Deep in the domain of both Niles West High School and Niles North High School, there lies an unassuming-looking restaurant, at least from the exterior. One might argue that some of the dishes don’t look so nice either (feel free to scroll down and judge the pictures I have taken). But, we don’t judge books by the way they look. We judge them by their contents. That rule applies to food as well: the flavors of Afghan Kabob not only outdo their appearance, but that of many restaurants along the North Shore.

Below are my top picks at Afghan Kabob.

Chef’s Sampler:

Perhaps the most appetizer-esque of the dishes I tried, the Chef’s Sampler works as a perfect mashup to start the meal, especially if you’ve only had breakfast like me. I should make it known that while this is an Afghan establishment, the portions are Americanized in their size and are perfect for hungry bellies. 

There are four dishes in this spread, two of which are dumplings: the Mantu and the Aushak. They are each sprinkled with meat sauce, garlic yogurt sauce, and dry mint. Looking closely at the photo, one may be able to make out a hint of green on one set of dumplings, which is where the difference lies. The Aushak is filled with leek while the Mantu is stuffed with ground beef, chopped onions, and exotic herbs. I preferred the Mantu, but both have the taste of good comfort food. 

For the Nakhod, which are the chickpeas, there is a tang of light spice that brings a usually mundane dish to life, exuberating the whole experience even more. The hummus is good, not any different from other hummus I’ve had, but it complements the rest of the starters very well.

Kabuli Palaw:

Buried under a heap of rice, carrots, and raisins, resides the home of an especially tender shank of lamb. Powerfully rich with flavor, it is one of the best-selling dishes on the menu. It makes sense that such a popular item would have to be unearthed by a mound of rice to be found in its most tasty form, almost as if it were a birthday present waiting to be unwrapped. Every time I take someone to Afghan Kabob, I make sure at least one of us gets this dish.

My only criticism of the Kabuli Palaw is that the rice-to-lamb ratio is not desirable, being a little too heavy on the rice. However, that doesn’t distract from the sheer flavor of the moist basmati. This, along with the added sweetness of the raisins and carrots, helps create an adequate partner for the lamb, albeit a controlling one.

Afghan Kabob combination:

In this dish, there are two long kabobs, the chicken shami and beef shami, differing in their minced variety from the smaller pieces of lamb and chicken shish kabob. Someone, such as my father, might observe a less flavorful outcome among the grounded cuts, though I approached the dish rather broadly. With this being said, I can only be sure of one thing, which my friend Jack once said and that I wholeheartedly agree with: it is an explosion of flavor. The intense array of spices make this dish pop out in ways that other kabobs cannot even imagine. Seasoning is meant to be garnished so that kabobs are not left out to dry, and here this aspect is satisfied in both ways. Not to mention the presence of a light and cold salad on both this dish as well as the Kabuli Palaw that balances the palate in what is mostly a heat-centered meal.

Most of the people I’ve taken to Afghan Kabob were not without protests, which weren’t alleviated as they stood outside its doors. But upon walking in, one is greeted with an authentic atmosphere, especially this previous time I went on April 20, and a collection of meats and rice many Americans are used to, yet provided with a uniquely Afghan tone of flavor. All in all, it’s fair that this institution is one worth pursuing. Even, and I stress, even in rival territory.