Afghan Kebab House – Albuquerque, New Mexico

The juxtoposition of beauty, humanity and tragedy may best be exemplified by a photographic portrait taken in 1984 that graced the cover of National Geographic.  Christened “Afghan Girl,” the photograph depicted Sharbat Gula, a 12-year-old Afghan refugee in Pakistan during the Soviet-Afghan War.   Widely described as the “First World’s Third World Mona Lisa,” the image became a rallying cry for compassion among the Western world for the attrocities being committed in Afghanistan.  CNN called it the world’s most famous photograph.  A framed photograph of the green-eyed Afghan girl hangs prominently on one wall of Albuquerque’s Afghan House.

Since 1979 when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, more than four-million people have fled the violence and crossed over the border into neighboring Pakistan.  Among them was the Hussaini family which fled their Kabul home for the relative safety of Pakistan.  Most of the ten member family–five boys, three girls, two parents–remained in Pakistan for five years before emigrating to the United States in 2016.  One son, who had served as an interpreter and translator for U.S. troops, preceded the family by four years, settling in New Mexico.  With Afghanistan under Taliban control, family connections to the U.S. military meant the family risked death or imprisonment should they return to their home country.

Ilham Uddin Hussaini, one of the five Hussaini sons, cherishes his family’s newfound freedom and the opportunities with which it has blessed his family.  In December, 2024, he obtained an associate degree in business from Central New Mexico Community College.  Four months later, he launched the Afghan Kebab House, filling a longtime void in the Duke City’s ethic restaurant repertoire.  One of his brothers works the front of the house while his mom cooks in the kitchen.  She is a delightful person with whom to converse, regaling us with stories about life in Kabul.  With heartfelt pride, she showed us the restaurant’s display of jewelry she and Afghan women make.  All proceeds from the sale of jewelry is sent to Afghan women, many of whom are widowed or cannot leave the house or conduct business under the rule of the Taliban.  She told us one $40 jewelry sale can feed a family in Afghanistan for two weeks.

For many Duke City diners, the Afghan Kebab House has a familiar address (218 Gold Avenue, S.W.).  Most recently, the golden-hued, two-story edifice which houses the Kebab House was home to the short-lived Knead Dough & Eatery.  Among its other predecessors is the fabled  Gold Street Cafe (and its legendary honey-glazed chile bacon).  Signage on the building still reads “Gold Street Cafe” even though (as recently pointed out to me) it’s Gold Avenue, not Gold Street.   Visit on a weekday and you’re less likely to find on-street parking and some of the parking lots are rather pricy.

Much deeper than it is wide, the 2,600-square-foot restaurant seats up to 50 people with table seating, stool seating and even floor seating for those who want to enjoy their meal Afghani style: crisscross with shoes off.  Seating is more functional than it is comfortable with metal chairs offering no padding.  In addition to the aforementioned Afghan Girl portrait, the restaurant is festooned with art and decor reflecting Afghan culture.  It is a bright and airy space made even warmer by the hospitality and friendliness of the Hussaini family.  If you’re unfamiliar with Afghan cuisine, they’re happy to answer all your questions and provide recommendations.

The menu invites you to “Indulge in the rich and authentic flavors of Afghanistan with our carefully crafted signature dishes. Each item is prepared using fresh, high-quality ingredients and traditional recipes, bringing a taste of Afghan hospitality.”   Even if you have a rudimentary familarity with Afghan cuisine, you’ll be more than pleasantly surprised at the breadth of the menu.  Although Albuquerque has previously had restaurants purporting to feature Afghan cusine, invariably they prepare items in the style of Persia, not Afghanistan.  There are discernible differences.

Afghan cuisine bears more similarity to the cuisine of Northern India than it does to Persian cuisine.  It’s characterized by rice-based dishes, naan bread, and a variety of kebabs and stews, often featuring dried fruits and nuts.  While it incorporates elements from Iran, Central Asia (particularly Uzbek), and North Indian regions, Afghan cuisine also has its own unique blend of flavors and dishes.  You’ll find that even though dishes may be identically or similarly named, there are subtle (and sometimes obvious) differences.  Afghan naan, for example, is not exactly the tandoor-baked Indian bread you may have previously experienced.

If you’re looking for an authentic Afghan experience and not one that may remind you of visiting an Indian restaurant, order the bolani instead of the naan. Bolani is a stuffed, pan-fried flatbread. The Afghan Kebab House offers two varieties, one stuffed with leeks and one with potatoes. Both are served with a thin green chutney.  Texturally, the bolani is crispy and slightly chewy with a flavor that is both herbacious and fresh (maybe slightly minty).  My Kim found it a bit too spicy for her delicate taste buds, but this fire-eating New Mexican enjoyed each morsel.

The menu also offers two varieties of sambosas: a vegetarian sambosa and a beef sambosa described on the menu as “golden-fried pastry filled with a flavorful mixture of spiced ground meat, chicken, or veg. Served with Chutney.”  Note that “samosa” and “sambosa” are essentially the same food item, though named slightly differently depending on where they’re served. The term “samosa” is more common in Southwest Asia and the Indian subcontinent, while “sambosa” is used in some parts of Africa, the Middle East and Afghanistan.  By any name, these golden triangles of delicousness are an excellent way to start your meal at the Kebab House.

Even before famous “Silk Road” (a network of ancient trade routes, primarily land-based, that connected the East and West), Afghanistan has been a crossroads. It connected trade between Asia, India, the Mediterranean basin, and eastern Africa. It is no surprise that Afghan cuisine can see influences from all of these regions. The national dish of Afghanistan is Qabuli Palaw. Several sources explain that” before girls are married, they are taught how to make Afghan food, including this dish because they would bring shame on the family if they didn’t know how to cook it!”  Thank goodness Ilham’s mom knows how to prepare it.  Thank goodness, it’s on the menu.

The Qabuli Palaw is described on the menu as “Afghan signature dish made with rice, lamb shank seasoned with spices. Topped with mixture of caramelized raisins and carrots. Served with Salad, Chutney and Naan.”  Though mostly covered by rice, the lamb shank is roughly one pound and provides a significant portion of meat.  While it might be tempting to devour the lamb shank by picking it up as you might a beef rib, it’s best if you use your fork to extricate some of the delicate lamb and enjoy it with the rice.  It surprised us how much we enjoyed the caramelized raisins and carrots, the sweet notes lending personality to the rice.  You might notice on the photo above is what appears to be a slice of focaccia.  That, my friends, is actually Afghan naan.  It’s quite good.

Mantu, a delicious Afghan dumpling dish, also graces the menu, albeit as an entree not as an appetizer.  We expected the mantu would be similar to Pakistani’s momo, a steamed, filled dumpling.  Though more similarly named to Korea’s mandu, also a savory dumpling, mantu has a personality all its own.  Stuffed with seasoned ground meat, laden with golden lentils and yogurt, and served with a chutney, these dumplings are addictive.   So very good! Though Wikipedia has compiled a list of some ten-million types of dumplings, mantu is one which should rise near the top of your list of dumplings to try.

While many cultures offer rice pudding dessert dishes, perhaps none are as palate pleasing as sheer birinj named for its two primary ingredients “sheer” (milk) and birinj (rice).  This sticky pudding dessert is commonly served in Afghanistan, Iran, and Azerbaijan, but new to us.  It’s  flavored with rose water and cardamom, which gives it a unique and delicious flavor.  It’s a wonderful comfort dish and (please don’t tell my Aunt Cleo) my favorite rice pudding dish.

Contrary to widely held opinion, baklava did not originate in the Greek or Persian culinary cultures.  The origins of baklava date to 8th century BC Assyria (an ancient Mesopotamian empire, and its territory which is now primarily within the borders of modern-day Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran).  The Kebab House’s version of pistachio baklava rivals that of Al-Qud’s Mediterranean Grill for “best of the city.”   Its crispy layers of baked phyllo pastry are punctuated by moistness from from the sweet syrup that is poured over the pastry after it’s baked.  Pistachios offer a salty contrast that will bring joy to your taste buds.

The Afghan Kebab House is a celebration of a culinary culture form a historically embattled nation that continues to endure stife and woe.  Far too many Americans know Afghanistan only for contemporary wars.  Get to know it for a unique and delicious cuisine as well as familial hospitality you’ll want to revisit.

Afghan Kebab House
218 Gold Avenue S.W.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
(505) 610-5842
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LATEST VISIT: 28 June 2025
# OF VISITS: 1
RATING: N/R
COST: $$-$$$
BEST BET: Pistachio Baklava, Bolani, Beef Sambosas, Qabuli Palow with Lamb shank, Mantu, Sheer Birinj
REVIEW #1474