Where in DC can I get this specific style of Afghan/Pakistani kabobs?
January 26, 2020 7:05 PM Subscribe
I used to be able to find spicy Afghan kabobs when visiting DC but for the past few years I've only been able to find their milder cousins. Where should I try the next time I'm in the area?
To overgeneralize, there's two styles of Afghan food that I've found in restaurants.
Style 1: Palaw, Mantu, Kaddu Buranee, Ashak, etc. The bread is typically very flat or is divided up with pockmarks similar to focaccia or ridged like this. It's all good, but tastes like a lot of the food from the region. And none of it's all that spicy.
Style 2: It looks like this MD one (which is a cousin of one that used to be in Arlington, VA). The meal typically centers around a marinated kabob, which is served with a fresh-from-the-oven naan that's lumpy and uneven, closer to Indian naan than what I get with style 1, a small salad with just some lemon to squeeze on it, a scoop of lentils or spinach, and a green, hot yogurt sauce. I've had this at restaurants describing themselves as Afghan, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian, and no specified country. There's lots of spice and flavor in all the dishes. Generally it's not served with rice, but if it is, it's plain rice.
I'm going to be visiting DC this spring - where inside the District can I find Style 2? Food Corner Kabob House near Dupont Circle was more or less what I wanted but is now closed.
Moby Dick is definitely closer to Style 1 than 2. Afghan Grill on Connecticut is Style 1. Maiwand Grill is tantalizingly close but not quite spicy enough. Lapis looks to be Style 1. Grill Kabob looks more generic Mediterranean.
Bonus question 1: Is there better terminology to use for the two styles?
Bonus question 2: My understanding is that the term Pakistani is correct when referring to being of/from Pakistan or its people but Afghani is not commonly/correctly used in similar situations. Is that correct (and do you happen to know why there's the divergence)?
To overgeneralize, there's two styles of Afghan food that I've found in restaurants.
Style 1: Palaw, Mantu, Kaddu Buranee, Ashak, etc. The bread is typically very flat or is divided up with pockmarks similar to focaccia or ridged like this. It's all good, but tastes like a lot of the food from the region. And none of it's all that spicy.
Style 2: It looks like this MD one (which is a cousin of one that used to be in Arlington, VA). The meal typically centers around a marinated kabob, which is served with a fresh-from-the-oven naan that's lumpy and uneven, closer to Indian naan than what I get with style 1, a small salad with just some lemon to squeeze on it, a scoop of lentils or spinach, and a green, hot yogurt sauce. I've had this at restaurants describing themselves as Afghan, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian, and no specified country. There's lots of spice and flavor in all the dishes. Generally it's not served with rice, but if it is, it's plain rice.
I'm going to be visiting DC this spring - where inside the District can I find Style 2? Food Corner Kabob House near Dupont Circle was more or less what I wanted but is now closed.
Moby Dick is definitely closer to Style 1 than 2. Afghan Grill on Connecticut is Style 1. Maiwand Grill is tantalizingly close but not quite spicy enough. Lapis looks to be Style 1. Grill Kabob looks more generic Mediterranean.
Bonus question 1: Is there better terminology to use for the two styles?
Bonus question 2: My understanding is that the term Pakistani is correct when referring to being of/from Pakistan or its people but Afghani is not commonly/correctly used in similar situations. Is that correct (and do you happen to know why there's the divergence)?
Bonus question 1- I think of this as homemade food vs kebabs, the latter more likely to be eaten mostly in a restaurant by people from the region
posted by cacao at 9:05 PM on January 26, 2020
posted by cacao at 9:05 PM on January 26, 2020
Nthing Kabob Palace!
posted by jgirl at 5:08 AM on January 27, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by jgirl at 5:08 AM on January 27, 2020 [2 favorites]
Not in DC, but out in Sterling (very close to Dulles) is a place called Shalimar. A Pakistani coworker of mine introduced me to the place. It's very good and very close to the pics of style #2 you posted.
posted by jraz at 5:49 AM on January 27, 2020
posted by jraz at 5:49 AM on January 27, 2020
Ravi Kabob!!!! Ravi Kabob. Kabob Palace is also good...but Ravi Kabob.
posted by quadrilaterals at 7:53 AM on January 28, 2020
posted by quadrilaterals at 7:53 AM on January 28, 2020
I used to live around the corner from Kabob Palace, and I ate there with unhealthy frequency. It seems to be endorsed by many cab drivers, based on the parking situation out front. It’s tasty and close to the style you describe but perhaps still not as spicy as you want? The vegetables are filling but extremely oily (or perhaps are so filling because of the oil). Everything is grilled to order so expect to wait at least fifteen minutes after ordering, longer still when they’re really busy.
Mmmm, now I want a kabob-e-kubideh…
posted by fedward at 9:46 AM on January 29, 2020
Mmmm, now I want a kabob-e-kubideh…
posted by fedward at 9:46 AM on January 29, 2020
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The Washingtonian describes more about the styles, but I'm not sure if these are widely-agreed-upon definitions in DC.
(brb moving back to DC to eat all the things)
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 9:04 PM on January 26, 2020