Baltimore is no stranger to great Afghan food. The Helmand restaurant has been a city favorite for years; the country's influence is also apparent in kebab shops and casual eateries scattered throughout town.
Maiwand Grill, a new Afghan place downtown, is a good addition to that group. With excellent takes on classic Afghan food and a staff that's both friendly and accommodating, it has what it takes to become a new downtown staple.
Scene & Decor In terms of atmosphere, Maiwand falls somewhere in between the Helmand and small kebab shops. It feels airy and comfortable — though not at all formal — with big booths and tables, and Afghan photos lining the walls.
Diners order at a counter at the back of the restaurant, and fountain drinks are available from a self-serve machine. But for those dining in the restaurant, food is delivered to the table, on real plates and with real silverware, which makes the experience feel less casual.
During our visit, on a rainy Tuesday evening, we spotted several people picking up carry-out. About a third of the tables were occupied during dinner, but we imagined the place does a brisk lunch business.
Appetizers Afghan cuisine has a lot to recommend it. From savory kebabs and rice, seasoned with spices like ginger, coriander and sumac, to appealing yogurt sauces, it is exotic but approachable. Plus, it gives us kaddo bourani ($3.99), a pumpkin appetizer that should be on everyone's culinary bucket list. We can't get enough of it.
Cooked pumpkin topped with yogurt and seasoned ground beef, it hits all the big flavors, from savory to tangy to sweet. Maiwand's version of the dish was classic and terrific, with each element seasoned well and cooked properly.
Entrees Most of Maiwand's entrees spend some time on a grill before they make it to the table. We tried four proteins — beef, lamb and two preparations of chicken — all of which were full of interesting flavors and cooked nicely.
The Malai chicken ($9.99) had a creamy, garlicky sauce and sneaky, gingery heat; tandoori-spiced chicken ($9.99), cooked on the bone, was smoky and spicy.
At the counter, we tried to order the Chowpan entree ($14.99), which includes three baby lamb chops. As we ordered, someone working the grill reported that they only had two chops left. Immediately, the man behind the counter told us they were ours, if we wanted, and we could add chicken or beef to the meal to round it out. Problem solved.
The chops were lovely — meaty and juicy — but the beef was the big winner. The cubes of meat were tender and cooked to medium rare and we loved the intense, savory flavor of their marinade.
All the entrees came with salads of shredded lettuce and tomato, rice mixed with Afghan spices (and the odd raisin) and a small container of tangy yogurt sauce. Between the three, they provided fresh, savory and tangy accompaniments to the meals.
Desserts Rice pudding ($3.99), served in a plastic carryout container, was sweet and fragrant, thanks to a sprinkle of cardamom and pistachios. The serving was large enough, too, that we carried half home for later.
Drinks In addition to fountain sodas (Maiwand is BYOB), we drank a small pot of hot tea ($4.99). Pale in color with a floral scent, it was faintly exotic and very likable. We enjoyed it most with the rice pudding but its mild flavor worked with the bolder tastes on our plates, too.
Service Maiwand's mix of counter and table service might be tough for some places to pull off but during our meal, it worked. We did have one moment of confusion when we finished eating; we weren't sure if we should clear the table ourselves or leave our dishes for someone else. (We cleared, but other tables did not.)
Both decisions seemed to work for the staff, though, as they moved through the space cleaning up after other tables. Their friendliness, from the time we ordered through the time we left, made the meal even better than it already was.
We weren't the only ones who loved Maiwand, either. As we ate, we overheard two young men, dressed in business suits, leaving the restaurant after their meals. "That was amazing," one said.
The other nodded in agreement. And so did we.