A-Mazar-Ing Afghan

Banjan Borani

Let's be fair: Afghan food isn't exactly prolific in the UK. It tends to get lumped in together with Turkish, Lebanese, Egyptian etc. And when you ask people about Afghan food, the predominant view is that it consists of kebabs, preferably after a night in the pub. Chortle, chortle.

And so it was, armed with little knowledge but an open mind, that I went to Mazar in Harrow. Named after a village in Badakhshan Province in north-eastern Afghanistan., the venue had received an average 10/10 rating by AllinLondon so I was surprised by the unprepossessing exterior and dated decor and feared that it was exactly as I'd feared: a kebab shop. But if there was ever a lesson in not judging a book (or restaurant) by its cover, this was it.

Borani Sabzi

With no experience of Mazari cuisine, my companions and I opted for a range of dishes. Despite ordering starters and mains, the food all appeared at the same time which was a little overwhelming. Our favourite was the Borani Sabzi, delicately spiced and practically liquidised steamed spinach. I know, I know - sounds like a schoolboy's worst ever school dinner, and looked even worse - but trust me, it was gorgeous. A close second was Banjan Borani - aubergine in fresh tomato sauce, green pepper and garlic. Accompanied by warm, doughy naan bread to soak up the juices, we were in heaven.

While we sipped on Afghani green tea, the rest of the food was already arriving, a veritable mountain of goodies. The authentic Qabeli Palow featured lamb and what we surmised is the Afghan equivalent of Jamaican rice and peas: plain white rice mixed in with juicy sultanas and sweet grated carrot.

Qabeli Palow

Despite being told we'd have to wait for the fish special, it arrived in no time: beautifully grilled salmon steaks - crisp on the outside, moist on the inside - with a flavour I couldn't identify, and our server, despite being incredibly welcoming and hospitable, had only limited English and was unable to clarify the spicing for me. A shame, as I'd love to have tried it at home, although I suspect it was cooked in a tandoor-type oven; it had that kind of quality.

So let me mention the service here: it was warm but unintrusive, our tea glasses were refilled regularly, the manager was at pains to make sure we understood that everything was cooked fresh and on site. All the staff seemed genuinely pleased that we were there.

Even Ashak, the ravioli-style pasta filled with leek and herbs - arguably the prettiest dish we were served - was tasty, although surely more Italian than Afghan? Not that I'm any kind of expert.
 

Ashak

I also have to comment on the unbelievable value for money. The most expensive thing we ordered was the salmon at £8.95 and there were three massive steaks on the plate. You can see from the photos just how much food was served for each dish. Of course, it's not just about the quantity, but the quality as well. Although presentation was not necessarily at the forefront of the chef's mind, taste absolutely was. We fell in love with Mazari cuisine and hospitality and can't wait to try it again. 


For more information at AllinLondon go to http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/restaurants/restaurant-11249.php