Will had been to Bistro Aracosia around the corner on MacArthur Blvd a couple of times and has been raving all year, so we finally headed over last night for a quiet dinner for two(www.bistroaracosia.com).
The location is where the late Listrani's and Bistroquet were, but unlike those, the place was full on Saturday at 7pm and a line was waiting for tables. I think this is here to stay!
The décor in the front retains the tin ceiling and small bar with bistro style seating(chairs are more comfy, but tables are small and crowded) in the two rooms. The walls have Afghan jewelry, scarves, paintings (think whirling dervishes) and quotes from famous poets(Rumi, Hafaz) and the rear room now has a beautiful fabric ceiling that makes it quieter (but last night a tad warmer than the front room, especially with the outdoor heat topping 90). The staff sport long embroidered Afghan shirts, which are most attractive.
We were warmly greeting and seated quickly as we perused the drink menu. Will chose the Khyber Pass made with Casa Noble Crystal Tequila, Patron Citronage, lime and chile while I aimed for the Sumac Infusion with sumac-infused vodka(mild), velvet falernum, pomegranate and lime. The tall thin glasses look smaller, but are misleading as the drinks seemed to last quite long. The Afghan bread arrived and Will said it was not as fresh as the previous visits, but still delicious with the four "chutneys" or sauces that come with it and can be put on any or all of the various dishes, but especially the kebabs. The mildest was the Avocado/Yogurt with spices and they progress very quickly in spice levels to the Red Chile then the Thai Pepper & Green Herbs(almost tomatillo-like) and the intense Mango Sweet & Spicy, definitely the hottest, but still superbly tasty.
It was quite busy and took a while to order, but we specifically told the server to give us a good break between courses as we saw the portions arriving near us were quite huge. The owner was back over asking what we had ordered and if we had ever tasted the lamb chops. Within minutes he returned with a plate of two gorgeous grilled lamb chops in Afgan spices. Unfortunately, Will is highly allergic to sumac and when he asked, the owner mentioned that all the grilled meats use sumac as it is a pre-mixed spice rub; more for me. The chops were cooked perfectly and were even more amazing with the green and mango sauces.
We ordered a bottle of Rioja Imperial Reserva 2012 from Compania Vinicola del Norte de Espana in Haro and it was drinking beautifully. The wine list offers many lower prices options in the 30's and up, but they do tend to get pricey for the better quality ones and at $90 this was as high I was willing to go. Some wines were in the $300's!!
Will started with a Cold Scythian Soup
of Yogurt, Avocado, Cucumber and Dill, with the latter being quite intense(a bit too much for my taste) while I was thrilled with my Sabzi Boulanee (turnovers) which are the flakiest of pastries (quasi-phyllo, less than turnovers), filled with spinach, kale, collard, mustard & turnip greens, and cilantro, then deep fried and served with the avocado/yogurt chutney dipping sauce. This is one of the best veggie dishes around for my bang!
I later learned that Sabzi means greens as Will ordered the Lamb Shank Sabzi Moghuli for his main course which was braised bone-in shanks with braised mixed greens in a spicy tomato stew with Garam Masala. It was delicious and huge as well.
I could not resist ordering the Bodana (Quail) Kabob with Basmati Rice and the most amazing Butternut Squash side dish topped with amazing spice sauce and a dab of yogurt drizzle. There were three huge quails(see the FB photos) all grilled and seasoned perfectly, but after those two lamb chops, I only got through half the plate and took the other 1-1/2 birds home for another night! Everything was cooked perfectly and again the supers sauces made every bite different.
We decided to try the Firni for dessert which is an Afghan pudding infused with cardamom and topped off with crushed pistachios akin to flan, but even thicker. It was nice, a bit rich and quite heavy, although refreshing. I would have liked more pistachios for crunch on top, but we left very happy knowing that we will be back soon to another awesome establishment in our 'hood!
