Afghani Food International Market & Restaurant

This is an excellent, family-run Afghani restaurant in Clairemont. The lamb was cooked to perfection, and the sauces they provided were absolutely delicious, especially the two that came in a bottle.Service is a little slow as they make the food fresh to order, but the food is well-worth the wait. There is also a wall of fridges with all sorts of Afghani treats to pursue and buy.

Great quality, great quantity, good value.Overall I had a satisfactory experience at this restaurant. The food was enjoyable in both quantity and quality and the service was satisfactory. My only reservation is how expensive the food can get. Our bill came out to just under $100 for 4 items.This is a family-run Afghan restaurant and it has all the charms of a local mom-and-pop shop. I came here with my girlfriend and we ordered based on the recommendations of an Afghan friend.It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to order some Potato Bolani and the Mantu to share if you're eating with a group!!Lamb Seekh Qualbi Palow (Lamb Shank): Sweet, light, fluffy, tender, explosive. This dish comes with Qualbi Palow (basmati rice with carrots and raisins), a side salad, and a large lamb shank. The lamb that came with this dish is undoubtedly the most tender lamb that I have ever had in my life. It was literally fall off the bone and melted in my mouth like softened butter. The flavor was mildly game-y and more-so resembled your typical red meat like beef. Qualbi Palow is the national dish of Afghanistan and for very good reason. This fluffy rice is supplemented with sweet shredded carrots and raisins which is not a combination that I have experience before but was very glad I had the privilege to try. The rice and lamb were so flavorful and filling and the fluffiness of the basmati rice helped "lighten" the heftiness of the dish. The salad included a variety of greens along with onions and tomatoes topped with some crumbled feta. This salad was fresh, crispy, and made for the perfect light bite especially when you top it with some of the restaurant's tangy chutney. Beef Seekh Tikka Qualbi Palow (Marinated Beef): Sweet, fluffy, meaty, robust. Similar to the aforementioned Lamb Seekh Qualbi Palow, this dish features Qualbi Palow, a side salad, and some a beef kabob. All the previous comments about the last dish are applicable to this beef dish but the biggest difference is the protein. The beef isn't buttery or tender like the lamb shank but rather smokey and meaty. The beef had a nice crust of char and sear and the interior was both juicy but also very chewy. I enjoyed both this dish and the Lamb Shank but if I had to choose between the two I would choose the Lamb Shank simply because I enjoy more tender cuts of meat and I also really enjoy game meats.Mantu: Soft, flavorful, hefty. Mantu is essentially Afghan dumplings filled with ground meat and softened onions mixed with spices. This location also tops their mantu with a puree that includes lentils that adds a savory creaminess to the dish. I absolutely loved this dish and enjoyed trying the different chutneys and sauces atop the mantu. This dish is PERFECT FOR SHARING especially if you are eating with a large party and can definitely work as both an appetizer for the group or even a dish to selfishly enjoy.Potato Bolani (Stuffed Flatbread): Fluffy, airy, flakey, warm. The potato bolani is a stuffed flatbread that was stuffed with a soft mashed potato filling. It seemed to also be seasoned with some spices but I wasn't able to particularly discern which ones. The flatbread was outstandingly airy and fluffy and soft and was mild in flavor but not lacking. It was a perfect side to supplement the more robust flavors in our main dishes. I was surprised to find that our two main dishes did not come with naan but fortunately we ordered bolani and used that as a substitute and were very much pleased. The bolani can be eaten solely by itself with some chutney or it can be eaten alongside other dishes but I would highly recommend ordering this for your table to share if you are eating with friends.The service was satisfactory as the server was quick to tend to us upon stepping into the store and was eager to offer his suggestions and help with ordering. At times he was hard to get in touch with because he had other tasks to do in this restaurant but otherwise he was very friendly.The restaurant is designed somewhat almost like a venue for medium sized gatherings. The server also mentioned that they do catering along with their restaurant services so that could be something to check out if you're looking into setting up some gatherings. Otherwise the aesthetic was very cute and akin to a classic family run restaurant.

This is a new Afghan restaurant in the Claremont Mesa area. They are both a grocery store and a restaurant put together as one. They have a wide variety of Afghan dishes. So far I have tried the Mantu - Afghan dumplings with meat sauce , garlic , green onions and yoghurt. I also tried the chicken kabob - very good boneless pieces of chicken bbq with rice mixed with raisins, carrots , nuts and spices. So far this is a great restaurant and I will definitely come back.

The food here is very good. They have menu items that are similar to what you see in Mediterranean restaurants, but the spices and flavors are different. I really liked it. We ordered the chicken seekh tikka quabli palow, garlic naan, and polani. The chicken was tender and tasty. The naan was okay. I really liked the polani. I am looking forward to trying other items here. I wish the menu had photos or more detailed descriptions. I felt bad asking our young waiter to explain some of the menu items, but he was very nice and patient.

I was there with a group of 5 on January 3, 2024Review: I got the qabuli Palau, it was very good! Rice was flavorful but not overpowering in spices, and the lamb shank was tender. My brother in law got the lamb seekh and loved it. There Mantu, chefs kiss, so good! The chutneys were tangy, slightly sweet, not at all spicy (to me), and so very good. I also enjoyed the homemade yogurt. Oh, and the potato bolani was so good too!! Overall, I also enjoyed the apps more than the main dish, but everything was amazing!I will be back for sure.The lady working there that night was super sweet, great service, offered recommendations, and I got the Chai it was delicious as well. Don't skip on the chai.

I've been passing by this place foreverrr waiting for it to open and I'm sooo happy it is finally open!I've ordered take out from here at least 3-4x since they've opened and had family pick it up. I personally have not been inside yet but my fam said the place was clean when they went to go pick up the food so woo, thats awesome. As for the food we ordered a mix of potato and chive bolani, mantu, and qubalai palaow (rice w/raisins and carrots and lamb shank!). The food is very fresh and high quality and they season their food soo well (no extra salt is necessary). Hopefully I'll get the chance to dine in soon because it's nice to finally have an Afghan restaurant centrally located in SD adding to the diversity of flavors you find in the Clairemont/Kearny Mesa neighborhood. If you want fresh delicious Afghan food, this is the place to be.

Loved loved loved the leg of lamb braise in middle eastern spices served on a bed of specially prepared rice dish We highly recommend

I had the beef and chicken shawarma, and it was the best I've ever had. Both the chicken and beef were juicy and flavorful, and the rice was well-seasoned. They also brought out several sauces, which all made the food even better. I will definitely be back to try more of their menu.

Large space with excellent food! Highly recommend. Lamb was delicious. If you wonder what's the difference from other Mediterranean style foods, this has a bit more sweetness especially the rice.Nice family run business. Show them some love. Large portions.

I've come here twice now and both times I have been floored by how amazing the service is. The owners are a beautiful couple who truly care. They offered options to try I wouldn't have even thought of before, and it is now my favorite dish. No regrets supporting a business like this. Plus, there are ALWAYS delicious leftovers to take home. What a Clairemont gem.