Bites Nearby: Famous Kabob

In the kitchen of Famous Kabob on Liberia Avenue workers can be seen preparing fresh lamb.

The dark red, tender chunks are cut into small square pieces then placed on skewers for made-to-order kabobs.

Each kabob is marinated for a whole day before it is allowed to reach the grill. A tactic that owner Amin Habibzai says allows for full flavor.

"We marinate and form our kabobs, then placed them in the walk-in fridge for a full 24 hours. This locks in the seasoning and makes them ready for each order."

The Lamb Kabob is top notch. Perfectly cooked just inches from the grill's flame the sweet chunks of meat simply melt in your mouth.

Each order comes with salad, rice, green yogurt sauce and home-made Nan, the national bread of Afghanistan— oval pieces of bread are baked inside of a real Tandoor, a cylinder shaped brick oven where dough is stuck to the walls to bake.

The chick peas are a hearty and very tasty side item that accompanies the meat and rice and are made in house.

Hungry but don't want something that large, try a boolawnee— a triangle piece of oven baked pastry stuffed with scallions, potatoes and herbs for just $3.95. Making it  the prefectly-priced snack.

Another item similar to the boolawnee with, but with different fillings is the Sambosay Goshtee, or fried pastry, ground beef, chickpeas and herbs.

There's so many different items on the menu that return visits are a must. If you haven't tried Afghan style-kabob before keep it simple and start with the boneless chicken.

There are vegetarian dishes available as well, and very tasty desserts. In fact, you cannot leave Famous Kabob without trying a baqlawa, a sweet and savory dessert made with thin layers of syrup soaked pastry with chopped walnuts and topped off with crushed pistachios.

Asked if it was his last meal ever, Amin said he would go with the Super Dish— a combination platter with white rice, qurma (meat sauce), and one skewer each of lamb, chicken, and shami (formed Kabob).

Famous Kabob is located at 9685 Liberia Avenue;  visit them at www.famous-kabob.com.