A gorgeously marbled porterhouse is a treat–at considerable expense. We find some of the same primal pleasures for a fraction of the cost at these no-frills, cash-only kebab parlors, which are thronged at all hours and remain the area’s gold standard.
Juicy hunks of lamb, beef, and chicken owe their greatness to a secret 18-hour marinade and the vigilance of the grill men trained in an ancient method employed to this day in the kebab houses of downtown Peshawar.
Don’t miss the naan, baked to order, and the chana masala, a superb stew of slow-cooked chickpeas–each one reason enough to compel a vegetarian to make the trip.
Also good: Lamb-brain karahi, a spicy stew of tomatoes, cilantro, ginger, onions and garlic; seekh kebab in karahi sauce.
Open daily for lunch and dinner (Ravi Kabob II closed Monday).
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.
