This place was fantastic! A wonderful, unique Afghani restaurant with complex flavors in the heart of Baltimore. My non-veg coworkers ordered the Zardalu Challow (lamb) and Kaddo Borwani (roast pumpkin), while myself being vegetarian, ordered the Vegetarian Aush (vegetable soup) and Vegetarian Dolma (eggplant filled with spinach, tomatoes, and special herb sauce). All of the dishes were just amazing (coworkers loved theirs)! Flavorful, freshly made with love and care. For dessert, we had Fruits and Cardamom ice cream, which was excellent. Ended with a delicious Turkish coffee. It was a great way to taste unique dishes from this part of the world. Highly recommended! read more

The Helmand - Afghan Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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I recently went here with two friends for a weeknight dinner and had an OK experience overall. We had good service and the restaurant had a good ambiance-white tablecloths, nice lighting. My friends and I split the vegetarian aushak for an appetizer, which needed more flavor. We also got the naan, which was a flatbread and could have used a richer taste. On my server's recommendation, I ordered a lamb special, which was extremely disappointing. The dish needed more spice and flavor, and at $25, I expected more lamb in the dish. read more

I've been obsessed with this place since college! Delicious, fresh afghan food in an affordable, but fancy restaurant feel! I highly recommend all the vegetarian dishes, got the platter and the aushak last time! The food is fresh and comes out fast! Have to get it with a side of naan! Parking in the area isn't horrible to find on the street or a nearby paid lot. Easy to public transport from most areas. They have both indoor and outdoor seating and the staff is kind and accommodating! Still my favorite restaurant 8 years later! read more

The Helmand - Vegetarian Platter - Afghan Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

What a cute little gem! Food review: (see pics) -naan - 9/10 -mantwo appetizer-10/10 -hot chai tea-10/10- this was really rich with the right -balance of spice -seeks kabob-9/10 -lamb lawand-9/10 -afghan ice cream - 10/10- this was a pleasant surprise. Rich, creamy with fruit and some type of nut mixture, which made a great addition to the dish There were a variety of sauces to pair with each dish as well and we enjoyed all of them. The portion sizes are average. However, I was able to share the lamb dish with my partner and it was adequate for a light dinner. Service: Excellent. We received each dish quickly and the waiter checked on us regularly. It was a week day around 6pm and they had about 10 parties at that time. The majority of guests were sitting outside. We sat indoors. It's spacious and modestly decorated. Total bill: $77.66 read more

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Incredible food, attentive service, great atmosphere! We had a wonderful time and can't wait to come back!

Wow! We were very excited about this place and it delivered. It is my friend's favorite Afghani restaurant in Baltimore, and they were excited to take us here. The place itself is cool with art on the walls and a nice ambience. It certainly felt like a nice night out. We started with 2 appetizers, both vegetarian versions. The Bowlawni was delicious. I am a sucker for a fried pastry with savory stuffing. The Veggie Mantwo was not my favorite because it felt like the toppings of carrots and peas overtook everything else. But I'm sure it is very different with meat sauce, so I would try it again. For the mains, we had a lamb dish which was reminiscent of a sweet and sour sauce. It was delicious, and the lamb was cooked perfectly. My only complaint was that there were about 3 or 4 small pieces total, which is absurd for a meat dish. However, I am giving a pass on that until I go back and see if it is the standard or a mistake (I'll let you know if it happens again). The vegetarian platter was so good. It had a few kinds of veggies in a bowl and I spooned it over rice. When I tell you I could not stop eating it...I am rarely a vegetable woman, but this place could convert me with all the flavor it brings. Don't sleep on the dessert! The baklava was great of course. But the star was the cardamom ice cream with cold noodles and pomegranate sauce. Taking a bite of the smooth ice cream mixed with the texture of tiny slightly gummy noodles. My. Goodness. So unique and a fun way to end the meal! Note: My pictures aren't the best because the lighting is low inside which is not conducive to taking great pictures (but nice in person). read more

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I really enjoy the food and service at The Helmand. You can count on a relaxing atmosphere and not feel rushed to finish your meal. In addition to the photos we also had the Kaddo Borani (pumpkin appetizer) and Dessert! The goat cheese cheese cake is an unexpected but delicious dessert with a great balance of tang and sweet. My husband had the Hazelnut Chocolate cake and enjoyed it very much as well. read more

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Definitely on the nicer side of sit-down restaurants. It felt pretty fancy with white tablecloth dinner tables and the tables already set up neatly. I came with a table of 6 and we were pretty indecisive, so we kept asking the server to come back but he was super nice about it. He was fairly attentive until towards the end when we had to grab his attention for dessert and check but it was also understandable considering how busy it was. The menu was huge with a large variety and lots of good vegetarian options. My party each got an entree with 4 of us getting lamb, 1 beef, and 1 salmon. The lamb was definitely their specialty. I got the lamb loin chops and I was super pleased with how tender it was. The lamb was a perfect medium rare and the grill gave it the perfect char. The dish itself came with a sauce and they also provided another green sauce that were both super flavorful paired with the lamb. The lamb was also seasoned well so it didn't necessarily need the sauces but I appreciated them all the same. I also tried the lamb kabob but the lamb tasted more dry for that dish - not sure if it was cooked differently or just a little too long. The naan had a more dense consistency instead of the fluffy consistency that I was expecting. It was still pretty good with the butter served with it. The salmon was more disappointing - it was steamed and didn't quite absorb the sauce that was on it. read more

The Helmand - Lamb Loin Chop - Afghan Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

The food is delicious. The service is very good. I've always had a good experience every time we've gone there.

The food here is fantastic. Super flavorful. Everyone in my group really enjoyed it. I came with a group of 4 and was able to make reservations very easily. Parking around the area was pretty easy. We found a spot out in front right as we got there. Nobody was there at the front of the restaurant. After about a minute, someone came out and showed us to our table. We got 3 appetizers, all of which were very very good. The pumpkin was my favorite. I ordered the mushroom mawand (spelling?). I enjoyed it a lot. It was a decent portion size. I liked the spinach it came with. I ate about half and was able to take the rest home for another meal. The service is very slow. My friend had to flag someone down for water after our glasses were empty. We wanted to order dessert, but after we got the dessert menu, the waiter didn't come bqck for another 15ish minutes. So we opted to just get the check at that point. We really enjoyed the food here and would come back for a leisurely paced meal! read more

Such an amazing place to dine! Ten stars +! Don't hesitate to dine here! The service is great, too!:) read more

My all time favorite cuisines are those that hail from my home region - South Asia - so I was delighted to try out this place. The ambience was sophisticated and classy-- this was a true fine dining experience. I loved the touch of the tablecloths and the candles at each and every table to elevate the experience. Not only did the wait staff make us feel welcomed, but they also were extremely helpful with guiding us on what to order. Onto the food! Our meal was off to a great start since we began with the Banjan Borwani. The spices melted perfectly into eggplant that was tender and not mushy. This was the perfect app as it was light yet still packed with flavor. For our mains, we ordered the Mantwo and the special that was a Chicken Curry dish. The Mantwo was like nothing I've ever had before but in the best way! It was earthy and aromatic while also savory and meaty. The ravioli like shells were so soft and the fillings were a pillow with tender meat and the yogurt had this cooling effect that paired absolutely perfectly with the rest of the meal. This is a MUST order if you like trying new things and want to be exposed to a whole new flavor profile that perfectly balances mild with bold flavors! The Chicken Curry dish was also rich with tomato flavor and the mushrooms added a surprisingly yummy twist. Although the Chicken Curry dish was phenomenal, it felt all too familiar to the food I associate with my heritage, so I was a little upset with myself that I was not super adventurous with this entree. Also, we arrived 1 hour before closing on a weekend night without a reservation (not my proudest moment) and they were able to accommodate us right away even with being so busy already, so that goes to show how honest and hardworking the people of this business are. All in all, every aspect of this dining experience exceeded my already high expectations. I definitely need to go back to try more things on the menu. When looking around, it seemed that the parties around us all ordered differently so everything seemed to be popular. read more

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Helmand is one of my favorite restaurants in Baltimore. I make a point to go whenever I'm in town on business. The atmosphere and service are impeccable but the food is the star, I particularly recommend Kaddo Borawni (tenderly baked and pan fried baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar and served atop a yogurt garlic sauce), and Ashouk (a ravioli which is available as an appetizer or main dish and with meat or vegetarian). read more

Pumpkin and lamb. You're welcome. This is still one of the best Afghan restaurants I have ever visited and one of Baltimore's gems. I used to live in Mount Vernon and it was one of my go to restaurants and though I generally gravitated to pumpkin and lamb specialties, neither I nor anyone I brought there ever had a bad meal. When I'm in town it's still on my priority of places to visit. read more

I've been coming to The Helmand since they opened over 30 years ago. First with friends, then my wife, then my kids, and then with extended family. We no longer live in Maryland, but it has become a family tradition to come here every year around the holidays. The food is consistently wonderful -- the pumpkin, Aushak, Mantwo, lamb chop chops, etc. -- all so good. 30+ years and never a bad meal. read more

Thanks to everyone at the Helmand who helped make my best friend's birthday awesome! We had a group of 6 and it was all of our first time trying Afghan food. The server did a great job of helping us choose different options. I went with the vegetarian platter because it's made up of their different vegetarian dishes. Everything was delicious. The tomato and onion had that grill flavor we all love, but were not mushy, so I appreciated that. The Bowlawni was my favorite appetizer. There was a good amount of filling inside, so it didn't feel like I was just eating fried dough. read more

The Helmand - Vegetarian Platter - Afghan Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Very cozy spot, wonderful food & flavors, and very filling. Service was lovely and friendly. Would absolutely recommend! read more

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If your looking forExcellent food and service in Mount Vernon. It is an adventure into the middle eastern tastes. Be open minded and you'll enjoy. For the person that relishes this cuisine you will love its faith to the old school recipes from its cultural. read more

This is an authentic Afghan restaurant that is a gem in Baltimore. Located down the street from the Washington Monument, I would highly recommend trying out this restaurant. Also I would recommend the Kaddo Borwani! read more

The Helmand - Kaddo Borwani - Afghan Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

This might be my favorite restaurant in Baltimore. I can't claim to be an expert on Afghan cuisine, though an Afghan told me that this was his favorite Afghan restaurant in the US. But, regardless of it's ethnicity, the food is fantastic, and I assume it must really be Afghan in some sense because the palate is unique in my experience. I could try to describe the food: great dumplings filled with spiced meats, great fresh squash appetizers and sides, great yogurt sauces, etc.... but, I think for most Americans, you have to taste it to get it. If, like almost everyone else, you're unfamiliar with the cuisine, it's simultaneously unique and accessible. They use spices, but it won't burn tongues, some dishes use lamb, but it's not at all gamey. The food has aspects that are Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and East Asian. You can taste that everything is fresh and homemade. It's objectively great food that's mostly healthy yet home-y. The service is great. It's a restaurant that shows that it wants your business and wants you to have a good time. I've gone with groups when they were busy and we didn't have a reservation, when some members of the group had dietary restrictions, when some people had a lot of questions about the menu, etc. They are a restaurant that demonstrates that they want your business and want you to have a great time. Obviously they can't always accommodate everything, but they go above and beyond to serve their guests as well as possible. I can't recommend The Helmand highly enough. read more

The Helmand has strong and unique flavors that I've never tasted before. And for that, and it's deliciousness, I award 5 stars. I'd call the food somewhere between Indian and Northern Italian. I started with the Kaddo Borwani (Baked Pumpkin). This is soft yet had a full body to it. The texture was perfect. Just the right amount of sugar and yogurt placed this somewhere between a dessert and a side dish. Sort of like sweet candied yams, but better. For my main course I got the Mantwo, which is a Afghani ravioli (to appropriate the Italian theme). The ravioli was well executed. The sauce was like a marinara but with squash, curry, and beef. It all worked well. The rice it came with was light, well-executed, and fragrant. I don't have much reference for Afghani food so I can't compare this to other experiences. But, this food is quite good. All the ingredients were fresh. The flavors were intelligent. And all food items were well-executed. read more

The Helmand - Mantwo - Afghan Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Decided to go vegetarian for 30d and wanted more than the standard American "3 veggie side dishes" for an entree. Didn't want an impossible burger or any other "plant based meat substitute": yelped vegetarian, and this place was an option close by so I ventured Glad I did. Don't recall trying afghan food in Bmore so here's my take Very "Indian-like" but without the spiciness. Similar contents and menu items but maybe with a minor Afghani twist? A Sunday evening (7p) it wasn't crowded but also wasn't empty. Nice nite, I chose to sit outside and people watch the "Mt Vernon neighborhood" Started w a salad...it was good EXCEPT I know now to ask for the dressing on the side. It was very strong in its vinagrett-ness and it was soaked. I got through about 2/3rds and had to quit. I enjoyed the large slices of cu umber and tomato and peppers, and the mixed greens, though My appetizer was the Bowloni. Think pastry crème puff stuffed w leeks and potatoes (glad I didn't pay extra for a side of naan). It was decent. Glad I tried. Would eat a piece if it were on a buffet, but don't have to order it again Entree. Mantwo Basmati rice on the side w a cilantro "dressing". Never had anyone bring me a "room temp/cold" dressing to top rice, but I like it. I was told the rice was lightly seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg and clove. I was told this AFTER I'd consumed it all, with the cilantro, so I can't attest to if the "daring seasoning" could be tasted. Will have to order again The mantwo is beans and potatoes and other veggie type things wrapped in a little pastry shell. 4 come as an entree, surrounded by split peas and yogurt. I was told the stuffed shell is fried -but it wasn't "crispy fried". Pleasant. But minimal spice/seasoning it was "just ok". Again. Glad I tried it, I don't have to order it again. Would put one on my plate if it were on a buffet Didnt want coffee and abstaining from Alcohol (for now), was given an "afgani tea" option: black tea w cardamon. Once again. I've used cardamon in food, never thought about using it in tea. Def a different blended experience. So. I'm just now remembering eating similar fare in an Afghan/middle eastern spot near UoD. And recall the same feelin. Love the veggie options. Def outshine American (non existent) veggie entrees, but I think I'm a "hot" spice person Def unique flavor experience -Americans don't tend to use yogurt in main meals, or "seasonings" in our tea, and I've never heard of "dressing on your rice" at Ruby Tuesdays lol So glad I went. And will def return, when I'm eating meat, cause id like to ck out the lamb Wait staff was absolutely AWESOME!! Not overbearing, but came out to my table always right on time. Helped me understand each dish and ingredient. Great suggestions and just overall pleasant. I'll def be back. read more

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The Helmand was my first Afghan food experience about 20 years ago. It remains one of my favorite places to enjoy a good meal in Baltimore. From beginning to end, my experiences here are been positive- the staff is efficient and friendly, the food is delicious, and the atmosphere always makes me feel like I'm doing the cosmopolitan meal out on the town. read more

Afghan cuisine isn't the easiest thing to find - but Baltimore is blessed with the Helmand, a gem of Afghan food with warm service and delicious aromas wafting through the cozily appointed fabric laden rooms. A perfect place for a quiet night on the town with fantastic flavours from the other side of the world! read more

I loved the intimate atmosphere of The Helmand. It is absolutely perfect for a date night or a pleasant dinner with friends/family. The staff are so friendly and attentive. They definitely keep the place very clean. My group of 3 ordered two entrees and two appetizers and it was more than enough food. Everything was cooked to perfection- especially the lamb, which was so tender I only used my fork. It is clear that they prepare everything with love and good spices and great recipes. The flavors were absolutely off of the charts. I highly recommend everything that I ordered, but the rest of the menu probably goes hard as well. It is great to see that most dishes have a vegetarian version for those with dietary preferences. Will definitely be back! read more

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I love The Helmand. Great food, ambiance and service. The pumpkin is a must have! One of my favorites in Baltimore. read more

Even if you made a reservation, expect at least 15 minutes of wait. When you first walk in, the check-in area is a little confusing. Everyone who's waiting gathers around the entrance but there's no dedicated spot and the host runs back and forth from the other room to the main room so it's a little hard to catch them. As soon as we sat down, the server was quick to acknowledge us. The service is great from then on for sure. I ordered the vegetarian platter and it was amazing. You get a little bit of everything and the best part was the mushrooms with white sauce. Yum. My boyfriend ordered the lamb challow and it was very tasty, with a hint of sweetness. DO NOT SKIP ON THE JALA ICE CREAM. I repeat, do not skip on the jala ice cream. The cardamom flavor is simply heavily, and the rice noodles had a nice texture to the ice cream. read more

The Helmand - Afghan Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Came here with a large (20 person) group. We had a reservation for 8, but there was a mix up and they had it in as 8:30. We weren't seated until 9, and most of the group was pretty antsy standing around outside for an hour. Like other reviews mentioned, there's a wait even without reservation. Wait time aside, the restaurant was completely full on a Saturday night, for good reason. The food was amazing and the service was excellent once we were seated. The interior is quite fancy and suitable for a romantic dinner date or other nice occasion. I ordered the kabuli with white rice and loved it. It's an overall sweet and savory dish with the raisins. The lamb is hidden underneath and not visible in the photo, but it was SO tender and practically fell apart as soon as I touched it. I definitely liked it better than the kebabs for its tenderness. The wait staff brought out an extra dessert for the birthday girl for the wait time, and took extra time to help us split the check individually. I definitely would come back here! read more

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Our first visit. We dined alfresco due to the current crisis but we could see the interior is lovely. The server was exceptional and assisted me with selecting vegan options which I greatly appreciated. All the food is carefully sourced and lovingly prepared. We learned a lot about food, restaurant and it's history from the server. The food was delicious--enjoyable for the adults and children. Nice location, the surrounding buildings will pique your curiosity. We will be back! read more

The Helmand - Cardamom flavored vanilla ice cream w/figs, dates, & mango - Afghan Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Came here for the first time for Valentine's Day. Am interested to come back here on a non-holiday and try more entrees. AMBIENCE: Romantic, dim lighting, flowers/candles. However, pretty loud and busy, very cramped. The tables were very close together and it was uncomfortable. I could easily touch the couple next to us and hear their conversations. FOOD: Portions were smaller than expected, but I still was satisfied by the end. -Kaddo Borwani: Tasted like steamed pumpkin with a garlic, yogurt tahini sauce. Odd combo, but it worked. I think the hype isn't warranted; I hoped for more texture. It was good but nothing to rave about. -Naan bread: Very fresh, piping hot with delicious butter. Not like the naan I'm used to, had more of a wheat taste to it. -Aushak: Leek ravioli with ground beef and yogurt tahini sauce; came with side of pallof rice, which had an interesting cardamom/spiced flavor to it and came with a sour walnut cilantro sauce (they asked if this was OK with us). I liked this dish overall, but it was a tiny bit unsatisfying and may choose a dish with a large serving of meat. -Special ice cream: Cardamom infused vanilla ice cream with figs, dates, and mangos. Very tasty! Tasted like a similar Indian rice pudding dessert. SERVICE: Great, I liked our waiter. He was polite, patient, and helpful. The tables were too close and they had to literally squeeze in between the tables. PRICE: Very affordable! $6 appetizers and desserts, entrees are $15-25 depending if you get a platter or normal entree. RESERVATIONS: Easy on OpenTable, I recommend this restaurant for ease of reservations. PARKING: Difficult street parking, depends on what's going on in Mount Vernon. If you're a UMB student, take the UM shuttle to Mount Vernon (Charles St & Read St is the stop). Otherwise, just uber/lyft. read more

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Amazing food, service and ambience! Would go back for another at a drop of a hat and make a special trip just for the food!

I was extremely impressed by everything I had at this place. It's a must if you love afghan food or want to take a date or friend somewhere special. Every dish was perfectly seasoned with delicious spices. The meat was perfectly cooked. The dessert was especially impressive and unique, esp the goat milk cheesecake. Goat milk has that slightly tart (not bitter) flavor so the taste goes more in the direction of NY cheesecake. Brilliant! read more

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The Helmand is easily one of my favorite go-to spots in Baltimore, I'm honestly shocked I haven't reviewed it before. The Helmand, and its sister restaurant Kabobi, are my first exposures to Afghani food, and I absolutely love them. My family is Pakistani, and the flavor profiles are not the same as Pakistani/Indian food, but Afghani food really feels equally as homey. Eating food from the Helmand is like getting a warm hug. Literally, the food makes me happy dance in my seat. I always begin with the banjan laghatak, a stewed eggplant and tomato appetizer with a side of naan. Butter, naan, eggplant--it truly is a heavenly combination. It's truly my favorite eggplant dish I have ever had at a restaurant (only surpassed by my mom's roasted eggplant bharta). Even if you don't love eggplant, I would recommend trying it--it's savory, warm, and melts in your mouth. Entree-wise, you kind of can't go wrong. Their lamb is SO DELICIOUS, flavorful, and incredibly tender. My friend and I ordered the lamb lawand (lamb with mushrooms) and zardalu challow (a thicker stewed lamb with tomatoes and apricots and rice on the side) and split them both. It was a great decision. The zardalu challow also comes with a side of turnips, which I surprisingly love (I have never loved, nonetheless liked, turnips before this restaurant). I recommend the stews over the kabobs, just because of how flavorful they are. Ambience-wise, the Helmand also can't be beaten. It's kind of dim and very nicely decorated so it's perfect to bring parents to for a family-style meal (Get all the appetizers! All the entrees! Amazing!), an intimate date, or a nice evening with friends. I shared a family style feast once and it was incredible because we could try absolutely everything--I was stuffed and oh so happy by the end. My only qualm is that it does not have the kabuli pallow with boneless chicken that they have on the menu at their more casual restaurant by Hopkins hospital, Kabobi, but you're just going to have to check that out too! read more

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Food was astoundingly delicious. Had a lamb stew with roasted vegetables that melted in my mouth. Bread was perfection. The service was attentive without feeling pushy or rushing me - staff had eyes on. The atmosphere is warm and relaxing. I dined here alone while I was on a work trip. I had a lovely walk to the restaurant from my hotel. I would definitely recommend and dine here again. read more

When I go to The Helmand, I leave with a smirk on my face. It is a fulfillment like no other-- fast dishes, stellar service, flavor blasts, and a comforting atmosphere. My lover brought me here for the first time a month or so ago. I've lived in Baltimore all my life and it was news to me that this place existed.. Sometimes all it takes is a transplant to open your eyes to beauty that is already in front of you (uwu) From the cardamom black tea to the buttered bread with the cilantro chutney to the Aushak to the Mantwo to the Kabuli Pallow to the cardamom fruity homemade ice cream, I am thrilled. I was with 4 of my people this time and I had to say, "I am so happy" out loud more than once. I am not even inflating this review, it's just truth. I wouldn't consider it fine dining, but the aesthetic is there and I respect their mission of sorts. Historically, the Qala-e-Bost arch (with The Helmand River) is such an iconic landmark; a bit eerie considering the volatility of the area and it being a piece of what used to be something much more. I find it to be a beautiful emblem with a bit of heartbreak for an Afghani restaurant. I'm not sure one must think about this when dining somewhere, but food can be, and well, is, quite political. read more

The Helmand - Babe... it's the homemade ice creams - Afghan Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Excellent. Always great. Seekh Kabob Koufta Challow Bowlawni Mushrooms Banjan Laghatak Jala Ice Cream The Koufta Challow is basically amazing meatballs and delicious rice. The lamb kabobs cooked perfect. Nothing too crazy to create indigestion. Just warm, savory comfort flavors that are not what you've been eating every day for a year. Subtle spices, fresh meats and vegetables. Not a big stretch, somewhat Italian with a really nice twist. I can't recommend enough for both foodies and people very tired of ordering pizza and lukewarm wings. Sorry I didn't take pics, the presentation was nice with light, creamy top sauces, tomatoes, plenty of tasty mushrooms, spinach, roast lamb tenderloin (beef) eggplant and meatballs. Always a terrific meal, even when delivered. Thanks Helmand. PS: Oh man the ice cream deserts!!! read more

The Helmand - Wonderful ice cream, cardamom, almonds and rice. - Afghan Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

My family came here to celebrate my father's birthday. The food was so fresh and amazing! Everything we got, from appetizers to main entrees, were great. We definitely want to come back sometime soon! read more

AmaZing food, great service, the best for a group celebration! I wish I remembered everything we ordered but it was truly packed with flavor and so so homey. Exactly what you want - a mela cooked with love. The pumpkin was great and we really enjoyed this temprana wine! Do go and enjoy read more

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Been here many times! Food is good and great to have the expanded bar menu and some cocktails on the list as well as a full bar and wine list. They have all of their main staples still. My friend had the lamb chops and they were very well seasoned and cooked. Also tried the Turkish ice cream and it was delectable. I will say some of the veggie sides were under seasoned (the spinach) and we were never given our bread but still charged for it. 3.5 stars. read more

This is my favorite restaurant in the city. Friends and family buy us gift cards to this place as a go-to gift for holidays. When out-of-towners come to visit, this is where we take them. Anyone who says their service is slow or their portions are small - I couldn't disagree more. Their portions are perfect, not grotesquely large and American but they are certainly not small. The last time I went, there were three adults at the table and we shared two entrees and an appetizer. (Read: Matthew's dumb review). And for the guy that said they don't change the menu enough - as a small food business owner - classics that stick around are worth their weight in gold. Trends come and go and are the biggest eye roll in the industry to actual professional chefs and bakers. They are making the time-honored cuisine of their home country, which is unfortunate that it isn't trendy enough for your old super-trendy ass (Stuart). I hear you can get great fusion egg rolls at the JFX market, try that next time. I spent last summer in Central Asia, on the border of Afghanistan, and this food is the exact reproduction of the food that I ate over and over again from street food stalls to generous family homes. They know what they're doing, they do it well and they don't need to change a single thing. The Helmand rules. read more