Afghan Kebab House (Afghan)
1345 Second Avenue (between 70th and 71st Streets)
Manhattan
(212) 517-2776

The Afghan Kebab House was the first restaurant we went to as part of our Ethnic Alphabet adventure and it remains one of our favorites. The decor has been spruced up and the prices have increased in the years since we discovered it, but it still offers consistently satisfying food at a reasonable price.

The cozy dining room features exotic arches made of hammered copper and brass. Woven wall hangings, subdued burgundy tablecloths and a rustic stone structure near the entryway complete the look.

Starters
Quite frankly, we would advise you to skip the appetizers (mostly fried dumplings and turnovers) if it weren't for the tasty yogurt sauce that accompanies them. For example, the Sambosa, moon-shaped pieces of fried dough filled with seasoned ground beef, were on the dry side, but the sauce helped considerably.

Entrees
We highly recommend the kebabs, which are broiled over wood charcoal. As you might guess by the restaurant's name, kebabs are a specialty here. The chicken, beef and lamb kebabs are all good, but our favorite is the Lamb Koita Kebab (ground lamb marinated in fresh grated spices and herbs) -- we found it more flavorful than the marinated chunks of meat in some of the other kebabs.

Each entree is served with delicious Palau (basmati rice with carrots, raisins and a hint of curry), a green salad with homemade yogurt dressing, and Afghan bread, which is like pita bread only thicker.

The Finale
You cannot go wrong with the baklava (a traditional pastry made with layers of phylo, honey and walnuts) for dessert. Those who are a bit more adventurous may also enjoy the Afghan pudding called Firenee, which is a rose-scented custard filled with walnut pieces.

The same restaurateurs also operate an Afghan Kebab House on the West Side, at 764 Ninth Avenue between 51 Street and 52nd Street. The telephone number is (212) 307-1612.

The NYC Insider Site Directory: