Why go: Few restaurants achieve the consistency of these Pakistani kebab shops. The secret? The dedication of owners Muhammad Afzal and Abdul Alnoor, who keep a watchful eye over their clockwork-like kitchens.
What to get: Lamb kebab teeming with tangy, spicy savor; bone-in chicken tikka kebab; incendiary karahi, two-person stews infused with ginger and garlic; lahori choley, chickpeas braised in chili, cumin, and coriander (a recipe from the chef’s mother); mango lassi to cool the heat.
Best for: Meat lovers.
Insider tip: Takeout travels well, and the kebabs, if wrapped in foil and slowly heated, easily come back to life the next day.
>> See all 2010 Cheap Eats restaurants here
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.
