Restaurant Review
Bamian Serves Up Spicy
Classy Afghan Food, History
By Mat Carl (January 29,
2007)
Bamian
5634
Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA
|
Having
never tried Afghan food before, I was intrigued but also curious
to experience the style of classic Afghan cuisine. As
soon as you enter Bamian you are greeted by two large images
of Buddha carved in stone, and with this you receive a small
history lesson of the Afghan city of Bamian, which was a site of
Buddhist pilgrimages destroyed by the Taliban government. This room is a mere waiting room for the large
dinning room, which is decorated with a fresh rose at every
table and an eight-foot chandelier decorating the center.
You
then choose between private booths decorated by stained glass windows
or to eat in the more open dining area. There
was no wait to be seated as the always pleasant host and waiters
assisted you to your seat. |
| Grilled
kebobs are a delicious staple of Bamian’s menu. |
Then
they asked us to choose between two complementary soups, one, the
Aush, a noodle and beef soup with a tangy broth and a delicious
spicy yogurt on top. The other soup is the Mashawa, which is a thick
soup with chunks of lamb and bean with herbs and spices. I then ordered
the Kabob Platter consisting of lamb, chicken, and ground beef
kabobs with basmati rice. The
lamb was very flavorful and cooked to perfection. The chicken and
ground beef were full of tasty spices and garlicky flavor and the
basmati rice was the perfect side dish to my bouquet of meat.
Soon
freshly baked Afghan bread accompanied my entree along with the
chef’s favorite, cilantro based chili powder chutney sauce. The
wonderful crispy texture along with the sauce combined for perfection.
Bamian
offers all types of classic Afghan and Persian-influenced cuisine
ready to fill both your mouth and stomach with fresh herbs and
spices. Bamian’s reasonable prices and caring service contributed
to one of my most interesting and enjoyable lunches in a long while. So
if you are looking to broaden your dinner horizons, visit this
affordable yet classy restaurant.
