Skip to main content

Afghan Bistro

With family members moving to Springfield, it has been a struggle to find good places to eat so far afield.  After flirting with some chain restaurants near the mall, we tried a Pakistani restaurant (there are many, many Pakistani restaurants there), but it fell flat.  Finally, someone suggested this amazing place.  It's a little hole-in-the-wall in a strip mall.  With oilcloth table coverings, the vibe seems questionable.  For about a minute.  Then you are warmly greeted and given menus with a plethora of choices.  My party ordered a great number of items and every dish rose above expectations.  The staff are eager to please and checked in to make sure everything was okay, from food to drink needs.  When a member of my party dropped a piece of silverware on the floor one of the waiters swooped in with a replacement before we could even ask.  

But onto the food.  We ordered the Potato and Leek turnovers, the Aushak (leek and scallion turnovers) and the Pumpkin dumplings, along with a side of yogurt/cucumber and dill.  They delighted.  Crunchy, smooth, subtle flavorings danced across our tongues along with fresh, warm bread and four terrific dipping sauces, one sweet and fruity, one tangy and fresh, two at various levels of heat.  For our meal I ordered the Sabzi, an awesome mix of dark greens sauteed with seasonings and served with fluffy, saffron infused rice.  One companion got the Baadenjaan Chalou, an eggplant dish, and the other got the Qabuli Palou, the lamb dish.  Raves continued and we slowed down to savor the various items, each bite being just a little different than the last.  No one was able to finish the large platters and we all agreed that a return to this place is a must.  Not only are vegetarian options plentiful but they are well-marked throughout the menu.  And, I have to say, this Afghan food is many steps above that of the restaurant near my home and the one in Adams Morgan I tried out over the summer (finally, a reason to haul out to the ex-urbs).  Prices are reasonable with one caveat -- the little place is so popular that reservations are recommended for dinner.  My biggest thumbs-up in a long while.

Casual Afghan Eatery
8081-D Alban Road, Springfield 
https://www.afghanbistro.com/ 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

First Watch

Meant to invite some family members here but a friend beat me to the punch.  We compromised and went together.  Unfortunately, this is a place where it looks better than it is.  Across the board.  The funky design scheme makes it an echo chamber and, with the pumping music, very loud.  Conversation was difficult.  The menu is covered in glossy photos and descriptions of the food but ... I started with the Morning Meditation Fresh Juice, a pretty blend of citrus and beet.  Or I tried to.  Took three reminders to the waiter and when it finally arrived, halfway into the meal, it was 90% ice and 10% juice.  My companions opted for coffee.  It was ice cold.  Another long wait (about 20 minutes) to get new coffee -- and included a reminder to staff that they wanted fresh cups as well.  I ordered the Vegetarian Quinoa Bowl, which was described as having up to 12 ingredients.  It had three.  The quinoa, an egg, maybe two teen...
Post a Comment
Read more

Junction Bakery & Bistro

Everything here was good.  My party got a Tofu Stir Fry, Roasted Chicken Breast Sandwich, Crispy Flounder Sando, Sweet Potato Fries and a Chocolate Cream-Filled Croissant.  The food took a while but arrived literally hot off the grill.  The two sandwiches came with a plethora of side salad and a great homemade dressing.  Portions were large and all of us took home enough for a second meal.  The bill, with tax and tip, came to just under $75.  As mentioned, it was good.  Very good -- but not great.  Everything came close to being great it just didn't cross the line.  The cross-cut sweet potato fries were extremely munchable but the "Harissa Sour Cream" had a lot of sour cream and very very little harissa.  The Tofu Stir fry had a nice mix for a cold day but needed a little more oomph (I borrowed salad dressing from my companions).  Everything, including the Tofu and Flounder, were breaded and fried but didn't seem greasy until later....
Post a Comment
Read more