The ‘mouthwatering’ lamb was the ‘star dish’
One thing I love about living in a city like Hull is trying out different cuisines from around the world. Although the last few years have been incredibly tough for independent businesses, there are still many exciting places I have yet to try.
My latest trip was The Afghan restaurant and takeaway in Spring Bank. It has been open for more than a year, but when I visited for a quiet lunch mid-week, it was my first time.
I’d never had Afghan food before, but there is some crossover with other cuisines. The menu has lamb chops, kebabs and – on a Friday and Saturday – homemade dolma which are stuffed vine leaves.
There is also Kabuli pulao, Afghanistan’s national dish, which is pilaf rice mixed with caramelised carrots and raisins as well as marinated meat. When we visited for lunch, we were immediately offered a table, given menus, and asked what type of soup we would like.
We picked chicken soup and lentil soup. Both arrived quickly, nice and hot and smelling absolutely gorgeous.
The lentil soup had a beautiful smoky flavour and a creamy texture, with a pleasantly aromatic aftertaste. The chicken soup was also great quality and tasted homemade.
For our mains, we had Lamb Karahi from the chef’s special menu and a portion of Bamieh. Both came with a giant naan bread which really impressed us both,.
The naan arrived straight out of the oven, cooked golden on the outside and perfectly fluffy in the middle. Bluntly, it was incredibly good bread.
My friend described the lamb korai as the “star dish” and made the bold claim it was the “best meat of my life”. The lamb was melt-in-the-mouth tender and the flavour of fresh coriander complemented it beautifully.
The Bamieh was a spiced stew of okra. I adore okra, it is a flavoursome vegetable with a tender centre and slightly rough skin.
Some people describe okra as slimy, but I love it. Other than the sweet, slightly nutty flavour of fried okra, the dish was nicely garlicky with fragrant spices, but in terms of chilli heat it was quite gentle.
When the bill arrived, we were amazed it was just under £15. That was two main meals, with naan and salad, and two free soups, which we thought was great value given the quality.
Sadly, we did not visit on a Friday or a Saturday which is when vine leaves are on the menu. But on the plus side, this gives us a good excuse to go back again!
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