Afghan Kabob isn’t the traditional Hamilton restaurant. Walking in one feels instantly at home as the overwhelming aroma of masala fills the air. Warmth envelops you as you sit at one of the many traditional diner tables, yet what lines the walls are not the usual items you’d find at one. Instead, many traditional Afghani decorations adorn the space, including several decorative weapons.
“I was once a skeptic myself of Afghan food but I was proven wrong when I first came here,” says James Howard, a 52-year-old from Hamilton.
One of the lead cooks, Rashid Nabi, says, “Afghan Kabob was founded by my elder family members who were fleeing home in the 1990’s during a civil war. We decided to establish in Hamilton because it gave us a chance to share our product in an environment that has limited contact with Afghan food.”
A regular to Afghan Kabob named Shane Jones, a 35-year-old from Bordentown, NJ, had a lot to say about his experiences at Afghan Kabob.
Jones says, “Afghan Kabob has some of the finest dishes I have ever had when it comes to trying ethnic food. The Hamilton area has too many Italian restaurants and burger joints so it’s refr
eshing when there is an option to eat Afghan food for a change. I would definitely recommend to anyone looking to try something that you cannot normally find in a typical Hamilton restaurant.”
Busboy Ahmed Khan greeted me and told me about the options available. “Here at Afghan Kabob, you can expect to see all types of food. Some of this food includes gyros, curries, wings and vegetarian cuisines,” he said.
It is loud during lunch hour.
I went up to the counter and placed an order of a shrimp kabob, which came with Afghan rice and a type of Middle Eastern bread called naan.
The shrimp kabob came out well cooked with a seared brown coating over the shrimp. It was so fresh off the grill that it was still sizzling. The rice and naan had notable oregano seasonings on top and was well prepared.
The naan added a great taste that went along with the texture and spices of the shrimp when eaten together. The Afghan rice also had lots of spicy seasoning in it and also had a great texture to it.
Another customer, Tara Spilaman, a 41-year-old from Robbinsville, NJ said, “Afghan Kabob provided some of the best food I’ve ever had … The customer service here was also great as the food was quickly brought to your table and still had the appearance of not being rushed while preparing the dish.”
Afghan Kabob is located at 888 NJ-33, in Hamilton. They are open 11 AM to 10 PM seven days a week. Entrees range from $5.99 to $ 10.99 For more: afghankabobandgrill.com/menu-brunswick/.
