more liberal idea to eating and enjoying food.

Enjoy the taste of a skilled chef who has studied at a first-class luxury hotel in Urumqi

Silk Road Tarim Uighur Restaurant is a long-established Uighur restaurant in Tokyo that opened in 2010.

Silk-Road Tarim Uighur Restaurant

Uighur cuisine originated in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region in northwestern China. There are many Muslims around this area, so halal ingredients are used for cooking.
It is said that wheat dishes such as bread, noodles, and also spices that can be preserved for long time, have been developed along the Silk Road. This region was also suitable for wheat cultivation because it is dry and had less rain with many deserts surrounding the area.

At the Silk Road Tarim Uighur Restaurant, you can enjoy the authentic taste created by a veteran chef who has studied at a first-class luxury hotel in Urumqi. The hand-rolled noodles, which are stretched while being beaten by the traditional method, are fascinating with their vivid handling.

Handmade noodles

If you visit here, you definitely want to eat “Talim Laghman,” a signboard menu where the chef makes noodles by hand after receiving an order.
Plenty of tomato-based sauce with lamb and vegetables on top of strong udon-like noodles! The soft flavored lamb and crispy vegetables are exquisitely entwined with noodles and tomato sauce.
The Uighurs have a nomadic history and often use sheep meat in home cooking. Only Genghis Khan can be thought of as a typical sheep dish in Japan, but here you can enjoy a wide variety of delicious sheep dishes from the tongue to the internal organs of the sheep.

Talim special ankake noodles (Talim rugmen)

This is the classic dish “Shishikawapu,” which is made by soaking lamb meat with secret spices and grilling it on skewers. Juicy lamb and gravy with a scent of cumin and chili spread throughout your mouth, making it an addictive and essential dish that you can eat as many as you like.

Lamb skewers (Shishikawapu)

Muslims don’t drink alcohol, but Uighur food matches and has an excellent combination with beer because of its moderately thick, spicy, and sour taste.

This is “Tugire,” a dumpling made from minced sheep. All the skins are handmade without using commercial products. It’s light because it contains plenty of leeks.
We also recommend the stir-fried lamb’s stomach, “Kerin Colmis,” which contains parts such as reticle.

Sheep dumplings (Tugire)

Stir-fried lamb stomach (Kerin Colmis)

The owner, SIRAJIDIN KERIM-san, came to Japan as an international student. After that, with the desire to spread Uighur culture to Japanese society, he established a company and opened the Silk Road Tarim Uighur Restaurant.

At first, many people didn’t know about halal and Uighurs, so they held study sessions at restaurants.
They will continue to contribute to the exchange between Uighurs, Japan, and the world through “food.” The restaurant name Tarim is derived from the mother river “Tarim River” that flows through the Taklimakan Desert in Uighur.

The intersection of the historic ancient Silk Road, the mysterious charm of Uighur cuisine.

Uighur dishes include dumplings, stir-fried dishes, noodle dishes, etc., which seem to have a similar taste like Chinese food. While chai, lamb skewers, pilaf, etc. have tastes close to neighboring countries such as the Middle East and Uzbekistan, from Silk Road.
It may be a feature of Uighur cuisine, having various influences from surrounding countries.
It is said that Uighur dishes have the roots of wheat dishes that are eaten in the world such as pasta, ramen, and udon noodles. Although it is unique, it has a taste that is familiar and nostalgic to the Japanese mouth.

This is a spicy stir-fried chicken. Ingredients are bone-in chicken with potatoes and peppers, original spices and peppers, star anise, cinnamon, Japanese pepper, etc.

Spicy stir-fried chicken

It is a spicy dish with a lot of red pepper, but it’s not only spicy, but the umami and richness that comes out of the chopped meat is excellent. I eat this soup with kishimen.

Handmade kishimen

The chewy kishimen is also handmade. The delicious freshly boiled and freshly beaten noodles only use wheat, salt, and water.
Even in Tokyo, where you can eat food from around the world, Uighur restaurants are rare. By all means, please enjoy delicious Uighur cuisine while thinking about the eternal history of the Silk Road.

「 Silk Road Tarim Uighur Restaurant」Basic information

Store name	Silk Road Tarim Uighur Restaurant
Tel	03-6276-7799
Address	3-15-8 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Nishi-Shinjuku Bar Building 1st floor
Business hours	Weekdays 17:00 ～ 24:00 Sat/Sun/Holi 12:00 ～ 24:00
Holiday	Mondays
Budget	3,000~5,000yen
Payment method	Credit Card Available
Parking Lot	N/A
Language	Japanese / Chinese / Uighur
Advance reservation
Cooking description	All halal meal Uighur restaurant
Note	5 minutes walk from Hatsudai Station on the Keio New Line, 10 minutes walk from the South Exit of JR Shinjuku Station. 40 seats in total
Store HP