Cuisine: These no-frills Pakistani kebab houses, across the street from each other, sling some of the area’s best, juiciest meats—whether in kebabs over fluffy rice, sided with a hot round of naan, or submerged in the spicy stew called karahi.
Mood: None. The dining room is flooded with fluorescent light, and patrons order at the counter and eat with plastic plates, knives, and forks. On the plus side: A staffer usually delivers the food and clears your table, too.
Best for: Fast dinners when you don’t want fast food; takeout.
Best dishes: Slow-cooked, charcoal-grilled kebabs: lamb chops, bone-in chicken, and seekh kabob made with minced, spiced beef; lamb-and-seekh-kabob karahi; chana masala, a rich chickpea stew; mango lassi.
Insider tips: Thrill seekers might try a karahi made with lambs’ brains; the contrast of the mild, curdlike brains and the fiery stew—with garlic, ginger, cilantro, and chilies—is wonderful.
Service: •
Open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner. Inexpensive.
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Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
