5
bilo Z 27 months ago
Was invited for business lunch today with the name and location shared with me. At first one expects a run of the mill eatery knowing it is in Al Quoz area but when looking it up I realized it’s abutting Al Midan street, very close to downtown, a business and tourist attraction area of the city. There was street parking on the side, a very convenient matter, and the entrance is in the middle of the restaurant, very unusual but pretty thoughtful.
Going inside one faces a charming decor reflecting a charming side of Afghanistan. On every table there is some colorful flowers and in the back side there are some flamingoes, giving it a family ambiance, and sure enough many guests were couples, and I won’t be surprised to see children with their family.
The staff is really impressive, well attired and groomed, very unusual for all but the upscale venues. The manager is well dressed and soft spoken, well versed in English too, with adequate fund of Arabic for the clientele.
Greeted and seated right away, I was impressed with the well kept menu which was very illustrative of each item. Upon ordering come 2 small bowls of soup, vegetables in one and meat in the other, and a third with spicy sauce for whoever desires it, as well as a scallop shell plate of salad (was so cold and wrapped with plastic wrap that made one feel hygiene is given utmost priority here).
I chose the mixed grill platter with pilau (rice pilaf of basmati rice with glazed julienned carrots and tender kishmish (raisins), the meat was a bit salty but the saltiness was overcome by the delicious pilaf.
Nothing in this visit was to make one unhappy, everything was beyond expectation, my host did not give me any idea about this place.
Would I come back, most definitely yes, would I invite others to it, most definitely yes. The pictures speak for the size of the wonderful bread and food. That did not leave any room for the dessert, which include an enticing kunafa.
The management/owner fingerprints are obviously involved in everything. Kudos for such a delightful piece of Afghanistan.