by Jacqueline Pennington

When the front-of-house space in City Kitch West became available, Rashad Pirmatov saw the opportunity to expand his growing business. Mazali has been operating as a ghost kitchen in City Kitch since April 2024 and is known for authentic Uzbek cuisine. Pirmatov prides himself on making the food fresh every day and serves dishes like plov (Uzbekistan’s national rice dish), samsa (savory filled pastries), and lagman (a handmade noodle dish). With the new space, Pirmatov can offer seating for customers to gather and watch the food come together in the open kitchen. “A lot of my customers are willing to have a seat and a restaurant kind of service,” says Pirmatov. “So, I decided, why not try?”

Customers can expect to experience new dishes now made possible with the additional kitchen space. Pirmatov is excited to offer authentic chicken and beef kebabs that will be available in sandwiches and wraps. He is also adding  desserts that include some of his family’s favorites, like apple pie à la mode and lava cake. 

As far as the ambiance goes, Pirmatov plans to make a few changes to align with his vision. “There will be a little change to the front where the counter is,” Pirmatov says. “We’ll be baking the bread and making the noodles right in front of the customers so they can see the process.” There will also be new decor to make the space feel more authentic to his Uzbek roots. He is also bringing in special dishware from Uzbekistan. 

Pirmatov hopes this change will be a launching pad for what will come next. “The main goal is to open a separate standing restaurant in the future, but this is the first step to that,” Pirmatov says. “We’ll work with our guests and introduce the way the Uzbek restaurant will work and we’ll see the demand. Hopefully, we’ll work on opening a separate space. We’re targeting the south Charlotte area, where our community is, for that.”

Mazali plans to transition to the new space over the coming weeks with a soft opening on October 20th and a grand opening on November 3rd. “I hope that Charlotte will love it and they will continue coming to our restaurant,” says Pirmatov. “And now, they can have a seat.” 

This story has been unlocked by The City Kitch. Paying to unlock a story offsets the subscription revenue we rely on to continue telling Charlotte’s food stories. Want to unlock a news story? Reach out to us.