Review Dolan Uyghur Restaurant - Melbourne

The place is outstanding. It is perfect for family or couple, as well with the friends. If you love a spicy food, this restaurant is perfect. But, it is too spicy for a normal people. They have $3 yoghurt that quite okay, and the lamb is delicious. Even though some of the foods are not very familiar to the preference, but you still can find a fantastic food here. And, mostly, it is halal!

Best Uighur restaurant. We have been eating here for over a decade and the food is always delicious. I highly recommend for an authentic Uighur dining experience. The chef is amazing!. Very friendly staff and great service. Good prices too!

Authentic xinjiang food, must try the handmade noodles and lamb skewers. Great flavours and nice atmosphere for a family dinner.

Lamb skewers were delicious & the handmade flat noodles were very nice too

Best restaurant in the whole of Australia, I’d eat the lamb skewers as my last meal. Dine in is better than takeaway, and the noodles #12 is my favourite noodles in Melbourne. SO WORTH IT! I’ve taken friends and family there and they love it too, but not as much as me! Cannot express how good the food is.

Bought take away. Lamb skewers were really good! We bought 4 skewers but it was about 10 pieces so it didn’t add up. Rice was really nice with the lamb. The bread was really dry and had a stale taste to it. Felt overpriced for $30

probably one of the best spicy lamb skewers around! cooked on charcoal the lamb skewers are juicy, sweet, smokey, and we seasoned! these are mouth watering! they also make real good handmade noodles too! definitely try them out! they are a cash only - they used to take card but not sure what happened it is located upstairs, only stairs available, which means they do not facilitate well for those who are physically handicapped

Location is next to Springvale Metro. I am rating 2 star mainly because of the service. From cutlery to water each item we requested personally to bring on the table. I went their with my friends and when asked for a plate the hotel owner suggested you guys are friends come on you can eat from the serving plate together directly. Like seriously this is what you suggest to your customers. At the end when we were not able to finish the food we requested for take away boxes. First time i was charged even for take away boxes 🙂. Anyway I can't complain about it but I wanted to mention.

We really love coming to Dolan for fresh, homemade noodles. The service is very Chinese, as is the decor. We come here solely for the food & the serves are so big we always end up taking some home with us. Great value & great food.

Very unsatisfactory experience this time. Been here many times in last few years, but this time is different . The noodles in chicken is not very tasty. Yogurt is also not the flavour as before and smaller size.

The food was good (will give it 3.5/5), but the attitude of the waitress was soooo rude!!!!<br/>All the food that we ordered was brought really late, and the waitress literally threw the take out container that we ordered!!!<br/><br/>Go to this location of Dolan Uyghur if you want to get treated with Racism!!!😡

Now they change the new tablecloth and feel clean then before a bit,but the lamb skewers and food not fresh and have a sour taste,we tell the staff but they don’t answer me anymore,hope don’t happen next time......maybe no next time, I don’t want to come back again.

Decent food, not the best quality and service was subpar.<br/><br/>We went for a friends birthday, the ambience and service was off from the get go. There was no aircon so we were all sweating. We brought in a birthday cake to eat after our meal, but they wouldn't clean the table with all our dirty dishes and meat when I asked a few times if we could clear the table.<br/><br/>The food was alright - we had a stew with noodles, stirfried hand cut noodles, skewers and a lamb pie entree. The lamb pie smelt off , the other food was decent. Portions for the noodles were a bit small for the price. The skewers were very nice though!<br/><br/>The experience was mainly poor due to ambience and service.

I’ve visited this uyghur restaurant a few times and the last time was disgraceful. The whole restaurant smelled strange. Anyway we ordered after trying to get the waitresses attention. She was distracted on her phone it seemed. Then the chef or owner came in from outside. He went to the back and the food came out after some time. It was just ok. Seemed to be made without much care, messy plates served to us. While eating noticed the floors are dirty, tables sticky. Just looked like nobody has cleaned the place in a while. When we finished went to the rest rooms. OMG filth. Looked like they had not been cleaned. Entire restaurant has gone down hill so won’t risk going back again.

Succulent lamb skewer and deep fried ribs- worth a try for those who love the game taste. Food portion is generous and will fill your stomach up. Restaurant is located upstairs and very spacious. Service is mediocre. Once in a while I’ll come back and indulge myself with their special handmade noodles with boneless chicken pieces.<br/><br/>Taste: 3.5<br/>Aesthetics: 3<br/>Service: 2<br/>Ambience: 2

I know that Dolan is very famous for its delicious menu so we tried once in Springvale. Sadly speaking, I do not think food is so extraordinary liked people say. I mean noodles r chewy and yummy, but the taste is quite similar to the Xinjiang Restaurant in Carnegie. Nothing much special. Regarding the service, I agree with some other reviews. Staff seemed too busy to serve unless we went to the counter. However, the place was quite empty at that time. What a pity.

Food here is full of flavour and so flavoursome. The spices are so vibrant! The noodles were full of flavour and a good hit of chilli. Lamb skewers well cooked and also had a good flavour. Slowly becoming a fan of Uyghur Cuisine.

Looking at the reviews, I decided to try this place. It was NOT a good idea. The appearance is not appealing. The restaurant, which is big, was almost empty.  The service is pathetic:  one has to call the waiting staff at least 3 times, they will not even come and take an order. It gets worse with food: meat as dry and tough as it can be, fish still half frozen served with an unbelievably hot sauce dripping over the edge of the serving plate...and TOTALLY OVERPRICED for what one gets. Never again.

waited 40 minutes for our first dish，after 1 and half hour，we were still waiting for two more dishes to come. Charged us $3 more at the end. Will never will be going again

Our group of 3 had a very satisfying lunch here. We ordered the Mung bean noodles, the crispy cumin lamb ribs, the stirfried handpicked lamb noodles, dry fried green beans and their yogurt. <br/><br/>The highlights were the dry-fried green beans and the ribs which were delicious when accompanied by white rice.

First time we've been here. Venue is nice. Staff were pretty nice, not rude or anything.<br/><br/>We ordered the "chicken pieces" with vegetables and noodles with sauce, lamb skewers, fried potato and crispy chicken, steamed pancakes and Turkish bread. As a drink I had the yoghurt.<br/>The lamb skewers were amazing. They were very tender and quite tasty but lacked a bit of a spice hit for me. Loved them though regardless.<br/>The fried potato and crispy chicken dish was okay.<br/>Steamed pancakes were nice.<br/>Chicken tasted re-fried but potatoes were nice.<br/>Turkish bread was tough and tasted stale.<br/><br/>Now the "chicken pieces" dish we ordered. It comes with sauce, some veggies (capsicums, potatoes) and (homemade?) noodles. The chicken we had was terrible. The skin was very bitey and extremely rubbery. The meat was dark and tough as anything. It felt like a dish that they just reheated in the microwave upon order. Very disappointing dish.<br/><br/>Prices are not the worst; we paid 80 for 3 people, but it is higher than we had expected compared to Dandenong.<br/><br/>2.5/5 max. Not sure we will be returning to this restaurant.<br/><br/>

First try at Uyghur cuisine. Had the Qanalgan Korma Lagmeni/Ding Ding Chao Mian (noodles) and Dolan Exotic Lamb Skewers.<br/><br/>Usually I try to stay away from lamb because of the smell, but I have to say the lamb here doesn't have that smell (probably 96% as I was subconsciously thinking about it). Instead, the lamb skewer was super tender and delicious!<br/><br/>The noodles came in a generous portion with finely cut lamb meat and vegetables (you may also get it with beef or chicken). It's more of a wet sauce type of noodle and was very flavourful, the texture of the noodle itself is also just right. For me I personally dislike celery and the dish is cooked with a lot of it, it's also hard to pick it out as it's finely cut.<br/><br/>Should I get it again next time I would request it without celery and I'll enjoy it more.

One of the few Chinese restaurants that serve halal food. They have other branches including the CBD. The food is great, noodles are spot on in terms of chewiness and flavour. The lamb skewers are soft and juicy. Highly recommended for anyone looking for Chinese Halal food.<br/>

If you like fresh noodles and authentic Xinjiang food check this place out. Reminds me of all the tiny little eateries in China which fresh noodles. There’s a few good vegan options and the staff are willing to modify dishes. I’ve been back a few times now. If you’re in the area check it out!

One of those experimental cuisine options, they are halal which is another reason to visit! So they are Chinese provincial cuisine and very spicy and hot food. Generous servings!

I'm a very tough rater so if you looking for good authentic Chinese food then this place is one of the best in Springvale. Not for the type who want the western Chinese dishes like beef black bean and sweet sour pork

Delicious lamb skewers and tasty noodle dishes makes this place one of my favourites in Springvale. With Springvale being littered with Vietnamese, Chinese, Cambodian and Thai cuisine Uygher offers a lovey alternative. The lamb skewers are mildly spiced and smokey on flavour, we usually buy pancakes and wrap them up to be more gluttonous. The noodles chilli are chewy and add a slowy intense burn that leaves you salivating but going back for more.The ambiance leaves a lot to be desired and is very dated but the food does is a great distraction. Service is decent when the restaurant is quiet however can become a little trying during busier hours.

Im in love with uyghur food! I tried this restaurant first time in box hill and tonight we decided to try the springvale branch, and its also good.<br/>Ordered quite a few dishes and mostly taste nice, only 2 negative was the food was oily and the mince with wrap, the wrap was sandy. But taste wise and quality&quantity of the food was good. Service was good too, the waitress with long black and blue hair recomended us one noodle dish that we love so much. Overall happy and will be back.

good value for lunch, but food maybe slight oily for some people, but it was suit my taste buds. Service was ok, love their homemade yogurt, so yummy

The food taste great... a lil oily. But i didnt care coz it went very together despite being oily... do you get what i mean? ☺ <br/>The portions are really huge! Cant ever finish it off.<br/>They make handmade noodles, which are soooo tasty!! I would also recommend the yoghurt drink☺ <br/>A lil note, on the menu where it says spicy, they mean spicy! Dont underestimate them☺

We ordered the lamb & bread and spicy noodles with chicken&celery. The lamb tasted like it's been boiled separately and served with some gravy with flavors that don't really match. The cuts of the lamb are pretty bad and the bread pieces were cold. When the noodles got served, I was shocked as it was sitting on red oily grease.  It has coriander instead of celery in it and there were only a few small pieces of chicken. The noodles does not taste spicy but salty with hints of vinegar. I couldn't eat much of the food and ended up paying $40+. I am really surprised that this place got such good ratings.

Dolan is actually not too bad. They serve up decent traditional Uyghur food, and have outlets in the CBD and in Box Hill (iirc).<br/><br/>The lamb skewer are tasty, as are the chicken on flat noodles. The meat buns are also a good choice. Wash it all down with the home-made yoghurt drink. Would rate it higher, if not for the OTHER Uyghur restaurant on Springvale Road that is much yummier.

Love this place the lamb dishes are all excellent and staff always friendly. The city venue is usually a little better then Springvale but both still very good

Everything we ordered was really delicious, will definitely come back for more!! The lamb skewers is a must try! Portion size quite big and we had to take away at the end.

*** Updated 06/12/16 ***<br/>Came back here and had a much better experience. Naturally got the noodles again as they're always a winner--chewy, flavoursome and different to other more mainstream Asian cuisines. Skewers, once again, can't go wrong. These were even better than the last time. Tender, charred and well seasoned. Only thing was that this time there were a few too many parts that were just fat or gristle. Tried those epic looking beef ribs this time and enjoyed them. I was looking for a tastier, richer flavour than what I got, but there was a nice balance to it, and the meat wasn't dry. The cold beef tongue salad was pretty good, though I couldn't eat too much of it, especially after all the hot, richer, meaty food. Good for a bit of a starter. The "tatlik yangyu kormisi"--stir fried honey potatoes was an interesting one. Fried potatoes with a crispy candied coating. Would have been more enjoyable without the extra sweetness from the sugar they sprinkle over them. So far the classics here are great, but the more exotic and uncommon dishes are harder to reconcile with or have elements that don't sit right with me. I will still continue to try them out since the menu is very big. I must say that the drinking yoghurt is also pretty yummy. Basically a lassi type drink.<br/><br/>******<br/><br/>Definitely need to come back here. Only two out of the five dishes ordered were nice in my opinion, although my friends were a little more generous with the ones that weren't. However, it was my blunder for choosing poorly from the menu. The menu is extensive and I know from the experiences of others, and from the dishes other tables were ordering, that there is way better dishes to eat there. Pretty epic looking ones I might add. The dishes i would recommend from what we had were the lamb skewers and the first noodle dish on the menu. The noodles were fresh and great texture. Not as chewy as the one I had at Bugda previously. I recommend you stay away from the beef balls as they are very salty and not juicy at all. In addition, the belik goshi kormisi was huge, but terrible. battered fish went horribly with the sauce and the sauce itself lacked flavour. Also ended up with loads of soggy batter that was very unappetising. Lastly the salad was ok but way too powerfully oniony.<br/>Like I said though, a few bad choices on my part. This review will receive a much deserved update soon

Here is a culinary experience with flavors influenced by Ancient kingdoms and civilizations ranging from Indo-European to Middle Eastern to Asian Cuisine. Simple decor, spacious venue with wall paintings depicting scenes from the homeland. Dishes include dumplings, flat meat pie, meat skewers, stir fries (with or without sauces), rice, soups and sea food dishes. Fresh and simple salads are dressed in the best salad dressings and are addictive. The flavors range from mild to spicy dishes. A favorite dish of mine is the egg plant stir fry and all the hand made noodle dishes are amazing! The spices I sense are chilies and peppers but the warmth of the spicy flavors I believe comes from cumin. Home made quality cooking with tasty and complex flavors.

Can't recommend this place enough. The stir fry noodles (I think number 8 on the menu) and the Crispy Cumin Lamb & Potatoes are two dishes I can't go more than a week without eating. The menu can be hard to navigate but it's well worth it, the flavours and quality are very hard to find. Such a unique cuisine with delicious hand-drawn noodles and tasty lamb!

Rich and delicious flavors, a combination of Turkish and Chinese cuisine, pretty unique menu. Handmade noodles and spicy kebabs just wow. Food can be a bit oily but you can always wash it down with their sweet curd drink. Love this place.

Wow, just wow. Handmade noodles, lamb kebab, shredded potato, minced lamb in crepes... This cuisine is just amazing. Well balanced, spicy (but not too spicy) and super tasty! It is very oily, but great if you're not on a diet! Highly recommend! 9/10

Meals came out at different times which made for an awkward night. Lamb Skewers were really dry. Service was really pushy and more interested in getting more people in the door.

Rich delicious flavours unlike anything else. This restaurant has served some of the tastiest food that I have ever eaten. Beware of the gutsy 'random meat' dishes if you're squeamish (like me), such as tripe etc. Nonetheless, some fantastic options. The handmade thick noodles are to die for, and typically come served with tender meat and a very nice sauce. The Uyghur salad is seemingly simple, with onions, cucumbers and tomatoes but is so deliciously crunchy with a fabulous dressing. A great way to break through the strong flavours in the other dishes. Definitely not a fine dining restaurant but who cares when the food is this good!<br/><br/>Just to keep in mind with this restaurant: Try to avoid coming in a large group as the food comes out in patches and you will be waiting for quite some time if you ordered a number of dishes. From my five or so visits with a large group to this restaurant, each and every single time the service was disappointing. Come in a group of 2-4 and you're set!<br/><br/>Highly recommended dishes: 8 (handmade noodles with chilli and lamb), 38 (Uyghur salad - cucumber, tomato, onion), 74 (tomato paste potato and chicken). This will be sufficient for 2. The lamb skewers are highly regarded also.

Not as good as the Melbourne CBD branch. * Waitress are quite rude and abrupt<br/>* The dry chilli noodles taste quite different as compared to the Melbourne CBD branch<br/>* Overall the food quality is not that great. <br/>* Not a great meal overall.

Tasty pie!. Got the Uyghur lamb pie, which was kind a cross between pie and a big scallion pancake thing, filled with lamb. The pastry wasn't too oily but crispy, tasty, quite chewy. The surroundings were interesting. Am keen to try out more traditional Uyghur dishes/Xinjiang cuisine!

Have been there twice. Very authentic Uyghur food. Highly recommended...

Food was meh. Average, to be honest. We ordered lamb skewers, lamb ribs, lamb with xinjiang bread and the big chicken dish, tasted all like one dish. Not going back again, waste of money and time.

Not so good. Quite disappointed. The lamb skewers were small and fatty barely any decent meat. The noodles we ordered came out soggy, when we asked kitchen about it they took it back but returned the same soggy noddles. <br/>not going back again, sticking to the restaurant in dandenong instead.

Not same as it used to be. We used to love this place, portion sizes were generous and plenty of meat. However, recently portion sizes started to get smaller and smaller and they put much less meat...

Get it into ya. Bloody great lamb and pies, exotic flavours with a touch of home. Although I did notice they've got Chinese New Year on the 26th of January this year, bit cheeky guys...

Yummy. Very tasty home made Noodles with sliced beef. Must try!<br/>serving sizes are huge though!

Really big dishes, busy place, great taste!

Great Noodles. If you want to try some delicious home styled noodles this is the place to go, hands down the best noodles I have ever had, they are huge in portion size and great value for money, this is a guilty pleasure this place. You do notice the amount of oil used, so be warned you shouldn't eat it too often, but the noodles with sliced Lamb / Beef and mixed vegetables are simply awesome.<br/>I would stay away from the kababs skewers though... seem to be mostly fat and have very little meat on them.

Slow service. Service may be slow and disorganized on busy nights, but the food is good.<br/><br/><br/>-----01 Sep, 2013-----<br/><br/>Soft & spicy. Beancurd is smooth & soft. Sauce is spicy and perfect when eaten with the 馒头 buns.<br/><br/><br/>-----01 Sep, 2013-----<br/><br/>Soft & fragrant. These buns are so soft and smell great, very good for dipping into sauces from other dishes.<br/><br/><br/>-----01 Sep, 2013-----<br/><br/>Fatty but nice. The meat is quite fatty, but the leaner bits are quite well seasoned, tasty without the usually strong lamb smell. Add chilli powder for spiciness.

THE BEST FOOD EVER!. I absolutely love this place! The place does not give justice to the food that is presented! The food is just amazing, even when your full you still want more! The best part is the lamb crispy ribs, omg they are just the most awesome tasting ribs ever! Can't wait to come back!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Would be even better without the MSG. Located just off Springvale Rd., it is pretty much in a car park.<br/>Initially when you walk in it looks kind of like storage of some kind. However, be brave and climb the stairs, which will lead to you a large room with a dance floor and big pictures of Asian landscapes and people dining on rugs.<br/><br/>We arrived here on a Saturday afternoon for lunch. It smelt of chilli in the air. The were not many people and a lone waitress to look after the few occupied tables.<br/> <br/>The menu was vast, which made it difficult to decide what to eat. For those unfamiliar with this cuisine, it is like a mix between Sichuan and Turkish.<br/>We finally deliberated, and ordered:<br/>1. Samsa (baked little pies with mince lamb and onion)<br/>2. Banshir (boiled dumplings with mince lamb and veggies)<br/>3. Zih Kewap (lamb skewers)<br/>4. Aqqik Lagmeni (Stir-fried handmade noodles with lamb slices and chilli)<br/><br/>We were told that our order would be served very quickly, but we were waiting for a good 15 minutes before we were served. <br/><br/>Samsa was not bad. The pastry was nice but it's not difficult to tell the the inside filling of the mince lamb is not of the highest quality, as it was quite fatty and smelt strong (but not off!). Having said this, they were quite juicy.<br/><br/>Banshir pastry was the same as the Samsa, however in a different shape (more so like dumplings you would find at Yum Cha). These were boiled and seemed plain. However, once a little vinegar was added, they were alright. The filling was similar to the Samsa, however a little minced ginger was added, which gave it a different flavour. Once again, quite fatty. <br/><br/>Lamb Skewers smelt fantastic! There were five in one serving and served on large metal skewers. <br/>These tasted like they had been cooked over charcoal, as they should. They had also been marinated well. However, the quality of the meat, once again, left much to be desired. After a mouth full of chewy gristle, I had enough.<br/><br/>Aqqik Lagmeni (noodles) were a glossy, generous portion, garnished with short stalks of spring onion (scallions/shallots). They had a red tinge to them due to the large quantity of chilli oil on top. <br/>The noodles themselves tasted like they were made from the same type of pastry as the first two dishes. They had a very pleasant texture and were cut so that dining is easier.<br/>The sauce was spicy! Think of Korean or Sichuan food - very spicy!! There was a lot of oil in this dish, far more than what you find in most Asian restaurants. It was also very salty, as though plenty of MSG was added. Otherwise, this would be a delicious dish.<br/><br/>Generally this cuisine is known to be at times heavy and fatty. As the portions are quite generous and the menu vast, it is good to come here in a group and share the dishes. While the complimentary tea here is fine, I recommend you bring another drink too. As you will need it!<br/><br/>In comparison to a fast food chain, just as fatty and heavy, but still worth a try for the experience. Be aware, drink plenty of water with the dishes, as some contain very high amounts of MSG!!

W8ing our orders for ages. Wasting<br/>Time.

I would say this restaurant cooks very authentic Uigur food. Especially the Lamb Kabarbs and noodles perfect! Strongly recommend! I would advise to go in off-peak day/time to get better service.

Nice handmade noodles. Went in for the first time. nice restuarant, but no aircon (a 30 deg day ). Food was nice. Kebab chicken was awesome. The best part was the handmade noodle with chilli chicken and potatoes.

AMAZING. This is one of the best Uyghur restaurants I've ever been to. The service is excellent, so helpful and friendly. The food is amazing, we had the big bowl chicken, lamb buns and spicy eggplant. Even on a 40 degree day it was still amazing.<br/>The restaurant even stayed open to wait for us to finish our meal even though they had already closed and didn't even usher us out.<br/><br/>100%!

Not good. Ordered lamb kebabs and there was no lamb on them just gristle fat. Discussing not one bit of meat on them. Told staff and they said that's how there meat is. So I said not paying for it as Its not edible and left. Never go back... Yuk!

A spicy dream!. The menu and prices are phenomenal! The portions are HUGE! Most of the food items on the menu are quite spicy, nevertheless the taste if mind blowing! The only downside is the service, the girls there need to learn some people skills and approach to customers!

KYRGYZ FOOD!!!. I love Uyghur Restaurants because they serve Kyrgyz food (I'm from Kyrgyzstan). There are 5-7 dishes in Uyghur cuisine that are the same as ours. And it is so awesome to be able to eat my food in Melbourne. For a strictly Kyrgyz dinner I recommend the following: Plov (Rice Dish with lamb), Gosh nan (pancake with Lamb mince), Shashlyk (Lamb kebabs), Lagman (hand made noodle with sauce - there are a few kinds, I can't remember which one exactly, but not the fried one), Manty (steamed meat buns), Shorpo (Lamb bone soup). By the way, the names are in Kyrgyz :-) They'll be called something else in the menu.<br/><br/>Enjoy your dinner!

Not bad. I really enjoyed this type of culture, The Dolan place was really good for their service but their food lacked originality as they all looked similar. i give the place a 6/10

Yummm!. My partner took me there for the first time 6 months ago, at first I saw the owner wearing a pair of tracksuit pants, and the place had rugs hanging on the walls.....BUT the food was amazing, I go back at least once a fortnight with my partner, worth the bad decor and tracksuits

Nicceee.... Its a heaven for Lamb lovers and it certainly doesn't disappoint with the veggie dishes either, we went in a large group and ate so much, couldn't believe it, every dish was nice and i can't wait to go back again!!

Very average place. We went there as a large group of 12 people so we ordered many different dishes. The dishes turned out to be almost identical. All of them have red and green capsicum, onion and some sort of meat. We all turned out to be disappointed also from the prices. Of the the prices of the dishes are excessively overpriced (over $50 for a dish). It was mutually agreed that its our last visit to that restaurant.

Really enjoyed it!. Enjoyed the ambience,food was delicious, very mpressed and will definitely return. --- with friends.

Great. First time I came here to eat with my family we ordered quite a lot of food, and we all got filled up pretty well. No doubt the food was different and at the same time delicious. Love the lamb skewers- hot,spicy and just cheap!

Favourite Food. I love this dishes, even though i can never remember the names, The lamb skewers though I have to say are my favourite, I just love how tender it is, and the flavour, I've never tasted it anything like it before. I have recomended heaps of my friends, any excuse to have dinner together, and they have taken their friends, and so far i have only heard good things about the food. It's making me hungry just by talking about it.

About dolan. I am Russian, i went to this resturant few times,food is lovely,its totalay different with chinese food,some food similar with russian and some similar with middle east also have some food similar with chinese.if you wanna visit lamb kebba must be your first chooice and spicy chicken small plate enough for 2-3 people.