reviewed by Diane Hudson May 2003
I love it when a restaurant experience conjures up flavors out of my past. The Afghan Restaurant in Falmouth did just that for me. In particular, the rosewater in the Norange-Palaw ($14.95) entree, savory seasoned pieces of lamb under a mound of saffron rice, topped with almonds, pistachios, orange strips, and cardamom, sent me traveling back in time.
But first things first. We started with the Aush ($4.95), a full-bodied delicately seasoned noodle and vegetable soup with yogurt, ground beef, and mint. Next, we slid into the Aushak ($5.50), delicious steamed dumplings filled with leek and spring onions, topped with a vogurt, meat sauce, and mint; Sambosa Goushti ($5.50), a nice tieep-fried pastry stuffed with ground beef, chick peas, and a tangv sauce; and Pukawra-e-Badenjan ($5.50), scrumptious batter-dipped, sauteed slices of eggplant topped with a yogurt and meat sauce.
Entrees are served with Afghan bread (a flat bread purchased in New York for the restaurant and, to my taste, somewhat dry) and an excellent, crunchy salad (largely consisting of iceberg lettuce) dressed with a refreshing vogurt and dill sauce. As several varieties of kebobs are offered here, we decided to try the Kebab-e-Murgh ($16)and savored the perfectly broiled chunks of chicken and vegetables and the accompanying spiced brown rice. The Sabsi-Chalaw ($12.95), chunks of lamb in an onion- and garlic-flavored spinach sauce served with aromatic spiced white rice, was a big hit, too.
Finding the lamb in the Kabuli Palaw ($14.95) a bit dry, we were delighted that the Cahllaw Sabsi ($12.95) more than made up for this in its intricate flavors. An “Afghan spinach stew,” this thick concoction of fresh spinach cooked with onions and garlic is totally satisfying and beckons for a return visit. After topping everything offwitr two perfect desserts, Fimee ($’5.25), a light pudding with almonds and pistachios, and Baghlawa ($5.50), delicious paper-thin lavers of syrup-soaked pastries with walnuts, we set off contented with the meal, and a memory of a truly different different night out.
US. Route 1, Falmouth, Maine Closed Mondays 781-9998
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