Yesterday (03Apr2019) tried lunch at Kabul Kabob & Grill in Dublin. Modest place, nice folks. Family run (EB Times did a 2015 review: Interview with Kabul Kabob owner/chef
Sadly, the lamb kebabs have been dropped off the menu. The menus on the web (there are several sites) are not really accurate, based on what we were handed. It’s possible the catering menu is more inclusive, as Kabul is apparently a popular choice for catering events with the Afghani community.
We had the mantu, the ashak (usually spelled aushak), beef tri-tip kabobs and the chapli kabob.
Mantu and Ashak look exactly alike: closed dough raviolis, nice thin dough. Not drained quite well enough which made both dishes a little watery. Mantu were okay, Ashak had spicy meat sauce. Yogurt drizzle on both tasted a little strong to DH (personal issue: he doesn’t like strong fermented dairy of any type, whether creme fraiche, cream cheese, yogurt, or crema - it has to be very mild).
Tomato-based sauces on both dishes were tasty but somehow neither impressed us beyond “good” rating. The two fillings seemed a bit lacking in amount and the flavors not as well-rounded. I think Annar/Hayward and Khyber Pass/Dublin make these a little better (altho we do need to return to Khyber; it’s been a while since our last visit).
Beef kabob average; tri-tip is chewy. One skewer; you can order addt’l for extra.
Chapli crispy but strong green onion taste (this was also true of the mantu filling). Texture seemed soft to me; reminded me of meatloaf - the way you add filler like oatmeal or breadcrumbs to the meat? Not saying there was anything added, we didn’t ask; but just didn’t ring my bell as a rabid burger lover.
Accompaniments were brown rice pillau (average) and yogurt dressed green salad with thin-sliced white onion. I also got some ripe tomato slices and a wedge of lemon for my Chapli.
We didn’t order our usual mast e khiar (spiced yogurt); I regretted it as I felt my dish needed it.
Chose hot black tea; Kabul also offers green tea unlike many places.
Did not order the firni as we were just too full. Kabul is good, but we’d prefer Kamdesh/Oakland, Pamir/Dublin, Khyber Pass/Dublin, or Annar/Hayward over them.
Kabul Kabob and Grill
8939 San Ramon Road, Dublin CA
Info: 925-997-5626
Note they are in a very small mixed-use strip mall, where most of the property is townhouses/apts. Parking for retail shops is 1-hr only, clearly marked. Do NOT park in the residents’ parking spaces which are towards the back half of the parking lot.