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Mon-Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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I've been going to Kabul since I was in high school, about fifteen years ago. I am a creature of habit so I order the exact same things and I'm telling you the prawn and chicken or lamb kabob combo is truly off the hook! It's always moist and the servings are more than enough.
The lentil soup is also the bomb and so is the sweet potatoes and eggplant covered with yogurt and meat sauce.
This restaurant is very consistent with flavor and quality.
I have not had a meal that I did not like.
Also very friendly staff. At Kabul you are remembered. I think it was a couple of months, maybe a bit more that I came in and the man helping me not only remembered me, but what I ordered as well.
They opened another restaurant in Burlingame. I have not been there yet, but I know that unlike most of the restaurants that have resided in that location, they will survive!!
That's what I'm talking about Willis!!!!!
After watching a crazy Stanford v. U of O game in Palo Alto, we were starving and needed some grub. To avoid the crowd (especially after the Ducks suffering their first loss to the un-ranked Cardinal!), we ventured off to San Carlos.
Externally, the restaurant did not distinguish itself from the rest of the establishments at the plaza. It was a different story once we stepped in.
+ Good service: beverages constantly filled, lotsa' attention paid to the table despite the restaurant being packed (the waiter was ridiculous, he could carry literally 5-6 plates on one arm!)
+ Quick turnaround: food was properly timed and came quick
+ Clean
Grubbed on:
*Bulanee
- Thin crepe, leeks/onions were overwhelming
*Pakawra-e-katchalu
- Too much grease on the batter
- Yogurt didn't add much as a dip
+ Meat sauce was pretty good, sans the hydrogenated top layer
*Vegetarian platter (Challaw sabsi/badenjah/gulpi)
+ Cauliflower was money, soft and flavorful
+ Spinach was delish, though it needed some more salt
- Eggplant was bland
*Kabab-e-gaw/murgh
+ "Cubes of meat" does not sound appetizing but the steak/chicken
were grilled nicely, full of juice n' POW!
*Baklava
+ Wow, that's how baklava is supposed to taste! Flaky n' brittle top
with a soft bottom soaked with syrup (that tastes like honey) makes
a nice combo!
On the word:
Be sure to arrive before 6:15PM if possible. Place fills up quick. Skip the eggplant and previous appetizers. Eyes on kabob!
Wow I surprisingly really enjoyed this place. Mostly because the ambiance was culturally rich, decked out in Afghani theme. I'm not too aware of the culture, but it definitely felt as if I was in Afghanistan with the beautiful decorations and woven dresses hanging right next to my table. Great atmopshere! Great place for a nice date or with a family. Service was mediocre however...
The salmon and beef skewers were so succulent. Definitely my favorite partt. The pallaw (rice) was good, but I wasn't a huge fan of the Afghan bread. It was certainly a filling plate! What made me really love this place was that rosemary pudding for dessert. The sliced almonds hidden in there just put the icing on the cake!
While everything we ate was delicious, Yelpers are 100% correct when they said to get a plate of the pumpkin with meat and yogurt. OMG, I could literally stuff my face on that dish all day long.
This is some of the best food I have ever eaten!
I was weary, as I am a vegetarian and I had heard that they were famous for their meat kebabs, but there was a vegetarian section right on the menu to make my life easier. On top of that, the staff was very helpful (and patient) with all of my questions and even had great recommendations.
To start we shared some of the house red wine, which was fabulous! I ordered the Vegetarian sampler, but once I put the pumpkin in my mouth I regretted not ordering that dish all by itself. Not to say the other food was bad, but I could have eaten that pumpkin until my sides burst, it was so flavorful. Despite stuffing myself, I went for dessert and was not disappointed in the least. The Baklava was exceptional!
Although I live quite far from here and do not have a car, I am considering taking out a zip car for the evening just to visit this restaurant again. It would be an expensive outing, but it would be well worth the trip! (but this time, I'll order seconds "to go")
Ever since my dining experience at El Helmand in Boston, I have been craving delicious Afghani food. After extensive on-line research, I decided to try Kabul.
For starters, we had a fresh green salad and Afgan bread. Both were good, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the salad was part of the dinner price. For dinner I decided to go with the vegetarian platter--spinach, eggplant, and pumpkin with yogurt. I was satisfied with my meal, though I was neither amazed nor blown away by the meal. The spinach was something that I could have made at home--steam spinach, salt, pepper, garlic. Basic, nothing special. The eggplant was the best in flavor, but was incredibly oily. The pumpkin and yogurt was my favorite--I love pumpkin everything, so the thought of trying it with yogurt was intriguing. Great combination--the sweet pumpkin, and the tart, tangy, savory yogurt meshed well.
Service was exceptional, our hostess, the owner's daughter, gave my boyfriend and I a free rice pudding for dessert, and our waiter was thoroughly attentive. The baklava was too sweet for my taste, it was drenched in honey, which made the baklava soggy. I like my baklava lightly sweetened, with a crispy and flaky crust, topped with nuts. And this one had neither. The rice pudding was yummy. Though I would say it was more if a custard than a pudding. It was light, creamy, with a crunchy topping, almost like a creme brulee.
Overall, the food did not meet my expectations, and though the service was wonderful, I would've needed to love the food in order to return. Definitely no comparison to El Helmand in Boston.
The reviews don't lie.... This is the best Afghan restaurant that I have ever been to. The food was tasty, the staff was friendly, and the restaurant had a great ambiance to it.
I started out with the Mantoo, which is an onion and ground lamb filled dumpling, topped with yogurt, and mixed vegetables. The vegetables consisted mainly of pumpkin which gave the dish a nice flavor.
My main course was the Kabab-e-murgh which consisted of cubes of chicken breast that has been marinated in herbs and fine spices and then charbroiled on a grill. The chicken was juicy and tender, and had a great flavor. The chicken also came with pallaw which is rice that has been cooked with a seasoned broth.
And to wash everything down, I went with a glass of Dough. A nice yogurt drink with mixed seasonings.
The total for my meal was just under $25, which seems kind of high. But the prices were justified by the large portions that were served. Ideally, an entree can be shared between 2 people.
Great restaurant, Great Meal, and I am looking forward to going back for another meal.
Wow! What a pleasant surprise! Ignore the strip-mapp setting and be prepared for a delicious and friendly food experience. Being new to this cuisine, I came right out and asked the waiter to recommend a main course. Instead, he recommended an entire meal, including appetizer and main course for *both* me and my partner. And that he was going to ask the chef to "prepare them special for us"...I have no idea what he meant, but it was an awesome experience!
I had the combo kabob: shrimp and lamb with rice and cranberry side. My partner had the lamb loin chop kabobs. Mine was great, but the lamb chops were as tender as butter. Delicious!
We came on a Monday night and we shared the place with 4-6 other diners. Apparently Thursday and Friday nights are packed.
You could tell how proud the waiter was of the restaurant and the rest of the staff. Quite a refreshing change of pace with typical restaurants.
Highly recommended.
My kabobs were delicious, the service was exceptional, the atmosphere was great. What more can you ask for when looking for a quality dining experience?
The prices are fair for what you're getting. If you want to sit down and have a nice meal while expirencing a little culture, make Kabul Afghan a top priority.
Have been going to Kabul's for more than 15 years (initially in SF), and they're STILL one of my all-time favorite restaurants. The food and atmosphere has been consistently good the entire time.
My fave meal is the Quabili Pallaw (lamb, carrots, raisins in a brown rice bed) with sides of Sabsi (spiced spinach) and Kadu (sweet-tasting butternut squash reminiscent of pumpkin).
The lifetime staff (owners and relatives, I assume) are always friendly and gracious. The only taint to the relationship is when the owners (brothers, I believe) split up in the mid-90s, separating the operations of the SF and Peninsula locations. The quality definitely went with the San Carlos clan... I gave the SF location a couple chances but they never quite measured up.
If you live within 30 miles of San Carlos, you MUST give Kabul's Afghan Restaurant a try. I doubt you'll regret it.
Kabul's was great growing up in San Carlos. After all these years, IT's STILL GREAT!!!!!!!!!
Owners are fantastic, as are the family members working there. They serve up the goods, and man is it tasty!!!!!!!!!
Loved the waiters story about the Kite battles... they have GLASS in the string, so he got his hand cut to the bone! Very dangerous, sliced necks, etc. Some Germans came in trying to sell "safe" string... but hey... how boring is that? It's like football in the U.S... nerf ball is NOT going to cut it!
Do yourself a favor and GET YOU SOME!
The pumpkin is AWESOME
All these five-star reviews baffle me. I have eaten here several times and am still not impressed. The restaurant itself is just one big room in the corner of a strip mall. The waiter, as usual, is not particularly female-friendly. They do serve salad and bread with a generous entree and the prices are fair. House white wine came under-chilled and bland. Lamb was not tender enough and they overdo the spices, which I normally welcome in Indian or Chinese cuisine.
Last night was the first time I'd had Afghan food, and the experience was stellar (5 stellar, har har).
The portions are huge. Since we ordered appetizers, we probably could have gotten by with sharing entrees -- one entree for two, or if we were still wanted to stuff ourselves and have leftovers, three entrees among the four of us).
It was a delight to sample my fellow dinner mates' orders -- the vegetarian platter (with pumpkin, eggplant, and cauliflower), stewed beef and cauliflower, and stewed chicken. The lamb dumplings (mantoo) dish was excellent.
This was going to be a four-star review, but I added an additional star because fast and exceptional service accompanied our meal. Also, we were interested in knowing more about some of the food and were treated to more than adequate explanations. (FYI, the salad is not authentic Afghani.)
Unlike its fancy sister in Burlingame, Kabul in San Carlos looked rather unassuming on the outside, but warm and inviting once you enter. On a Tuesday night, I didn't expect the restaurant to be this busy and was glad they still had some tables available.
Everything we had was bold in flavors, just the way we like it.
Appetizer:
- Pakawra-E-Badenjan came with a sour sauce that had a hint of heat; it tasted like it's made with a lot of white vinegar, some cilantro and some green chili. I also liked the warm mashed potatoes inside the turnover. Yum!
- Bulanee Katchalu was also quite tasty with a "meat sauce" on top. I think the "meat sauce" was lamb or perhaps a mixture of lamb and beef
Entree:
- Challaw Kadu was our vegetarian entree. I never knew pumpkin can be this sweet! It went well with the challaw (plain Basmeti rice). The afghan bread, on the other hand, wasn't all that special.
Dessert:
- Baklava.....that was the biggest single piece of Baklava serving I've ever seen! (We were glad we only ordered one dessert to share.) ...about twice the size of the usual Baklava triangles. It's soaked in honey, fragrant of pistachios, nice and chewy on the bottom layers. Highly recommended!
The price-tag isn't all that bad either. With the above dishes, our dinner came out to be around $36 including tax and tip.
If you're planning a big party, Kabul has a semi-private area on the right side of the restaurant that accommodates a long table of probably close to 30 people. This is also a great place to take your vegetarian friends!
Seriously one of the best restaurants around.
Hidden in a kitschy stripmall in San Carlos, Kabul's is a gem.
I've been coming here since I was 13 - it's my family's "go to" place for every big occasion. Service is top notch. The food is fresh. The flavors are incredible.
My favorite appetizer is the aushak - veggie dumplings covered in yoghurt meat sauce. I switch up the entrees - I love the chicken kebabs, the beef stews and the vegetarian stew combo. The pilau is mmm mmm good. Every meal comes with salad, and the delicious dressing makes me happy.
Mint tea and baklava or a milky pistachio pudding are the way to end such a perfect culinary evening.
This restaurant is definitely in my "Top 5" favorite restaurants of all time! The atmosphere is so welcoming and the food is really tasty and a great value. I've been here many times for both lunch and dinner, and each visit has been very enjoyable. I often order the "chef's platter" for lunch (which is awesome), but it does not appear on the dinner menu. I asked about it, and the staff were nice enough to prepare a chef's platter for dinner and only charged the lunch price.
The service is always friendly and prompt but not pushy. The food tastes really good. The prices are reasonable, and the restaurant itself looks very nice and inviting. Perfect!
I've never had a bad meal here. Consistently delicious. Their Kabobs are excellent - my favorite are the chicken kabobs but their lamb, salmon, and beef kabobs are all good too. They do more than Kabobs, though...try the Lawang or the Aushak (which you can also get as an appetizer) - all delicious.
This place has a great selection of vegetarian choices, too. So if you need that as an option, your vegetarian friends should find plenty to enjoy on their menu. Wait staff is friendly (but know when to get out of your way when their business is done), and overall service is excellent.
Try the cardamon ice cream or the Firnee (cardamon and rose flavored pudding) to top it all off, and you'll have enjoyed a great evening out.
This has been a long standing favorite in Belmont is a shopping center. It gets crowded quickly.
The interior is decorated with Afghan décor and with beautiful native costumes.
The food is delicious.
The mantoo (ground lamb dumplings) appetizer is tasty.
The house salad is savory; and the Afghan bread is good.
The skewers of meat were tender and delicious; come with generous portion of basmati rice.
Our favorite was the challow kadu (vegetarian pumpkin with yogurt).
Service was good and efficient.
This is awesome restaurent. Reasonable price with big enough portion, tasty foods and varieties of dishes on menu. Combination kabob is my favorite. If you afraid of spicy I.... curry, try this mild and tasty Afghan flavors. You should definitely go back again. Restaurent slightly dark but I think that environmnt is created for real restaurent in KaBul. People are friendly and great communication.
I have a love and hate relationship with Kabul. The food at Kabul is delicious, but sadly I got sick to my stomach after eating here on numerous occasions. I think I have an allergy to one of the herbs that they use because my parents were absolutely fine.
The food is delicious and that is the point in a place like this. Atmosphere? Too bright and no music at all. I prefer the absence music as opposed to a place that is too loud ( thinking of Town) , but gentle background music is a nice touch one misses when dinning in near total silence. Minor gripes in the face of amazing food. Go there and take your ipod. Maybe some sunglasses as well. But go there and enjoy some very good food.
Maybe Im a bit un- PC here, but I give foreigners more slack when the details are not quite right, so long as the food is good. All they need to do is bring down the lights a bit and play some mellow music. Doing so will make me come off the last stingy star.
Went here for lunch with coworkers. It is located in a strip mall so there was ample parking. We went towards the end of the lunch rush so the restaurant was full but we were still seated in a timely manner.
Our waiter brought out the menus along with ice waters for everyone. I ordered the Kabab-e-Gousfand (lamb kebab) and hot tea.
My meal included a salad that was brought out right away. The salad was nice and contained cold crispy lettuce with their tasty homemade dressing.
Not too long after, the waiter brought out my lamb kebab. He set the plate down on the table and slid the lamb cubes off the skewer for me. There was only about 4-5 cubes but they were moderately sized. Also on the plate was Afghan bread and pallaw.
The lamb was cooked medium well as it still had a hint of pink in the middle. The meat was very tender, juicy, and seasoned perfectly with their herbs and spices. The pallaw was also tasty as well as I believe it's cooked in sauce to make it brown. Overall I was very happy with my meal, I just wish there was an second skewer since I'm a fan of lamb.
Came here on a Monday night and had a good dinner. I had a beef stew which was really filling and good. Sorry forgot the name. My friend had a veg. dish that included rice and pumkim. I tried some and the pumkin was really good and sweet, just as I liked it. Service was very good and friendly. Inside was a nice fasionable decorated dining area. Outside plain, but that's not to stop you from trying this place. I definitely will come back and try some other stuff.
As all others have said - you can't go wrong here. The staff always welcomes customers with a smile. The food is outstanding and served in very generous portions. The pumpkin, as strange as it sounds, is loved by all. Even my husband (who doesn't like pumpkin pie) loves the Kabul pumpkin. This is the crown jewel of San Carlos. When you're bored of the same ol' same ol' San Carlos Italian give Kabul a try. You won't be sorry.
This is a family favorite; my grandmother rarely goes to restaurants (it's too loud, she says), but if we say we're going here, she'll grab her purse.
I can't even count how many times we've been here, and it's great every time. The service is impeccable, polite and friendly, and we've tried almost everything on the menu and we love it all. Of course, nothing beats the pumpkin. They do some magic on that thing.
"Do not bring your sorrows to the table. Your food must enjoy you, just as you enjoy the food."
That was just one of the many witty bits of wisdom that Akram, our bald and fatherly waiter, imparted on us throughout the night. Although we initially decided to try Kabul for its food reviews on Yelp, we found that the entertaining service made the drive that much more worth it.
We shared four entrees: Mantoo, Korma Challaw Badenjah, Kabab-E-Gousfand, and Kabul's Combination Kabab (Shrimp and Lamb). Akram claimed people came from far and wide (Arizona, Las Vegas) just to eat the lamb kababs, but I thought the Mantoo (Lamb-filled dumplings) was the best dish out of the four, although the lamb kababs were cooked just right with a bit of pink in the center.
Overall, it was pretty awesome. Akram was the icing on top of the proverbial cake. (If the cake was delicious, delicious food.) He didn't just suggest that the boys share their food with the girls, he doled out the lamb kababs himself. As we left, he reminded us to make reservations if we planned on coming on a weekend, as the line stretches out the door and around the building.
I never had Afghan food before and was (understatement) pleasantly surprised by the flavor of the food.
My co-worker happens to be a family friend and was like I have to take you to our friends restaurant and show some Afghan food. Off to Kabul went.
We started off with some appetizers I believe we had MANTOO, SAMBOSA-E-GOUSHTI and BULANEE KATCHALU all of which were damn good. Topped off with some Mint Chutney. After all of that I was not sure I could finish the KABUL'S COMBINATION KABAB with Lamb and Beef but alas that was no where near the truth once my meal arrived and our waiter pulled all the meat off onto our plate All I could do was eat, eat and eat and man that was some delicious kabob. The meat was grilled just right. Not too well done at all just the way I wanted it.
Once we were done with lunch I had to have some baklava as I saw it on the menu. I love that stuff and wanted to see if the Afghan version was any different. It was good non the less. We also sampled some GOUSH-E-FEEL and FIRNEE that was recommended by my co-worker those as well were delicious.
We were very satisfied and will be back Thank you Abed for showing us this Gem hidden in San Carlos of all places.
We missed the lunch rush so it was fairly easy to get a seat I expect this place would be pretty packed on the weekend and based on reviews it looks that way. Until I experience a long wait 5 stars all the way.
This hidden gem is exactly that: hidden. Tucked away in a tired, old strip mall in San Carlos lies one of my new favorite local restaurants.
The exterior/interior of this restaurant doesn't look like it's changed at all since the 1990s. It's not what I would call aesthetically pleasing, but 1) you shouldn't be here for atmosphere and 2) the food makes you forget it in an instant.
I was amazed that this place was quite busy on Tuesday lunch at 1pm, and on Wednesday evening. This is sleepy San Carlos, and to see any restaurant busy on a weeknight (especially during "economic crisis" when people are supposedly eating out less) is surprising. Why is it busy? The food is delicious.
My understanding is that it is pretty authentic Afghani food. Either way, it was served hot/cold as it should, and portions were generous. Veg dishes like pumpkin and eggplant were good (some of these come with meat). Grilled shrimp skewers were big and fresh. Lamb dumplings were my favorite - I could eat this every day. The baklava was sweet and just the right size.
Service is pleasant and efficient. There seem to be only 4 waitstaff who work here during the 2 times I was here. Good value for the food - both lunch and dinner for 2 worked out to be $40-50, considering how much food there is.
The dinner was super rich in flavor and taste. I tried the lamb in spinach entree, and the dumplings appetizer. Both were delicious. I found the service to be attentive and helpful. Not a bad choice for a place that is close to work and open fairly late for the last minute need-to-get-dinner-before-everything-closes-and-I- can't-wait-until-I-drive-all-the-way-home kind of nights.
Just OK...................
Delicious! Our first time eating Afghan food and it was scrumptious! We had the pumpkin dish everyone raves about- we loved it. Also had lawang (chicken dish) and my 10 year old nearly licked the plate! We will be repeat customers for sure!
Kabul!
From the exterior, Kabul is a very unassuming restaurant. Nothing about its appearance provides a clue as to what deliciousness lies beyond the front door. Even when you walk through the doors you might be more than a little unimpressed. That is until you walk through the entranceway and see the linen table cloths with neatly laid out napkins, utensils, and glasses. Next you will be greeted by one of the many endearing members of the Kabul staff. You see, Kabul, like many restaurants in the area is an old school establishment. The waiters there don't want to be your friend - the just want to provide you with excellent services. This means a proper greeting with courteous service. These guys have been around a while and they know how to treat patrons. They make you feel welcomed right away and set you up nicely for the meal.
Dinner was as expected - very satisfying. I always get the Lawang (mostly because I like saying LA-WANG over and over). Most dishes on the menu contain Lamb and there are a few vegetarian choices. This evening I also tried the Mashawa (a lentil soup) and it was very good. It was also nice to get a full bowl of soup instead of a cup sized 'bowl'.
If you'd like to spice up your restaurant repertoire I would definitely recommend a visit to Kabul. LA-WANG !
Absolutely awesome, easily best Afghan food around (though some places in Fremont might give it a run for its money), tasteful decor, excellent service. I drive from Cupertino to Kabul just for the lamb kebab, aushak, and firnee. I've never had a bad experience, and everyone I've brought here becomes a regular customer. Lunch prices are very affordable, and dinner isn't too bad either, especially for all the food you get. Great place, couldn't recommend it more.
This was just ok for me. I ordered my usual Afgan favorites -- bulanee and beef kabab. It was tasty, but the portions are small compared to the Afghan restaurants I like (and now prefer) in Fremont.
That said, the staff and decor were both nice.
Excellent....
Went with my sqtsqt to celebrate, and enjoyed all the dishes. Everything from the soup to the main dish was perfect. The tea they have is very nice, and same with the service. This place is top notch.
Go, you will enjoy!
I only wish we lived in the area so I could visit this place more often. Alas, we were only visiting family who suggested we go here. Oh. My. God. The food was so flavorful, the service was excellent, the atmosphere relaxing and beautiful. My aunt recommended the kadu, something I would have never ordered based on the description (pumpkin in a meat/yogurt sauce.) Words fail. It was simply delicious. My lamb kabob entree was tender and moist. The bread was warm and fresh. Ok, I need to go lie down now, I'm getting a little light-headed.
I love Kabul. Great food, great staff, great setting. Good for both a romantic dinner with a bottle of wine (they even carry some great French wines like Châteauneuf-du-Pape) or a quick lunch with colleagues. Two thumbs up.
I went for my birthday the other night, and chose it because it is MY FAVORITE restaurant in the area. EXCELLENT food and service!
Mmm, mmm, good! This is one of the best restaurants I have found in the peninsula since I arrived a… Read more »
Yum!! This place is really really good. I think about it for weeks after going.
Sunnyvale, CA
Category: Afghan
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