Now Open: Royal Kabab King

Over the last two decades, I’ve seen more than a few queens tottering on high heels on the east-side stretch of 36th and Broadway. But kings? Not so many.

That all changed in June when Pakistani-born Sohail Anwar opened a new restaurant, Royal Kabab King, at 3623 Broadway in the former Cafe Tandoor space. You know, where Chubby’s used to be located. The menu isn’t all that different from Cafe Tandoor: traditional Pakistani, Indian and Afghani dishes and a nicely laden lunch buffet.

Sohail spent a lot of time and money cleaning the space up after taking occupancy last May. He repainted the two dining rooms, installed a new tile floor, and polished the place up until it literally gleams. It didn’t occur to him to do any marketing for his new business.

“Sohail is a terrific guy,” says his landlord, Greg Patterson. “But he thought that if he served a great product and just opened his doors, people would come.”

He’s still kind of waiting.