Michael X.
Yelp
Kabul Afghan Cuisine has been recommended by a friend as one of the tastiest places in Seattle that she has been to - I personally have never tried Afghan cuisine before, so I was definitely looking for opportunities to swing by to try this interesting cuisine! We went on a Wednesday around 7pm and were seated promptly.
The ambience of the restaurant does feel very homely, with pictures and art of Afghan landscapes, architecture, and culture. Tables are laid out with candles and lights are dimly lit, and service is responsive and fast. Food came out in a reasonable time, but it was also given that it wasn't really busy that night. I was surprise that we were able to get a table with a reservation so easily, so that was a plus.
Since this was a nice restaurant we wanted an opportunity to try as much variety as possible, so our waitress recommended the Combination Kebab for two ($80) - we decided to go that route as it looked very enticing! I'll review the items we got down below:
Ash: This is a delicious bowl of soup! I loved the flavor profile as you could really taste the herbs - there is a certain richness from how thick the soup was that I enjoyed. There was a decent amount of chickpeas and kidney beans in the soup, and both were tender.
Badenjan Borani: A delicious eggplant portion - the eggplant is very soft and covered in a good amount of tomato sauce and spices. What I liked about this dish is that it pairs nicely with the kebab, as the creaminess of the yogurt sauce and acidity of the tomato complements the meatiness of the kebab.
Beef and Chicken Kebab Combo: These are hearty chunks of meat! There is a decent blend of chew and tenderness through each chunk, and you can subtlety taste the spices and marinade. It is a decent portion of kebab given, and when paired with the Salata and Kabuli Palaw, this is a good amount of food that will definitely leave you satisfied. The Kabuli Palaw rice dish was delicious! I could definitely eat a whole plate of the rice itself - you can taste the coriander and cumin, and the raisins and nuts give it a pleasing texture. The Salata was alright, it was mostly just cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions in a small bowl - it did serve as a palate cleanser, but I would say this was my least favorite of the experience. I loved that they gave you a good tasting option for the variety of Afghan dishes that they serve where.
Firni: Yum! This is a decadent dessert was really creamy and had hint of rosewater. Wasn't too heavy, and had a light airy nature to it. I would say this is a solid end to the experience!
In the end, we spent about $105 for this meal. It does lean a bit on the pricier side for two people, but the service was nice, and it is a really good tasting menu if you haven't had Afghan Cuisine before! I would definitely like to revisit in the future to try the other options that Kabul has to offer.