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Cafe Sophia
Categories: Coffee & Tea, Afghan, Middle Eastern [Edit]
2706 Middlefield RdPalo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 322-2906
Buy 1 meal get 50% off second meal. Must be equal or less value
Announced 5 days ago- Hours:
Mon-Sat. 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- None
58 reviews for Cafe Sophia
Review Highlights
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I really wanted to have Afghan food. yummy! It's Sunday lunch time, the Afghan restaurant in Sunnyvale wasn't open, so we drove to Palo Alto.
We got there at 1pm, the place was empty.
We order the bolani (it's like a pita bread filled with potatoes and onions). We had it in other Afghan places and it's usually great. here it was so-so. pretty bland.
we had the veggie plate (combo)- the pumpkin wasn't fresh, the spinach was weird and the eggplant was great. the rice - the white one is boring, but the other one was good
we also had the grilled salmon which was OK.
Their yogurt had weird spices, I think it's dried mint which was too strong.
The kitchen was very very slow, it took more than an hour to get the food and get out.
Will not go back. It's definitely not a true Afghan place.
Went here with some friends before a night out. It was my first time eating Afgan food and I was satisfied with everything we had that night. Stuff we ate:
Chef's favorite- had sombosa, mantu, and bolani. The sombosa is a puff pastry with a savory spinach filling which was nice since I like mostly anything that's in a puff pastry form. The mantu is a dumpling/ravioli served with a yogurt sauce which had great taste to it. The meat was juicy inside with savory spices and accompanied well with the yogurt sauce. Very good but I don't know if I could have a whole plate worth of this since it's kind of rich (they do have a main entree of just mantu). As for the bolani it's a "bread" that's filled with potatoes but it really kind of looks more like a quesadilla but has no cheese in it. Very good and flakey.
Sultani kabob- had a mixture of chicken and beef tikka and another lamb kabob served on a bed of rice. All meats were flavored well and weren't dry at all. Decent kabobs but nothing that wow-ed me.
Veggie combo- There was a trio of items on this one dish: pumpkin, spinach, and eggplant. There was the wonderfully spiced pumpkin that had great contrasting sweetness and spice that hit the spot. The spinach and eggplant was done really well too. The spinach was done almost like a collard green type with wonderful flavors. It took us all awhile to actually find out what the last item was since it didn't look like eggplant at all. LOL. It didn't have any trace of eggplant-likeness to it but once you taste it you can tell what it was. All of this was served with rice as well. I must say, my favorite dish of the night.
Overall, all dishes were great. Between 5 girls this was plenty of food since side salads were given for the three dishes (two people opted not to have the salad) and a basket of bread with a dipping sauce was given. All of us were satisfied and full yet didn't feel too heavy. All items were done well and our total came out to be a little over 50 which isn't much since it fed all of us. Only complaint was staff seemed a little sparse and not as attentive but can't complain if the food comes out in a timely manner and cooked well. Can't wait to try more Afgan/Middle Eastern food.
OMG! We returned to Cafe Sophia, but this time with the intent of trying the burgers. Wow! The last time we went for lunch the waitress recommended we try the burgers next time. I'm so grateful she did.
I had the Kabob burger and it was off the hook! The seasoning they added to the meat made it so delicious. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/12/2007
My coworker suggested the place and since I'm always game to try new places I was all over it.
We… Read more »
This is my first time here. I came here today for lunch with my co-workers and I ordered Ali Combo. The chicken was very tender and moist. The beef and lamb were very tender and had great flavor. The owner, Sophia, was very nice. The baklava was excellent. I will come back on a regular basis. I need to bring my family here for dinner.
I first came here for a coffee and received great service so came back with family. I guess we came at the wrong time (2 pm) cuz ther was nobody around to seat us and received poor service. The potatoe and pumpkin appetizers were great, my wife had a bbq chicken kabob burger? which was kind of strange. I'd like to give this place another try, especially to try their burger with afghan bacon!
Brought a vegetarian friend and he was so happy, never had Afghan and was worried it was all meat and kababs, he loved the squash and eggplant dishes. I love meat but am happy with the vegetarian option here too.
Tried take-out from Cafe Sofia the other day and quite enjoyed it. It was ready within 10 minutes of ordering and the folks there were super friendly.
My wife and I shared a Chef's Favorite and a Falafel Platter. Plenty of food for two. I enjoyed the flavors of both, though would probably try a Kebab and/or something different next time just to mix it up.
They also have a sign posted for free wifi as a more traditional coffee shop during the day. Will have to give that a whirl sometime soon too.
This Afgan food/coffee shop restaurant is awesome for kids. They have this toy bucket that they pull out that will keep your toddler endlessly amused. We must have been there for about a hour and 45 minutes, and my toddler didn't squirm once! The staff is really friendly as well.
The food is decently tasty as well. I ordered a Chef's Favorite, which included a bulani, mantu, and samosa, and they were all pretty good, if not a bit oily.
Added plus is the free Wifi, which I take advantage of.
I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here, but since I live in the neighborhood, I'll definitely be a regular.
I've never even been tempted to try the non-Afghan food here, owing mostly to the fact that the baked goods in the counter display look less than fresh. Plus, the service ain't great -- the guy sitting behind the counter often cracks unfunny jokes, leading to awkward silences followed by a half-hearted, obligatory "heh, heh" from me.
But the Afghan food is pretty decent, especially for a cafe in a sleepy, largely residential neighborhood. The mantu (yogurt sauce-covered steamed dumplings filled with ground beef and sauteed onions) are tasty, and the veggie combo offers satisfying tastes of stewed kadu, sabzi and banjaan (pumpkin, spinach and eggplant) over Basmati rice.
Order your food to go -- you can avoid the slow service, and most of the bad jokes.
Two weekends ago I came here to grab a pick me up. I was greeted by a very charming interior, accompanied by friendly service. I ordered an iced coffee and a chocolate-dipped biscotti. Really awesome spread of flavors in the drink, especially considering it was chilled. And I enjoyed the biscotti. I really should come back here to sample their lunch and/or dinner offerings at some point; having lived in Fremont for a good number of years, I'm now missing my Afghan eats after having moved to the Silicon Valley nearly a year ago, so I look forward to another visit.
The portions are fairly generous but that's pretty much where the praise ends. Unfortunately, service is really lacking - understaffed? - and the overall experience suffered as a result. Btw, the waitress spilled ice tea on the table and my clothes but didn't bother to wipe either - sucks!!!
I'd say the food was okay - I had the veggie combo - and some items tasted better than others. Still, with the poor service, I don't think I'd return anytime soon.
3.5 stars to be exact...
FroYo obsession? So passe... My new addiction? Baklava! We're talking Afghani, Greek, Turkish, homemade... You've got it? I'll eat it. There is a lot of sexy tongue magic going on when nuts, honey, cinnamon, and flakey phyllo- dough are combined together. Tongue MAGIC I tell you!! :)
Cafe Sophia offers the largest and gooiest slice of Baklava I've ever had. Combined with their iced coffee, it deffo hit the spot and sent me on a sugar tweak-fest for the next couple of hours.
Oh yeah... the entrees? I would definitely equate Afghani food with Morroccan. However, Morroccan flavors can be much more savory whereas the Afghani rice and lamb that I ordered had more of a sweet nutmeg/cinnamon concoction going on. Very mild flavors.
It's a family owned joint so service can be a bit slow and they can be sticklers with the complimentary bread, The hummus however was booya-ka-shaw good!!!
Final verdict: I'd go back for the hummus, bakalava, and coffee in a heartbeat!
Yesterday morning as I was listening to NPR I was a little surprised to hear that Obama had sent 17,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.
In the late afternoon I visited my sister and after a time the sun started to sink low in the sky and we began to get hungry. My sister suggested In-n-Out Burger or Chipotle... hmmmmmmmm.... I said (I am pretty anti-corporate restaurant in general.)
She thought Cafe Sophia was a Persian place, and as we headed in, I was surprised to see that we were headed into an Afghan restaurant on the eve of deployment.
War is a horrible thing.
Cafe Sophia is a wonderful thing.
They have this wonderful yogurt/mint/cucumber drink that I can't pronounce. I had a wonderful dish made with apricots, almonds and a saffron imbued yogurt sauce and she had something with black currants and lamb.
Pray for peace. This people can cook!
Great, free Wi-Fi. SSID: Cafe Sophia
Charming Persian family as staff. Very good Afghan Cuisine.
Xref: http://local.yahoo.com...
I have been here several times, and tried the various dishes, and have been disappointed most of the time.
The place is mom-and-pop, and I mean literally. The service is excruciatingly slow, and inconsistent.
Their bread is tasty.
I would recommend the veggie items, or chicken kebab
Stay away from their kofta challow, an Afghani favorite of mine. The sauce tasted canned, and the veggies were from a frozen baggy. The meat was awful. The rice was soggy and not flavorful.
Seriously people, is this what passes for food in froofy Palo Alto?
Try Salang Pass, my favorite, in Fremont. Salang Pass was also featured in Check Please, Bay Area
I guess I hold every Afghani place to the Salang Pass standard.
Cafe Sophia was a disappointment. It's not a bad place for the "cafe" experience, and maybe their sandwiches, etc. are good
But definitely don't go there for the authentic Afghani experience.
Interesting restaurant. They have Afghan food, burgers and coffee. A little bit for everyone. I got the Chef's special as takeout. The food was ready pretty fast. The food was average overall and I was a little dissappointed. Salang Pass in Fremont is better. The mantoo was ok. The bulani was oily. The samusa was good.
PIcked this place at random and what a find it turned out to be!
Only a few customers when we arrived on Fri. evening, but 10 minutes later, the place was packed and lots more people arrived to pick up to-go orders.
Loved the coffeehouse vibe, funky chandelier and painted ceiling, rugs and Afghani costume decorating the walls. Nice eye-candy in the pastry case and the kebabs were excellent. Lots of veggie options too!
There is a huge coffee roaster in the middle of the room - think Viennese coffeehouse - and thankfully it doesn't reek of burned coffee beans. Somebody say Hallelujah!!!
Service was leisurely but not annoying slow - I think a couple of the staff called in sick unexpectedly, so the owner (I think) was a little frantic. No biggie.
Now if we could just get this place to have a solo musician or duo playing once in a while, that would be even more fun.
Bring your own alcohol and bring your own friends cuz this place is quiet. But what a gem! I can't remember the last time I've dined at a low-key, reasonably priced, tasty, no-corkage fee restaurant, let alone a coffeehouse!
Between the three of us, we had the ashak, chapli kabob, ali combo with lamb and beef, curry chicken and the baklava. The rice was fabulous and the meat was tender. Within minutes everyone's plate was clean. And the bill came out to $50 w/o tip.
Not exactly the scene for a Saturday night, but a great place to go when you're looking for a relaxed and wallet-friendly evening.
3 1/2 stars. Lunch review.
Two of my coworkers and I ate lunch here today. I had the "Chef's Favorite". This is a sampler from three dishes Mantu which is steamed ravioli style dumplings filled with ground beef and sauteed onions, and vegetables, Sambosa which is a puff pastry filled with baby spinach and feta cheese. and Bolani which is a grilled turnover filled with potato and chopped green onion. This came with a small side salad of greens, tomatoes, and feta. These are dishes that will appeal to most American taste buds. Both the Sambosa and Bolani were wonderful. There was nothing wrong with the Mantu but I guess my taste buds have been burned out by too much Indian and Thai food and I found it rather bland.
Another member of our group got the vegetarian combo which is Kadu (pumpkin), Sabzi (spinach), Banjaan (eggplant) served with white and browned Basmati rice. The third person in our group got the "Veggie Korma Challow" which is mixed vegetables in a tomato sauce with rice. My vegan friends thought these dishes were very good.
As far as service, I was prepared for slow after reading the yelp reviews. Maybe they finally got around to reading their reviews as our lunch service was quick and efficient. Actually it was a bit too efficient as the waitress had her hand on my plate ready to take it away while I was still eating from it.
Have you ever tried to take food away from a large hungry dog? Well, I tend to react the same way and I'm even larger. Fortunately, the waitress somehow picked up subtle body language clues that this wasn't cool. Perhaps it was the way I tensed up. Or maybe it was the scowl on my face, or the baring of my teeth, or my low guttural growl, or maybe she noticed that I was instinctively aiming my knife and fork toward her hand. I suspect experienced servers pick up on these little things because she quickly let go and left my plate on the table until there was no trace of food left.
Service
Perhaps a little slow but very kind and knowledgable.
Food
Great food and Tea (try the Afghan Chai). The Kebab, Falaffel and "meat lovers platter" are all fantastic.
Downside
You do get some pretentious "Aren't we clever, we're eating Afghani!?" types in here but they are quietly huffy as they take their shoes off and sit cross-legged in chairs that aren't made for it. Screw them, you came here to eat and enjoy yourself. The owner will appreciate you more anyway given that they have only ordered 1 pot of tea and have been sitting there for an hour.
Bottom Line
If you go to this place you will love it. You will come hungry and go away happy. Go ahead and be a little smug.
A friend took me to Cafe Sophia the other night and when I ordered a Turkey Panini, I was ready for something yummy! I love Paninis, and turkey with pesto has got to be something special right?
Okay, so I'm guessing it's one of the ways that restaurants try to make ends meet in these tough economic times - by cutting back portions rather than raising prices, but what I received.... well 1) it didn't taste like turkey, and it was pink...what turkey is pink except undercooked turkey, but I don't think that was what was going on here. It seemed more like wafer thin salmon. It's hard to tell. My friend reflected that perhaps they'd run out of turkey and given us pastrami (in itself not ethical), but really hard to tell. It was sliced so thin you could see through it and there was only one slice, folded back and forth a time or two, but not even covering the entire surface... same with the tomato (sans folding). I think it was tomato??!!! I didn't know it was possible to slice a tomato that thin.
The pesto didn't taste like pesto either although there was definitely a thin layer of itty, bitty green bits on the bread, so I'm guessing it was. But frankly nothing in this sandwich tasted like what I thought I was getting.
Bottom line I got a couple hunks of grilled bread with so little content between them that it was as thin as three pieces of paper on bread, with lots of oil (I'm guessing from the pesto).
For that I paid $8. On the upside, the small green salad that came with it was fresh and nice, and the matron of this family owned business seemed warm (not so much the attractive woman at the counter).
I am a big fan of independent restaurants and sympathize with the need to manage money and resources carefully in these tough times, but that Panini will not bring me back to try again and I suspect that if that's the way they try to make ends meet they'll soon be closing their doors.
I hope they read this and find another solution to ensure their survival.
Yes, it was good.
We had the Chef Special and 2 appetizers. One was the pumpkin and the other was the eggplant.
The presentation of the food does not look amazing but it was very yummy.
The best thing was the Turkish Coffee... very different taste from others restaurants but the turkish coffee server was very cute and traditional.
I would definitely go back since I could walk to the restaurant :)
I originally tried this place a while back when I was in my "update my resume" phase. I needed a place with FREE WIFI THAT WAS NOT PACKED. Cafe Sophia serves coffee, sweets, Afghan inspired sandwiches(panini's,) and salads. On my first visit, I had the regular salad for $6.50. I also saw a great mango salad for 8 bucks. They have baklava, hummus, baba ganoosh, and BURGERS? Either way...good all across the board menu.
The coffee is strong(especially Turkish coffee-try it black) and the service is great. It is a bit slow, but once you have your food, coffee, and FREE WIFI...then life is gravy in this train.
I've lived, worked, and am in PA quite often, but this area is a place I'd not set foot in for a good number of years. It was a surprise to find that a an Afghan restaurant/cafe was here. So I had to check it out. Now normally I would have kabobs but with the rainy weather and my strange mood I went for the Chef's Favorite, which had Mantu, Sambosa and Bolani. Surprisingly solid for a place in an aging strip mall. They give you tons of food, so for the price, it's a good value. Seems like it might make an alternative to the other cafe's in the area to have a drink and work on your laptop. WIll have to return and try the chopan kabob which is one of my fave Afghan dishes.
I would tend to agree with Chris N. that service was a bit slow. We had a group of ten, and when the complimentary bread came out, there were less pieces than people, which was a bit disappointing.
The food was also a bit less flavorful than I would've liked it. I've never had Afghani food specifically, but I have had similar food, and I would've liked some more flavor. My boyfriend and I ordered the Chef's Favorite and the Ali Combo. The Chef's favorite included mantus (ground beef dumplings), sambosas (phyllo w/spinach, feta cheese in it), and something else that I forget the name of, but was a potato green onion pancake. Good, but nothing special. The Ali Combo had chicken, beef, and lamb kabob pieces, with salad, and rice. Chicken was good; the other meats could've used more flavor/taste. The rice was decent.
Overall, I felt it was mediocre. I did really like the decor of the place though. Colors and cultural costumes on the walls, a chandelier hanging from the ceiling - very interesting and appealing.
Okay, first off, all of those who complain that Sophia's has slow service, you must know that this place is solely a family operation--the eponymous Sophia, her husband, and her son Ali (whom you will see behind the counter) all work their tails off to make this place the delight it is. Cafe Sophia moved from its previous location at E. Charleston and Middlefield, where it was unfortunately situated next to a pet food store, to this much better, brighter space a few years ago and has continually amped up their game ever since. Their Afghani food is delectable, I absolutely dream about the chicken kabob salad and platter (two kinds of rice! oh my god!), mantu, and that round baklava-esque pastry. They'll give you a basket of warm, fluffy bread crusted with black and white sesame seeds and a oil-spice dipping sauce as an appetizer, so don't get too crazy when ordering.
In fact, I think it's so great, my photo is hanging in two places in the cafe. Yeah, you read that right. I AM CAFE SOPHIA'S #1 FAN. My family goes there so often, they know us all by name and hand out cards for my mom's group like candy because we're excellent customers. Sophia and Ali are adorable. Ali is always happy to explain the menu and give recommendations, or convince you that you need a baklava or two.
They've redecorated over the past year, with a vibrantly painted ceiling, swathes of fabric, and huge crystal chandeliers which are kind of quirky, but charming. Every time I come back they've redone the tablecloths, or put up new Afghani traditional clothing on the walls (all from their family, ask Ali or Sophia about it). Cafe Sophia is very accomodating to groups and group meetings, always has a good supply of local papers, and is a perfect place for a chill lunch with a crossword puzzle (+your mom).
I LOVE YOU CAFE SOPHIA.
I'm reviewing my favorite places for today, can you tell? I love this place--very local, family owned, totally original and exotic decor and murals and Persian carpets and so on, and great Afghani food at ow prices. Their hamburgers are also delicious, as are the pumpkin and spinach appetizers. I love this place for a romantic but casual date because it makes for easy conversation.
http://www.cafesophia.com
Free wifi
comfy chairs
open late, but sometimes closed unexpectantly
great food!
chicken kabobs are great
rice dishes are sooo good
bread even is good
the dressing that come with the salad are great
good apps--esp the potato filled flatbread
This place came out of nowhere and knocked my socks off. I was about to lunch next door and my friend suggested we duck into Cafe Sophia instead.
It scores low for atmosphere, but the food more than made up for it. The service was good, but nothing special.
The food is awesomely awesome. I had the spiced ground beef kabob and a side of the kadu (pumpkin and tomatoes in yogurt with hot oil and spices). I ate there a few days ago and am still having dreams of both. I want to go back and order the exact same thing.
The beef also came with two types of flavored rices that were the best rice I've had since...well, maybe ever.
Despite some interesting Afghan decor on the walls, it wouldn't have a great atmosphere anyway thanks to the generic-looking restaurant space, but to make things worse, there's a giant industrial coffee machine cordoned off by a banister in the middle of the dining room, and it looks as out of place in an Afghan restaurant as a breakdancing troupe at an orthodox Jewish wedding.
The owner (I'm guessing that's who she was) said they were the second coffee shop in Palo Alto in the early 90s (and used to be located at Charleston and Middlefield), but had to diversify into food when Starbuck's, Pete's, etc. moved to town.
Food here is totally delicious. Being a huge kebab foodie, I have to say that this place is 2nd to Chelokababi in Sunnyvale for the valley, but it's my defacto choice for Palo Alto.
They also have a kebab burger, which is awesome for your burger lovers.
The service is always pretty decent, the ambiance is solid and the restaurant feels very family oriented in how it is run.
Great place! Came here with some coworkers on a company lunch and was very pleasantly surprised at everything this little gem had to offer.
Firstly, the proprietors were kind enough and accommodating enough to combine tables for us to seat 7. So far, so good. Once that was accomplished we were served bread and our drink orders were taken.
I had the vegetarian Chef's Favorite, and it was very good. Three dishes in one, all of which were tasty. If you have never had Afghani food, it's very similar to Greek & Persian food in that there's a lot of lamb and vegetable dishes, many of which incorporate yogurt. It's very good, and reflects the country's unique geographical position between India and Iran.
If you're a silly American like me, don't be alarmed by the pajamas hung on the wall as decoration. Those are the national costume of Afghanistan (along with the embroidered vests), and not meant for sleeping.
We rolled in here at 8:40pm on a Thursday night, after being denied service next door at Indochine (both places close at 9pm) ... real nice, jerks.
Anyway, the server at Sophia was pretty visibly irritated with us at first, but she warmed up to us. The food was really good ... even though she brought me the wrong entree! She was embarrassed, and super apologetic. And it was still good! We stuck with what we were served, and joked about it.
I'd definitely go back.
The food I had (the vegetarian plate) tasted rather bland... Tomato-paste-ish. Sweet-tomato-paste-ish, to be more exact. I doubt I'll ever go there again. The dessert tasted like perfume and made me want to gag. I am a person that eats everything (except meat) so when I found that I was 100% willing to leave behind that rosewater dessert, I was shocked.
But that's probably because the food here was anything but impressive.
The bathrooms were out of the way and not very clean, either.
mmm delicious food, usually good service
This place is fantastic.
The food is very high quality and quite tasty. I had the Quabili Pallow. Very unexpected for my American palate. You've got to try the Afghani food. The family that owns and operates Sophia's is very proud of their food and heritage. Don't know what to order? Ask Ali. He always has great suggestions.
If that's not enough they are an independent coffee roasting house. Where else are you going to see a Probat front and center? Somebody who designs the dining area around their roaster knows their coffee. Sophia does all the roasting and she has got the knack for it.
Cafe Sophia's is a local favorite. During the time they were moving from the old location and into this new one everyone lamented the loss. If you're in Midtown come here! If you want personable service and great food come here!
Extremely friendly staff, and very tasty food at a very reasonable price. I'm going to have to go back for more.
----
Update: 2/29/08. I went back for dinner. Not as impressed with the food this time, and the service was slow (like last time, but last time they claimed someone didn't show). Still, 3.5 stars.
I dare anyone to try to finish the Ali Baba Burger. It is a Big Mac on steroids. Two 1/2 lb. patties +/-, on 1.5 buns. It is humongous and come with a salad or fries. You better be starving when you get there or you'll never finish it.
I typically go for the Palo Alto burger which comes with swiss cheese, grilled onions and sauteed mushrooms- Tasty morsels!
I have tried everything on the menu and it is all good- extremely fresh which explains why it takes a little extra time to prepare. You won't hear any dings from microwave ovens going off here- which is how most restaurants are getting you the food so fast, by the way.
Steer clear of the coffee, from my opinion. Over-roasted, even more than Pete's.
Went for dinner last night with five friends and we ate ridiculously well for $12 a person, including tip. Wow.
Highlights:
-Spicy chicken kebab. If you like spicy, get this. There's also a hot sauce on the table that's worth a try -- with care!
-Vegetarian food. We had 2 vegetarians with us, and there were lots of options for them
-BYO alcohol. They don't have a liquor license, so they allow people to bring their own wine with no corkage fee
-Chai. It's homemade and not icky-sweet like the stuff at Starbucks. Yumm.
The service was good, and very accommodating
Too bad I didn't notice this place sooner, because it is delicious.
I really recommend their pumpkin appetizer - it's incredible. The flavors are unlike anything I've had before - a great interplay of tangy, sweet, and savory.
I've also tried their beef/chicken kebob plate. The beef was great - tender and juicy, and very well seasoned. The chicken was mediocre, a little on the dry side. I had to dip it on the chili oil to make it more palpable.
The Mantu (dumplings with veggies/ground meat) is an unique dish that I enjoyed. The dish is kind of like partially-deconstructed wontons with Afghan flavors.
The service here was also remarkable. During my first visit I ordered take out, while I was waiting the cashier offered me a helping of bread while I waited, and even handed me some reading materials.
Really good food. I only order the Afghani food, so I am not sure about their other dishes. They do have a random combination of food choices. Afghani food, burgers, paninis, and a full coffee bar. Their Afghani hot sauces are pretty awesome, so make sure to dump some on your food.
Some nights they have great live music from local artists.
The prices are a bit high, but so is rent in that area. The food takes a little longer than average to be ready, but who cares. If you are really in a rush, just phone in your order.

