Kabul House brings flavors of Afghanistan to the suburbs
The Ramada O'Hare, a prosaic hotel in Elk Grove Village, seems an unlikely spot to encounter exotic cuisine, but tucked inside is a secret gem of a restaurant, Kabul House.
Afghanistan-born Chef Abdul Qazi, who came to the United States, via a few other countries, in 1985 and earlier ran a pizzeria, first opened his Afghan place in Skokie in 2001. He achieved a large, loyal clientele, but in 2008 the ceiling fell in - literally - and he had to find new digs.
Skokie's loss is the O'Hare area's gain. Early this year, Qazi finally settled into the Ramada, where he took over Dearborn's Bistro & Bar, the hotel's American restaurant, and started building Kabul House in the back of it.
Plans are for the Afghan spot to have an entrance of its own, but at the time of my visit, there weren't even any signs up for Kabul House and, for now, you enter through the Dearborn's entrance and walk through its dining area to get to the new eatery. What a difference!
Walking into the Kabul House dining room is like entering another world. Qazi and his family have papered the room with custom wallpaper resembling beautiful, gold tilework and built arches over the windows. Red accents, a richly patterned carpet and costumes and pictures from Afghanistan complete the striking, foreign effect.
They're working on adding another room with low tables and cushioned floor seating.
The food is also striking, exotic and delicious, its flavor profiles lying somewhere between the cuisines of the Middle East and those of South Asia, with seasoning that lingers on your palate.
Our server was very friendly and most informative.
Start with aushak, half-moon dumplings filled with green onions and covered in a savory meat sauce and zesty yogurt. Another option is mantu, dumplings filled with meat and onions. These are also available as entree-sized portions.
Bouranee baunjan is eggplant flavored with tomato and mint. Kadu is a luscious purée of spiced pumpkin, dolloped with yogurt.
A highlight of the entrees, the signature Afghan dish qabili palau, brings a pilaf of seasoned basmati rice with chunks of tender lamb, shreds of candied carrot and raisins.
Kabul House also serves a variety of kebabs, all tender, moist and well flavored, including outstanding lamb skewers. The chicken kebabs are all dark meat, juicy and nicely grilled. Koubedah, seasoned ground meat kebabs, come in both chicken and beef. All are served with both white and quabili-style rice, yogurt sauce and a spicy house-made chutney. Combination plates let you taste several flavors.
The menu offers seafood, such as grilled mahi-mahi, as well. Qazi planned to make changes to the menu, so expect further choices, too. Portions are satisfying, though not over-filling, at reasonable prices.
Desserts range from firnee, a warm rice pudding, to rose-flavored Afghan ice cream, to phyllo pastries.
Wash things down with the refreshing house-made iced tea infused with cardamom, or take advantage of the full bar.
Don't be put off by the odd location - Kabul House is one of the best restaurants to open near O'Hare in years.
Kabul HouseRamada O'Hare Hotel Conference Center, 1600 Oakton St., Elk Grove Village (enter through Dearborn's Bistro Bar), (847) 758-2010Cuisine: AfghanSetting: Exotic hidden gem inside a restaurant inside a hotelEntrees: $9.95 to $15.95Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. dailyAccepts: Reservations; major credit cardsFalse20001555Kabul House's Afghan starters include aushak, steamed scallion-filled dumplings topped with spicy yogurt and meat sauce.Mark Black | Staff PhotographerFalse