Aushak Attack

My parents introduced me to Afghan food when I was barely six years old at the Bamiyan Restaurant, which once occupied a prominent corner in Old Town across from the venerable Burke & Herbert Bank. Though I wasn’t a particularly adventurous eater, I would snag a few bites of my dad’s plate of aushak in between bites of my usual kebab-e-murgh (chicken kebab).

The Bamiyan even had a sculpture of the Buddha carved in high relief against the back wall out of some sort of mock sandstone, the significance of which my little boy brain did not grasp until roughly 20 years later when the Taliban destroyed the real life statues of the Buddha in the Bamiyan province of Afghanistan.

Despite having enjoyed Afghan food at a dozen or so other establishments in New York and D.C. over the ensuing decades, I still lament the shuttering of the original Bamiyan. Of course, AK says that I may be the most nostalgic person she’s ever known, so it may not be entirely about the food. Still, I was admittedly stoked when a Chowhounder reported that a new Afghan restaurant called Bamian (different spelling) had recently opened on Leesburg Pike, the chef and owner of which was purportedly the chef at the original Bamiyan.

So my father and I trekked out there, and were surprised to find a sizeable freestanding venue in contrast to the narrow strip mall storefront I was expecting. In fact, the latest rendition of the Bamian is a fairly classy establishment. There’s an actual antechamber with a host who leads you through frosted glass doors, past a small waiting area with loungey chairs, into an expansive dining room of banquet hall proportions. A dramatic chandelier hangs from the center of the room, and even the wall sconces are mock chandeliers. It’s not really tacky or too extravagant, it’s more like a mid-tier hotel restaurant. It’s clear from the scale of the operation that they hope to do a lot of business through weddings and other site rentals. Our waiter confirmed that the chef and owner was indeed the chef at the original Bamiyan. He also added that the same family owns a restaurant on Route 1, which I believe must be the far shabbier, matter of factly titled Afghan Restaurant.

We tried the aush soup ($3.95) for starters. I was disappointed that the noodles were more like the thin and mushy noodles in a can of Campbell's chicken noodle soup rather than the thick, homemade noodles that I've enjoyed in aush elsewhere. The soup was saved by the peppery mini lamb meatballs, but I thought it was otherwise unremarkable.

The doogh ($2.50), a yogurt drink with mint and salt, was surprisingly light and refreshing. At other places, it can be like drinking a thick smoothie.

Both my father and I enjoy kebabs, but feel that the true measure of an Afghan restaurant is how it negotiates its mantu and aushak. Bamian's renditions of both their mantu ($12.95), which are Afghan ravioli with minced lamb and onion, and their aushak ($12.95), Afghan ravioli stuffed with finely chopped scallions, are the finest we've ever had. And the presentation was quite elegant, as well, in contrast to some of the homier versions we've had previously. The dumplings in each dish were clearly homemade, thin and delicate, and covered in a meat sauce with lentils and yoghurt sprinkled with dried mint.

I was, however, disappointed that their nan (whole wheat instead of white, by the way), unlike the blistery blanket-sized versions served fresh out of the oven at other establishments, seemed reheated and was cut into user-friendly squares piled into a standard breadbasket. Afghan bread should be torn in between bites of food, but, then again, perhaps that sort of savage struggle is inappropriate in Bamian’s relatively fancy setting.

For dessert, we had a rather serviceable double espresso with our firni ($3.95), an Afghan custard. I've had firni at a number of other places that drown it in rosewater, so much so that you think you're eating custardy perfume. But Bamian's firni was smooth and refreshing with a sprinkling of chopped pistachios, and a faint, but pleasing essence of rosewater. Definitely among the best we've ever had.

Those who are interested in checking out Bamian should know that if they are traveling away from Alexandria on Leesburg Pike, that the turn-off to the service road entrance to Bamian is moments before the exit to Columbia Pike.

Check out Bamian at:
5634 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22041
(703) 820-7880

-AC