Ariana Kabob House, web site, 9738 Fairfax Boulevard, Fairfax, VA, Rt. 50, just west of Fairfax Circle703-865-7610 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window)
It’s a delight to have this place so close to my house. Real Afghan food, excellent all around and yes they have kadu and aushak and the like. Get the Mantu.
It’s not quite as good as Star Restaurant Banquet, on Rt. 236, but it is well above average.
Star Restaurant Banquet, web site, 7203 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA, 703-750-2450 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window)
An authentic albeit underpopulated Afghan place, with a huge room for weddings and banquets. Their plans and their achievement seem totally out of scale. That said, it could be the best Afghan place to visit right now. Very good kadu, not too sweet. Their bready things are yummy, I quite liked the third appetizer, the pastry stuffed with leeks, add yogurt on top. The meats are not so tender but they are very tasty. How long can this place last? Should you be discouraged by the thought of entering a huge cavern and not even being greeted by a hostess? Who knows? Enjoy it while you can.
[former location of Po Jang Ma Cha]
Grill Kabob Express, 11213-J Lee Highway, off Rt.29, Fairfax, VA, 703-569-7259 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Yelp | Yahoo]
I like their buffet better than their kabobs. Good chick peas, spinach, bread, tasty rice, fresher vegetables than found on the other Afghan buffets. Not a perfect restaurant, but worth visiting if you live or work in the area. The kabobs are “good enough,” but not competitive with my two or three favorites.
Update June 22, 2007: The hamburger meat with the lentils, on the buffet, is my favorite.
Bamian, web site, 5634 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA, 703-820-7880 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | MenuPages | Suburban Tasteland | Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper]
One of the best Afghan places around, the kabobs are juicy and succulent. That being said, I have some complaints. The air conditioning is overdone. The dining room is huge and understaffed. I can’t imagine trying to eat here at 8 p.m. on a Saturday evening. The appetizers all have strong minty tastes. This is better than going the sweet route, but a certain sameness creeps in. With some modest changes, this place could be very very good. Right now it hovers between good and very good.
Exotic Marrakesh Casbah, 2309 Calvert Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-234-4632 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [zabihah | Gayot]
Seems to be more à la carte than fixed price Moroccan, but I haven't been.
This place is now Afghan Grill. web site, [zabihah | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Paradise Restaurant, 7141 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD, 301-907-7500 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [zabihah | Washingtonian | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]
NOW CLOSED
Halal Kabab House, 6245 Little River Turnpike, Alexandria, VA, 703-354-1848 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window)
Afghan kababs, in the mall with Tempt Asian Café, across from Tower, near Landmark Plaza. And for that reason I will, sadly, never go here.
Faryab Afghan Cuisine, 4917 Cordell Avenue, between Norfolk and Old Georgetown, Bethesda, MD, 301-951-3484 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot]
I’ve yet to go but I bet it is good, Afghan food is close to a sure thing.
Kabul Kabob House, 514A South Van Dorn Street, West Alexandria, VA, 703-751-1833 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [zabihah | openlist | Citysearch]
Excellent Afghan food. The kabobs are very good but I like the stews and mixed dishes best. Fresh salads and good use of vegetables. The best Afghan place, apart from Panjshir, for vegetables. They don’t always have pumpkin, though, which is the best Afghan dish. Worth trying in any case.
Panjshir, 924 West Broad Street, Falls Church, VA, 703-536-4566, closed Sunday lunch (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Gayot]
Panjshir II, 224 Maple Avenue West, Vienna, VA, 703-281-4183, closed Sunday lunch (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot]
The premier gourmet Afghan place. The two branches are indistinguishable, as the food is cooked in the same kitchen. The kebabs are good but boring, get the stews, but especially the side dishes. The Kadu, the pumpkin, is a must. One side order serving is usually not enough for two people, so get two. This place offers many wonders. I love the apple, prunes, and walnut combinations.
Saturday lunch is an excellent deal. For dinner for two, order all of the side dishes, plus the Mantu. The service is a bit slow, I think they do it on purpose, though for no good reason.
Charcoal Kabob, 394 Elden Street, Herndon, VA (in the Super K-Mart Center, also listed as 472 Elden Street), 703-435-2400 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [zabihah | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot]
Above average kabob place, with some Afghan dishes too. Recommended. This mall in Herndon, and the accompanying strip, is one of the best locales around for ethnic food.
Food Corner, web site, 7031-A Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA (Rte. 236), 703-750-2185 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [zabihah | City Paper | Citysearch]
Very mom and pop. Relatively authentic Afghan food, including vegetable dishes, kabobs also. Excellent bread. Greasy but good. Unfortunately, they took their best dishes, Aushak and Mantu, off the menu.
Food Corner II, web site, 7031 Brookfield Plaza, Springfield, VA (just off Backlick Road and south of Old Keene Mill Road) (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Citysearch]
Afghan, perhaps a branch of Food Corner (see above), but they also have kept the rotisserie chicken from the Latin place that used to be here. I have yet to go.
Afghan Restaurant, 2700 Jefferson Davis Highway, Alexandria, VA, 703-548-0022 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [zabihah | Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist]
Smaller menu, less fine, grittier, and more authentic. A bit out of the way for me, but worth having in the repertoire.
See also Paradise Restaurant of Bethesda, under Persian.