Zareen's, Pakistani restaurant, to open in Palo Alto | Peninsula Foodist | Elena Kadvany | Mountain View Online |

Local Blogs

Peninsula Foodist

By Elena Kadvany

E-mail Elena Kadvany

About this blog: I am a perpetually hungry twenty-something journalist, born and raised in Menlo Park and currently working at the Palo Alto Weekly as education and youth staff writer. I graduated from USC with a major in Spanish and a minor in jo...  (More)

View all posts from Elena Kadvany

Zareen's, Pakistani restaurant, to open in Palo Alto

Uploaded: Jul 5, 2016
Zareen's, a contemporary Pakistani and Indian restaurant in Mountain View, will soon open a second location on California Avenue in Palo Alto, owner-namesake Zareen Khan confirmed.

Khan will open the new location at 365 California Ave., most recently the home of fast-casual chain Pizza Studio. Pizza Studio suddenly closed in January after about 15 months of operation.

Khan, who grew up in Karachi, Pakistan, decided to open another Zareen's not only because the very busy Mountain View restaurant is tiny — it seats only 15 inside — but also because it could be forced to close if the City of Mountain View approves LinkedIn's plans to build a massive 10-building campus at the Plymouth Drive site and surrounding area. Khan an wrote in an email that it's unclear when that might happen but that she "believe(s) they plan to tear down as soon as the city approves their plans for development there."


Zareen's owner Zareen Khan cooks chicken in the restaurant's kitchen in 2014. Photo by Natalia Nazarova/Palo Alto Weekly.

Zareen's serves traditional as well as more fusion-style Pakistani and Indian food, from samosas and kebabs to a Punjabi chicken burger with spicy fries. The Palo Alto restaurant will serve the same food, but more kitchen space will allow Khan to add more items to the menu, she said. View the existing menu here.


The grilled chicken boti meal and a mango lassi drink at Zareen's in Mountain View. Photo by Natalia Nazarova/Palo Alto Weekly.

Khan is hoping to be open in Palo Alto within a month or two. Stay tuned for an opening date.

In the meantime, get to know the menu better by reading this 2014 review of the Mountain View restaurant: Luscious kebabs, delicate curries
We can't do it without you.
Support local journalism.

Comments

 +   5 people like this
Posted by Saleha, a resident of Charleston Gardens,
on Jul 5, 2016 at 12:59 pm

Awesome, I hope they make Nihari !!!


 +   5 people like this
Posted by Cliff Doxson, a resident of Downtown North,
on Jul 5, 2016 at 3:13 pm

I've eaten twice at the Mountain View location, both times for lunch (when it can be a little crowded given the size of the place), and I've enjoyed both occasions.

I had the chicken burger the first time (excellent), and the vegetarian paneer tikka masala the second time (really good.)

I'd wanted to try their weekend brunch specials, but never found myself in that part of MV on the weekends. So the opening of a new place up here in PA is nothing but good news.

I hope they can keep both going, but if they can't, I hope the PA location becomes a full-fledged dine-in/dine-out restaurant in short order.


 +   7 people like this
Posted by john_alderman, a resident of Crescent Park,
on Jul 5, 2016 at 4:07 pm
john_alderman is a registered user.

Wow, that's good news for Cal Ave. Zareen's is great.


 +   8 people like this
Posted by JS, a resident of Fairmeadow,
on Jul 5, 2016 at 8:08 pm

So glad they're opening a larger restaurant. Their food is wonderful and the employees are welcoming and friendly as soon as you enter their current, tiny restaurant. What a great addition to California Avenue!


 +   2 people like this
Posted by when?, a resident of Evergreen Park,
on Jul 5, 2016 at 11:44 pm

Great news! Any idea when they'll open?


 +   17 people like this
Posted by Reader, a resident of another community,
on Jul 6, 2016 at 9:30 am

@when? (Evergreen Park):

The penultimate paragraph states: "Khan is hoping to be open in Palo Alto within a month or two. Stay tuned for an opening date."

That means no one, not even the owner knows for sure.

Better for them to be fully prepared for the opening rather than bungling it because they rushed their preparation & training.

My guess is that the opening also depends on a health department inspection as well that hasn't happened yet.


 +   7 people like this
Posted by mdg, a resident of another community,
on Jul 7, 2016 at 11:34 am

What an excellent addition to California Ave, and a huge improvement over Pizza Studio!


 +   3 people like this
Posted by john_alderman, a resident of Crescent Park,
on Jul 8, 2016 at 1:57 am
john_alderman is a registered user.

@ Reader - You also need to factor in the Palo Alto bureaucracy multiplier. Take a reasonable time estimate and add 6-8 months.


 +   1 person likes this
Posted by Reader, a resident of another community,
on Jul 8, 2016 at 7:45 am

@john_alderman:

Yes, you're right about the Palo Alto bureaucracy factor. I think she'd be lucky to open new her Palo Alto location in the first half of 2017.


 +   6 people like this
Posted by parent, a resident of Midtown,
on Jul 8, 2016 at 10:05 am

Great to see new family-friendly restaurants coming to Palo Alto. Most of the new downtown restaurants are too loud, crowded, and expensive for families. Looking forward to trying this place.


 +   2 people like this
Posted by SEA_SEELAM REDDY, a resident of College Terrace,
on Jul 9, 2016 at 3:55 pm
SEA_SEELAM REDDY is a registered user.

Looking forward to having a Pakistani restaurant.

Hope the prices are reasonable.

Hope they have good chicken kebob or keema with naan.


 +   3 people like this
Posted by Chrisc, a resident of College Terrace,
on Jul 9, 2016 at 11:28 pm

I ate Friday at Zareens, and was so excited to hear they would open on Cal Ave, blocks from my place. Their food is delicious. In my opinion. Palo Alto lacked really flavorful Induan food. They do have Nihari, @Saleha.


 +   1 person likes this
Posted by QB, a resident of Evergreen Park,
on Jul 27, 2016 at 9:53 pm

Oh do happy they are coming to Califirnia Ave. love their brunch menu. I hope they have their traditional breakfast menu in PA too.


 +  Like this comment
Posted by Freddy, a resident of Old Mountain View,
on Aug 4, 2016 at 9:16 am

Best of luck.


 +  Like this comment
Posted by umam, a resident of Barron Park,
on Sep 23, 2016 at 7:31 pm

Logam Besi
Bijih logam yang ditemukan dengan cara penambangan terlebih dahulu dilakukan proses pendahuluan sebelum diolah dalam dapur pengolahan logam dengan cara dipecah
Web Link Web Link


 +  Like this comment
Posted by umam, a resident of Greenmeadow,
on Sep 23, 2016 at 7:34 pm

mengeluarkan kotoran dan terakhir dikeringkan dengan cara dipanggang untuk mengeluarkan uap yang mengandung air. Web Link
Web Link


 +  Like this comment
Posted by Barron Park, a resident of Barron Park,
on Oct 5, 2016 at 1:46 pm

Happy that Zareens opened today on California Avenue in Palo Alto!!


 +   2 people like this
Posted by Woodsidian, a resident of Woodside,
on Dec 25, 2016 at 5:48 pm

We've eaten there a couple of times, food is great, ambiance & service excellent, plus each dish is specially prepared unlike most desi places where the same base curry is used for most dishes (have eaten at most Desi restaurants in South Bay and SF), highly reccomeded!!


 +   4 people like this
Posted by Carol reddy, a resident of College Terrace,
on Dec 25, 2016 at 6:17 pm

I love their lamb curry. Best of all, its BYOB. Bring your bottle and use their wine glasses :)


Sorry, but further commenting on this topic has been closed.

Don't be the last to know

Get the latest headlines sent straight to your inbox every day.

Top Blogs

First Sunnyvale, then Australia: Mountain View's Le Plonc plots expansion
By Elena Kadvany | 1 comment | 2,356 views

Juggling Renewables
By Sherry Listgarten | 24 comments | 1,770 views

Premarital and Couples: Living as Roommates?
By Chandrama Anderson | 2 comments | 1,333 views

Homestead Faire at Hidden Villa 4/27
By Laura Stec | 0 comments | 509 views

View all local blogs
 
Best of 2019

Best of Mountain View ballot is here

It's time to decide what local business is worthy of the title "Best Of Mountain View" — and you get to decide! Cast your ballot online. Voting ends May 27th. Stay tuned for the results in the July 19th issue of the Mountain View Voice.

VOTE HERE