Baba Kabob

Baba Kabob is a small Afghan restaurant on Black Mountain Road in the north of San Diego. It serves halal food in a fast-casual setting, ordered at the counter.

Afghan cooking sits at the heart of the menu, with a few dishes from the wider Mediterranean alongside. Kabobs come off the grill with rice, and chicken kabob is among the most ordered plates. The chapli kebab, a flat, spiced patty of ground meat, is one of the more traditional choices. Kabuli rice also has its place on the menu. A green chutney, sharp and gently hot, comes with many of the plates.

Bolani are the dish most closely tied to the place. These are thin stuffed flatbreads, and the staff roll out the dough to order before it goes on the heat. The house special is filled with gandana, a leek-like Afghan chive, while other versions carry potato or chives. Cooked fresh, the bread keeps a light crispness at the edge and a seasoned, soft filling. Sambosas, the Afghan cousin of the samosa, are among the starters too.

Lighter and more familiar food completes the list: hummus with pita, falafel, gyro fries and several salads, including one topped with chicken shawarma. The house sandwich, named after the restaurant, wraps grilled meat for those who want to eat on the go. Inside, the space is plain, tidy and usually quiet. For a neighborhood counter, the short menu still gives a clear picture of Afghan home cooking, from the grill to the griddle, and the bread made to order is what sets it apart from a plain kebab shop.