Peachy Picks Bamiyan Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
Owner Nadir Shah
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There are not many opportunities to enjoy Afghan cuisine, for the simple fact that there aren't that many Afghan restaurants! However, even if there were as many Afghan restaurants here in Manhattan as there are Italian, we still believe Bamiyan would lord over them all. Brothers Shah and Nadir Rohany (they are total peaches!) have been dominating this cuisine in Manhattan for the last 22 years and take great pride in doing so, and if you have not been on this phenomenal magic carpet ride, you are in two words missing out. Big.
Suggestion number one would be to wear shorts or pants. We did not realize there really was a kind of magic carpet booth where you sit closer to the floor instead of at a table. This does not work well when you wear a cocktail dress, so we were seated at a normal American table. Above two shots you see the lovely hummus. Peachy Deegan does not even like hummus or anything way out of the ordinary but she liked this. They make it fresh every day and it contains their signature yogurt which you are going to pray they start selling at a grocery store, or you could just go there every day we suppose. So what is Afghan food? Afghan most of the time for us is a lovely hand-knitted winter blanket that we cocoon in for dvd movie reviews, but you should know the Afghan cuisine is so much more than that. Nadir says it is less spicy than Indian (thank goodness) and has more kick than Mediterranean (and Peachy was happy she did not see olives galore). After the hummus and fresh warm bread which was something between flat and fluffy and just right for our Goldilocks Peachy, we tried the Aushak, directly above. As this review evolves you're going to wonder what we DIDN'T try, and that is testament to how much we adored this cuisine and the venue and above that the genuine care and intelligence of the owners. Yes, these guys are smart. We wish every restaurant owner had a degree from Columbia (or Boston College of course). Aushak is steamed scallion dumplings topped with yogurt-mint sauce, with meat (you can order without meat if you so desire but this is Peachy Deegan ordering, not Peachy Vegan as so many ill-hearing telephone answerers at restaurants think...!)
It is rich. It is chunky. It is succulent. It is unlike anything you've had before if you are as meat and potatoes as Peachy.
Next Peachy ordered the Sambusa, turnovers filled with beef and split peas, with yogurt dip on the side. Again, the dip is extraordinarily fresh. These turnovers are not at all greasy and are light and exotic. Going to Bamiyan is a clearcut vacation from everyday life and American cuisine.
You'll also note Bamiyan gets high points for decor. Nadir will tell you all about this painting in the back (he is standing in front of it in the top picture) and everything about the surroundings is genuine and authentic.
And it was not lost on us that they have a chandlier:
Previously featured here:
We are just as guilty of this as the next person, but when people say Royal Family they think of Queen Elizabeth and now Prince George, but guess what. There is more than one country and one royal family. We are thrilled to be a democracy here in America and don't want a royal family but we can appreciate them when they're of other countries. The Rohany brothers are very modest but when you get them talking you'll find out that they too are from a Royal Family. Their uncle on their mom's side was King of Afghanistan and they are a descendant of Mohammed. The King who was their uncle was overthrown in 1973 and the communists took over in 1978. Since if we don't have anything nice to say we say nothing at all, we will end our communist comment there (Peachy is a Reagan worshiper, surprise surprise). But know when you go to Bamiyan, you literally are dining with Royalty which is pretty neat especially since they are from the place where it originates from so they do Afghan right. August 8, 1969 was the day Nadir Rohany came to New York from his country to study International Relations at Columbia so he could be an Ambassador for his uncle. Did you know Afghanistan has 18 million people and is the size of Texas? Now Nadir is a Culinary Ambassador!
Next, you'll want to befriend the Mantoo. The names of everything are quite fun. Steamed beef dumplings, topped with yogurt and meat sauce lend a new take on something we tried above. Everything that their yogurt interacts with tastes like creamy bliss.
Bloomberg, the angel on our shoulder, whispered a salad suggestion in Peachy's ear. Even the salads here at Bamiyan are a step above the norm. Salad Shirazee: chopped cucumbers, onions, tomatoes and parsley with fresh lemon dressing was the ultimate in refreshing on a hot summer day. This is a great way to actually enjoy vegetables.
Your Bamiyan experience must include a kabob, silly. There are around a dozen to choose from and the menu itself is quite extensive. Peachy Deegan chose the Barg (Filet Mignon) Kabob. Tender pieces of filet mignon marinated with saffron with white basmati rice and grilled tomatoes was absolutely phenomenal. It hit the spot, and there was a miracle the spot was the tiniest bit empty. We'd say you need to go to Bamiyan totally hungry as you will want to devour the whole place and no one will be more surprised than you. Who knew you loved Afghan food?
It was purely a coincidence that we picked the only Afghan restaurant in Manhattan with a bar serving alcohol (we understand others are dry), but of course we see that aspect as a tremendous plus as well. Peachy sipped red wine. Of course, we want to review restaurants that include a bar. Eating and drinking go together like peas and carrots, and Forrest and Jenny.
Our esteemed panelist adds:
If you're looking for an escape from the mundane and ordinary without leaving Manhattan, take a trip to the exciting and exotic with a visit to Bamiyan Afghani Restaurant! Conveniently located on 3rd Avenue and 26th Street, Bamiyan has been owned by brothers Sayed Shah and Sayed Nadir Shah since 1993, and there is a reason it's been in business so long - it is simply outstanding! On the night we dined there, Nadir was on hand to greet us and chatted with us for quite a bit. We were more than impressed to find out that not only did he receive his law degree in Afghanistan, but after moving to America, he earned his master's degree and doctorate from Columbia University! Although he had aspirations to return to Afghanistan to become an ambassador, we (and our appetites!) are very happy that he and his brother decided to remain here and open Bamiyan! We started our feast with hummus, which was, hands down, the best I'd ever tasted. While many others that I've tasted have tended to be on the oily side, there is absolutely no oil in Bamiyan's hummus - it is fresh, light, and delicious. We sampled a variety of other appetizers, as well, to get a sense of the variety offered. Peachy and I shared the Aushak (steamed scallion dumplings topped with yogurt-mint sauce), and I tried the
Bouranee Kadu (sauteed fresh butternut squash served over mint-garlic yogurt) and the Kadu (turnovers filled with pumpkin, with yogurt dip on the side).
All three of these were unbelievably tasty and, despite their rich flavors, did not sit too heavily at all. Nader explained to us that the yogurt sauce is very versatile and imparts quite a bit of flavor, but unlike cream sauces used in other cuisines, it is remarkably light and healthy. I particularly enjoyed the use of the pumpkin and the butternut squash - two of my favorites! The pumpkin provided a sweet and tender filling for the pastry-like turnovers, and the butternut squash was simply bursting with flavor! After our appetizers, we enjoyed a salad course.
For my salad, I tried the Panir Sabzee, which contained leaves of watercress, mint, and basil with scallions, radishes, and feta cheese. It was topped with yogurt house dressing, which was sublime. The salad was immensely satisfying - in fact, I could have made a meal out of the salad alone. Everything was remarkably fresh, and the combination of flavors was fantastic!
For my main course, I tried the Morgh Kabob, which was marinated pieces of boneless chicken breast, accompanied by sweet basmati rice, made with saffron, raisins, and carrots. The chicken was expertly prepared, perfectly tasty and tender, and the rice was to die for! I couldn't get over how sweet and delicious it was - far tastier than any rice I've had before! Throughout the meal, I sipped on a lovely chardonnay, which was an unexpected treat - Bamiyan is actually the only Afghani restaurant in the city that has a bar! Since alcohol is forbidden in the Muslim religion, most Afghani restaurants do not offer any alcohol. However, Bamiyan breaks the mold here, which worked out well for me, as the chardonnay complemented my meal beautifully! For dessert, we had Bamiyan's homemade Baklava, accompanied by Shir-Chay tea.
The Baklava was incredible - the best I've ever had. Rich and sweet, with honey and ground walnuts, it was the perfect way to end the evening, and the tea, made with milk, sugar, cardamom, and rose petals, was the ideal accompaniment. Overall, a memorable and immensely enjoyable meal. Two enthusiastic thumbs up from this panelist!
Peachy Picks Bamiyan!
Bamiyan is Highly Recommended by Whom You Know.
