Afghan Kebab Carlton حلال — Restaurant in Melbourne

In the pursuit of a truly exceptional dining experience, one occasionally encounters establishments that present a curious amalgamation of both brilliance and dismay. Such is the case with Afghan Kebab in Carlton, a venue that offers a blend of promise and perplexity, a place where the laws of culinary expectation and reality collide in a most bewildering manner.

Let us begin with what undeniably stands out: the naan. Ah, yes, the naan! This towering behemoth of a bread is a sight to behold. One might be inclined to believe that it has been specially engineered for the express purpose of providing sustenance to an entire family, or perhaps an army of ravenous scholars working late into the night. The naan is indeed large, immense even, far surpassing the average naan you might encounter at any other establishment. And yet, for all its size, it is offered at a surprisingly modest price, which might initially suggest that Afghan Kebab is a haven for value-conscious patrons. Bravo, one might think, as they prepare to indulge in a budget-friendly feast.

However, herein lies the first paradox of this establishment. While the naan delivers on its promise of value, the rest of the offerings lean towards the realm of the prohibitively expensive. The chicken skewer, in particular, stands as an example of both taste and fiscal audacity. At a price that would make even the most seasoned connoisseur of fine dining pause, the chicken skewer is undeniably flavorful, tender, juicy, and imbued with a subtle smokiness that speaks to the skill of the chef. The seasoning, while somewhat understated, complements the meat in a manner that can only be described as delightful. If the price were even remotely reasonable, one might call it a triumph. Alas, the price does not permit such declarations, leaving the customer with the lingering sensation of having been financially compromised.

But I digress. What truly mars the experience, however, is the inexplicable and, quite frankly, baffling reluctance to provide sauces to accompany the meal. One might reasonably expect, when dining at an establishment that touts itself as specializing in kebabs, to be offered a variety of condiments, perhaps a zesty chili sauce or a tangy garlic dressing, items that elevate the entire experience. Yet, when I made this humble request, I was met with a blank stare and a subsequent refusal. No sauces, I was informed. Now, I am not one to partake in unreasonable demands, but this lack of basic hospitality is, in a word, perplexing.

And as for the garlic sauce, let us speak plainly: it is not garlic sauce. No, it is more akin to a mixture of curd and water, bland, soupy, and utterly devoid of the bold, aromatic flavor one would expect from such a revered condiment. It is, in short, a travesty. The garlic flavor is so faint that one might mistake it for a passing whisper from a distant memory. To call it disappointing would be an understatement; it is, at best, an unintentional experiment in mediocrity.

In conclusion, Afghan Kebab in Carlton exists in a curious state of culinary disarray. The naan is a budget-friendly marvel of size and value, and the chicken skewer is undeniably tasty, though financially excessive. Yet, the refusal to provide sauces paired with the catastrophic garlic sauce leaves a bitter aftertaste that no amount of naan can fully mitigate. It is, perhaps, best summed up as a dining experience that stands at the intersection of potential and frustration, offering glimpses of greatness that are too often overshadowed by inexplicable shortcomings.

While I cannot, in good conscience, declare it a complete failure, I must admit that my visit to Afghan Kebab left me with more questions than answers and, regrettably, a taste of mediocrity that no amount of naan...

Editing my review! We had been to this place a couple of times previously and was not bad, we actually really liked it.

When I went tonight, I was soooo disappointed. The food took 45 mins to arrive.. we didn’t mind because we thought what the hell, it’s gona be worth it and I can’t wait for the meat. We ordered the plate for 2 which comes with rice, x2 Shami kebab , 2 skewers, lamp chops, we asked if we can replace the chicken skewer for two other skewers and we were told that’s fine.

When our food arrived literally 45 mins later, we were mortified…. The meat was sooo cold, and ALL burnt. It was not fresh cooked grilled from that night and was just heated up cos we are not stupid, you can tell if meat is fresh or not. The rice was not fresh and looked like it was also heated up as it was the day before rice. All soggy and wet. The meat was LITERALLY all BURNT!! Every bit of meat was burnt except the kebab shami.. everything from rice to everything on it was cold as ice…. The meat was sooo chewy and all burnt but flipped upside down so we couldn’t see it when they first brought out. As we started eating, we realised every meat when flipped was burnt…. We also asked for the Chicken to be replaced with two other skewers and we never got the chicken nor the additional replacement skewers. The bread was also cold and hard… We were so so disappointed because side we drove along way to this place as I was craving meat and did not even 10gram of meat as it was either all burnt or all fatty and chewy cold you could not digest.

When we told the girl at the front, she said sorry and il tell the chef but after what ? She said she will take $4 off the bill and we didn’t even check our account but when we left we realised they overcharged us as the plate for two is $70 and we only got the plate for two and one bread which was $1.50. So in total should have been $71.50 and according to her with $4 off . We still paid $72.50 .. Wth ?? Anyways we don’t care about the money as I never complain about anything, even though I had a right not to pay because it was not worth paying $72.50 for rice plate that is soggy with NO meat!!

My biggest frustration is the fact that the food took 45 mins to come out and IT WAS not FRESH AND YESTERDAY MEAT and RICE but they still took 45 mins for it to come out and IT WAS all burnt!!

This is the last time I will be ever stepping into this restaurant… it was absolutely appalling !

I just regret not taking photos to prove this… I literally told the girl to go check the plate and how it’s all burnt!

I was so pissed I just wanted to get out...

The food was good but the service awful, literally awful.

The waitress looked uninterested while taking our order as we were from India.

When she brought our order she literally banged the dishes on our table.

She didn’t even cared to bring plates on our table. For which my wife went altogether to the counter and asked whether she can bring plates to our table.

Then we ordered juice in the start which never came even after our food was done.

While this racist waitress took orders of all the other people(white) nicely and didn’t forget any of those!

Then on billing these guys had the audacity to bill the juice which never came and then the billing staff confirmed with the waitress whether she delivered the juice or not. To which she was confused at first and then she literally said “sorry i forgot”.

Then while billing these guys asked whether O want the juice or not. I was like “seriously”! I said no thank you!

Onto total mistrust on these guys, at last I asked for the bill, for which even these guys were hesitant to give, for which I insisted then they reluctantly gave the bill. And they insisted to check and give it back. I said I will take it! And I also wanted to confirm whether you billed me correctly or not!

Super racist restaurant and especially extremely racist staff!

Will never dine and prohibit my known ones to dine or...