Kabul Afghan Cuisine - (206) 545-9000

We had a reservation, but that didn't stop us from waiting way too long for our table in the overcrowded, undersized lobby. The wait continued for basic water and drinks; how hard is it to quickly fill a glass?! The menu looked interesting, even though the prices were high: $45 dinner for two people, not including drinks, appetizer, or dessert. I figured the food would be fantastic. Turns out, it tastes just like kebobs. Who knew? Next time, I'll save the $35.00, plus the tip, and go to my local gyro joint.

There is every reason to be ambitious and dabble in this unfamiliar cuisine. The intimate setting and low lighting make this place feel special. The chatty and attentive owner make you feel like an honored guest. The food makes you glad you came for sure! There is nothing risky about this food, very flavorful and not too greasy or too spicy or too anything but just purely wonderful flavors. Very Middle Eastern but also incorporates some spices perhaps influenced by Indian cuisine (which makes sense given Afghanistan's history and location!) This is a complete experience-- an adventure, a treat, a delight to the senses, a buzz in the room, a conversation with the waitor, an inspiration to come back!

Is Kabul a bit pricey? Yes, but with darned good reason. The ingredients are fresh and local. Everything offered is of the best grade which is what makes Kabuls seemingly "simple dishes" outstanding. The seasonings are freshly ground every day in the restaurants kitchen and the sauces are prepared daily to ensure purity in the flavors. While I eat meat, my husband does not. Our friends are a mix of omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans. This is one of the very few restaurants where we can all go and each have a dish to throughly enjoy. My personal favorites are the beef kabobs and the rack-of-lamb (a special item that is not always available). Stick around for dessert - the baklava is flaky and filled with saffron, cardamon, and honey. The firni is also a unique and light treat. As regular patrons since the late 1990's, we have always appreciated the consistant top quality food, outstanding preparation, and generous owner who allows patrons to sit and enjoy their meal, even when there is a full house.

My group (two couples) ordered the combination kabob (for $42), which was described as "enough for 2". We received 6 small cubes of meat -- three chicken and three beef. All of us were shocked as to how small the portions were. We asked our waiter if the order was right, as we really throught there was some sort of mistake. He was extremely defensive and argumentative -- making the situation worse. He basically proceeded to yell at us for 5 minutes or so, we walked out. Not exactly customer oriented!! We received our bill -- $46 per couple -- and we all left hungry. With so many great places in seattle (try Yanni's in Phynney if you want kabobs), we won't be going back.

Kabul Afghan cuisine was a great surprise tonight. We were going to go to an old standby, but decided to give Kabul a try. We?re glad we did. First off, vegetarian friendly. We tried almost all the vegetarian dishes between the people in our party, and every dish was great. 1) Bolani ? fried thin afghan pastry, like samosas but more delicate. delicious. 2) Soup ? this was very interesting kind of like a spicy minestrone with central asian spices. 3) ?Eggplant dish? was excellent (how do you cook eggplant so that it can hold its shape, stay moist, and not melt, until you put it in your mouth?) 4) Qorma-I Tarkari - More like Indian food than any of the other dishes, but still unique. 5) ?pasta? dish ? we were a little hesitant about Afghan pasta, but it turned out to have some great flavors with some interesting textures. Overall? Great food worth the price. I wouldn?t think twice about recommending this restaurant. If you go look at the ceiling next to the front door? there?s kind of a trippy optical illusion with the way the angles workout (or I?m just nuts).