Why go: The flavors ring true, and the grill is tended with care. The bulanee—a clay-oven-baked turnover stuffed with leeks and scallion and served with a dip of yogurt—and crispy, three-cornered sambosas show a mastery of pastry, while rice (an afterthought at many kebab houses) is seasoned and delicately steamed.
What to get: Long-marinated, slow-grilled bone-in chicken kebab; spicy, juicy lamb chops; bulanee; sambosas; seasoned rice.
Best for: A distinctive carryout lunch or dinner for residents of Gainesville and Manassas; for everyone else, a restorative lunch or dinner on the way to or from Charlottesville.
Insider tip: Unless you’re ravenous, consider sharing an order of kebabs and rounding out your meal with the savory pastries and an extra order of rice.
Open daily for lunch and dinner.
>> See all 2010 Cheap Eats restaurants here
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
