I recently tried this restaurant at the requested recommendation of a friend.  Said friend is from Afghanistan and professed that this was as close to the real thing as you were going to get.  After some brief research, it appears Kabobi is the only joint in town actually serving Afghani cuisine.  So, for the moment, he would be very accurate.

This quaint little restaurant is located on Hawthorne, just past 39th St.  There were only a few diners on a Friday night, but they were diverse.  They ranged from large families with children, to couples sharing intimate conversation over dinner.  The owner was very friendly and welcomed us in.  Warm chai tea is complimentary and via self-service.

Our meal started off with the seasonal pumpkin appetizer.  If you go here for nothing else, visit for this dish – while it’s still in season!  The fresh roasted pumpkin, paired with their Middle Eastern spices was nothing short of heavenly.  I actually licked my spoon clean, secretly.  Stellar dish!

Our entrees that followed had a little less flavor, though it was hard to follow that particular opening act.  I ordered the chicken and lamb kabobs – perfectly cooked and spiced – and spent the extra few bucks to upgrade to the Kabuli Palao rice.  This is a wise decision, as the rice is spiced and mixed with shredded carrots, raisins, slivered almonds, and more.  An overall good to average dish that I would rate about a B+.

The second entree was the mantoo.  This was a pleasant and interesting surprise.  The flavors were subtle yet tasty.  Mantoo is an Afghan dumpling filled with beef, onions, garlic, lots of spices, and served with a yogurt sauce.  A recommended dish to try.

All in all, we had a very pleasant experience at Kabobi.  I definitely recommend going to check out their appetizers, especially the seasonal pumpkin dish.  They also have a wide range of vegetarian options.  And the salad that comes with dinner was pleasantly delicious thanks to the spices that kicked this basic up a notch.

They also have a lunch buffet for all you Southeasters.

Kabobi
3962 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Ste. C

Hours:
Tuesday-Sunday 11:30-3pm & 5:00pm – 10:00pm