Friday night. Work was tiring and I had nothing else to do, so I grabbed a couple of friends and ventured to the Greenwood/Phinney neighborhood of Seattle. The strip of down-to-earth bars, small and friendly restaurants, and quaint niche stores abound, I didn’t know where to go–so many great choices!

Quick calls and my friends and I were told to try Kabab House, an Indian/Pakistani restaurant that I knew has garnered positive reviews from food critics and Seattle residents. And off we went.

It was a small establishment: a square room with only eight tables, yet every seat was filled. The decor was modest and sparse. There was no music that makes you feel like you walked into a badly produced foreign film. But the minute I stepped foot into the place, the scents overwhelmed me–in a good way. I was impatient and mentally salivating.

I realize now that I should’ve tried the kababs (well, duh) but all of us seemed to be hungry for some rich curry dishes, which led us to order the Lamb Vindaloo, Lamb Jalfrezi, Mango Chicken, and a couple servings of Garlic Naan, plus some mango and sweet lassi for drinks.

They all look so good, right? Well, try to control yourself, dear reader.

Kabab House indeed lived up to their riveting reviews, in my experience. HOWEVER–this is a big however–our dishes took a whopping 45 minutes to come! I understand that they are made to order, and this is what many have loved about this place. But personally, I feel that 45 minutes is a tad too long to make a customer wait, especially in a restaurant where the smells are intoxicating and you can’t help but look at your neighbors’ dishes and… tell your growling stomach to shut up already.

Finally, the dishes came and it was fairly late in the night for a dinner meal, so there was nothing left to do but devour our food. My friends and I sampled each other’s dishes, our eyes glazed and our faces happy with each bite.

“Worth the wait?” I asked them.

“Definitely,” they said, chewing hungrily.

THE BREAKDOWN

• Jasmine rice: Smelled great, tasted fresh. It was cooked perfectly, I can tell, so I have no complaints here.

• Lamb jalfrezi: Great sauce, and great dish to pair with the jasmine rice. The dish looked tasty, and it definitely was not lacking. In my opinion, the vegetables were a little soft–a tad overcooked, maybe? A dish of tender meat and sauce definitely calls for vegetables that are more on the crisp side, I say, since it would create a nice balance of textures.

• Lamb vindaloo: Perhaps it was because I was way hungry, but this was a heavenly dish. The sauce was rich and the spice was top-notch. One of my friends said that it was a bit strong for her, so maybe it is not the dish for the spice-weary. But since I grew up on heavily-flavored foods, I didn’t mind it one bit. The lamb was tender and not dry or chewy, which I’ve had in the past with other Indian restaurants. If there were no one around, I probably would’ve licked it all.

• Mango chicken: If you are afraid to venture into the dark side, then this would make a perfect choice. Perhaps you are a first-timer of Indian and Pakistani cuisine, or maybe your stomach is not up for handling heavy spice. In any case, the mango chicken is not as strong as the other dishes of the night, but that doesn’t mean it was not delicious. It was mild and a little bit too sweet for my taste buds, so I did want a little bit of a kick. Still, it wasn’t a bland dish, and by the end of the meal, I still wanted to finish every drop of the sauce.

• Garlic naan: Thank goodness for naan. What a great piece to have by itself and to use as a utensil for my sauce-cleaning tendencies. There was no way I would waste any of the mouthwatering sauces, and these doughy creations sure came in handy. The texture was good, with a nice crisp on some parts. It smelled amazing, but there was not enough garlic, so it tasted more like plain naan. Nothing terrible though, considering that we still managed to eat it all.

In the end, my friends and I sat back in our chairs fully stuffed. Okay, a little bit too stuffed. I didn’t know how that was possible because the portions were not very large, but there we were, our stomachs expanded, clearly satisfied with the experience.

Before our food came, a waiter kept coming to fill our water. But afterwards, we didn’t hear a peep until they gave us the bill. Well, I guess I didn’t mind that. There seemed to be three people working: the host, the waiter, and the cook. As long as the food delivers, then I’m good.

Overall, Kabab House is a gem and a great place to come back to; just make sure you are in the presence of great company who can help to fill the waiting time with good conversation. Next time, I’m gettin’ me some of those famous kebabs.

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Kabab House
www.kababhouse.com
8202 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle
(206) 782-3611
Dishes are no more than $16. Appetizers are $6 and under, and sides and drinks are $2.50 and under. Proteins include chicken, lamb, seafood, goat, and beef.