New Restaurant Adds a Pinch of Culture to the Recipe

Pleasanton residents have a new place to enjoy savory spices in a down-home setting. And, no, we're not talking about barbeque.

Anarkalee, an organic Pakistani/Indian restaurant located off Rosewood Road in the Sports Chalet shopping center, serves authentic cuisine that packs a delicious punch, without putting a dent in your wallet.  

 "We take pride in our food quality because we use organic meat, it's fresh every day and never frozen," said Owner Moina Shaiq who, with her husband Mohammad, served corn-fed Chicken Boti , Seekh Kabab Mughali and Samosas at the grand opening of Anarkalee on Monday night.

After great success with their restaurant Shalimar in Sunnyvale, the Pakistani émigrés and Fremont residents opened Anarkalee with the intention of serving the ever-growing Pakistani and Indian population in the Tri-Valley. 

 "I'm not just here to have a business and come in the morning, run my show, and go back home.  I want to be involved in the community here," said Moina.

As a long-time community activist and founder of the nonprofit Muslim Support Network, Moina hopes to use her connections to establish Anarkalee as not only a restaurant, but a place for her community to congregate.

And at Monday's grand opening/ribbon cutting ceremony, several dozen members of the Pakistani and Indian community showed up in support of the new business with promises to bring more family and friends.

Among those in attendance was Mohammad Jawaid, a committee leader at the San Ramon Valley Islamic Center, who said Southeast Asians are taught to establish themselves in business.

"Build your business big or small and at least you'll be a part of the community," said Jawaid. "The community is very cohesive, so they will come."

It's this idea of self-sustaining community that has quelled some of  Shaiq's fears about starting a business, particularly in an industry with high overhead, in difficult economic times.

It hasn't been easy. The restaurant's the highest-priced item falls  just below $10.

 "Because of the economy being so sluggish, we don't want to raise our prices, we want to keep our prices as low as we can," said Moina. "But we want to keep our standard of service."

In that respect, Anarkalee is already a success. Shalimar has been Zagat rated for the past three years, and Anarkalee has been built around the same recipes in a slightly more upscale environment.

"If the food tonight was any indication, this is going to be a success," said Pleasanton Vice Mayor Jerry Thorne.

 Upon their opening, the Shaiqs received a certificate of congressional recognition from Congressman Jerry McNerney and a certificate of recognition from State Senator Ellen Corbett.

 "It's absolutely important that we support people who are willing to take the risk of opening a small business during this economic downturn," said Thorne over the phone. "I know I'll be back."

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Anarkalee is located at 4515 Rosewood Drive in Pleasanton, next to El Balazo. They are open seven days a week, serving lunch from 11 a.m. till 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11:30 – 3:30 p.m. on weekends. They are open for dinner from 5 p.m. until 10p.m.