Khyber Pass

Having never tried Afghani food, I ate here Sunday afternoon with my boyfriend. We started with the Ashak, steamed scallion dumpling with yogurt sauce. There was nothing wrong with this but it just wasn't the taste sensation I was looking for. The dumpling was warm but the sauce was cold so it ended up being luke warm. Maybe that's how it is supposed to be? For my meal I had the Quorma Kadu, sauteed pumpkin, onions, spices and basmati rice. The pumpkin was fresh and melded well with the onions and spices. My boyfriend had the Shireen Palow. The pieces of hen were small and didn't seem to have a lot of meat on them. The rice however was delicious. I ended up stealing half of it! The orange rind added so much flavor. I also had the Shir-chay tea which I liked as well. Being a vegetarian I would go back to try the other entrees listed. The prices were very reasonable and the service was standard.

Loved this place. Had been wanting to come here for some time and finally talked a group of friends into it. Was so happy with the food! We started with the Mantoo which were delicious. I was a little worried about the yogourt sauce they said was on it since I'm not a huge yogourt fan but it was delicious. Savory meat inside. So good. There were four of us but we olnly got 3 entrees - was more than enough and I am a big eater. We had the quorma sabzee (yum!), the lubia pulao (our fav) and the mixed kebab (had some filet and one that was like a kofta kebab). Very delicious! The hot sauce on the table is delicious. I ate it with the bread and on the meat. Not sure what it was supposed to go on but it tasted great on everything. Can't wait to go back and try more. Everything we had was delicious!

but not in New York City. For the best, you need to get a little adventurous and try the many great Afghan restaurants in Queens - the best, in my view, is Balkh Shish Kebab House. For the 718-averse crowd, Khyber Pass is the best. The shish kebab is well marinated, juicy and tender, but, contrary to custom, is not served on skewers. The scallion bullanis are crisply friend but a little too small for my Afghan taste, while the banjan buranee's best part is the yogurt sauce. all in all, it's the best the city offers. It's also a good place to take a casual date to. If you're on a date, call ahead of time and try to get one of the low tables with cushions by the window.

Don't let any of the bad reviews below sway your decison. This place rocks. I'm a born and bred New Yorker and have been coming here since the place opened. Chicken Curry is delicious (Not an Indian Curry-much milder and in my opinion more flavorful as the ygrill the meat before stewing it). All the food here is really good. Nice beer selection. Nice lookin' waitresses. Friendly Service. Check it out. You will not be sorry.

The lighting in the restaurant was very distracting; it made us feel very tired and triggered headaches. We ordered a sweet and sour chicken seasoned with pomegranate juice. The first bite was good but the once you get to the 4th or 5th bite, it got progressively worse. The waitress didn't even know what the dishes were when she brought it to us. The lamb seasoned with spinach and scallions was decent but nothing spectacular. Sauces were sour. If you don't like sour foods, this would not be a place for you to go.

What an interesting menu! The food was a nice change from the same old same old falafel, etc. most Middle eastern restaurants have. There is a pumpkin filled samosa-like thing that you should really try...

The place isn't much to look at from the outside, but the food is good, prices are more than reasonable, and the service is always friendly. Must-try items: sir-chai (traditional afghani tea), boulanee kadu - pumpkin turnovers, boulanee - scallion turnovers, and the shish-kabobs.