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<strong>Rating: </strong>4/5
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Time Out says
Thu Aug 9 2012
Its pedigree may be glam (Ariana I is in Manhattan), but you’d never know it from this cosy little local fronting the Kilburn High Road. Behind the plate-glass window, Afghan tassels and framed photos adorn a simple dining area featuring black tiled flooring, brick walls and dark furniture.
Sweet, enthusiastic and swift service brightens proceedings, as do the multicultural bunch of regulars – and the food. In addition to a raft of appetising-looking kebabs, the long menu holds plenty that is singularly Afghan.
To start, aushak was a tangy triumph: delicate ravioli parcels filled with leeks, smothered with a tomato and mince sauce and dribbled with yoghurt. Further oomph was provided by a mint, chilli and lemon relish. A main course of kabuli palow consisted of a monumental mound of fluffy rice (the dry side of perfect) covering an entire, tender lamb shank and topped with sweet red strips of carrot, raisins and nuts, accompanied by a side dish of stewed kidney beans. Puddings too negotiate a line between the Middle East (baklava) and India (firnee, a yoghurt and nut confection).
Low prices and a BYOB policy increase the appeal; we’re eager to return.
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