I don't know much about Afghanistan, so when I saw a review of an Afghani restaurant AND discovered its location in the Inner West, I knew this would be a convenient, cultural and culinary experience to savour. Enlisting a few lads from around the area (and one birthday boy from the Lower North Shore), we headed along to Bamiyan on a chilly Tuesday evening.
Warm-coloured walls, sitar tunes and a roaring fireplace create a homely atmosphere in an otherwise unassuming building off the main drag of Five Dock. The menu seems to take a culinary carpet ride (sorry) around the Asian continent (dumplings, curries, naan) with the occasional foray into other regions (kebab-style meats, meatballs, Afghani pasta). Our ordering was guided by the friendly staff and Grab Your Fork (every diner's best friend).
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| Kadoo Bolanee ($9.90) + Ashaak ($10.90) |
The Afghani take on flat bread, Kadoo Bolanee, is stuffed with pumpkin and spices before being pan-fried. It's not stuffed with as much pumpkin as desired, but the flavour is there and certainly complemented by a dab of the fiery green chilli chutney. The texture and flavour of the Ashaak dumplings are not dissimilar to Chinese shui jiao. Here they are filled with chives and topped with yoghurt, a spicy chickpea tomato sauce and ground mint - a winning flavour and colour combination.
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| Chicken Nakhut Korma Pallow - served with Pallow Rice ($21.90) |
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| Sabzi Paneer ($16.90) |
The mains we ordered definitely remind me of Indian dishes I've had before, just with a bit of a fresh twist. The Bamiyan version of a Chicken Korma sees tender thigh pieces cooked in a rich tomato gravy, studded with chickpeas and fresh herbs. Sabzi Paneer is close relative to an Indian/Pakistani palak paneer, but adds chopped garlic and cumin which imparts a spicy kick and a darker complexion. The wonderfully named Kabab Daggy neglected to be photographed - cubes of lamb back strap cooked in garlic, onions and herbs and served with fresh afghani naan.
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| Afghani Naan ($3.50) and Pallow Rice ($4.50) |
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| Safran Kulfi ($6.00) and Pista Kulfi ($6.00) |
A pair of Kulfi to finish - the saffron flavoured milky ice cream was particularly good, paired with a sweet strawberry coulis. The staff commented how clean our table was after the mains. We pitched for a freebie (saving them cleaning costs, no?) and were served glasses of Afghan green tea on the house.
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| 5000 years of historical world flavours ... and just a couple of drinks brewed in Manly |
All the dishes were well balanced and tasted fresh, consistent with the restaurant's assurance that all curries are "made fresh on the pan after your order has been placed". Coupled with friendly service, warm atmosphere and a bottleshop stocking 4 Pines across the road, Bamiyan looks to be a winning local option for a twist on your regular Indian/Pakistani fare.
Bamiyan
175 First Avenue
Five Dock
9712 7801
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