Eat here tonight
Written: Jan 22 '02 (Updated Jan 22 '06)
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Pros: Sublime cuisine, great prices, good value.
Cons: Located in the wholesome, family-friendly, stripper bar neighborhood. Is that a con?
The Bottom Line: You'll be pleasantly surprised. A lot of bang for the buck.
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| lyagushka's Full Review: Helmand |
I just love this place! Here's your chance to prove that you have nothing against the people of Afghanistan while eating a most enjoyable meal at a very reasonable price.
This place consistently has the best lamb anywhere. The meat entrees are huge, and I always wonder how they can possibly afford to give away that much good food at those prices. Entrees were all $10-$15. There are some excellent appetizers too, which are not to be missed. A melt-in-your-mouth baby pumpkin appetizer with exquisitely delicious and delicate flavors is a must. Also, the large fried pastries stuffed with leeks and potatoes are to die for. The scrumptious house-made bread and various condiments can fill you up fast before your food arrives if you're not careful.
In general the menu focuses on meat dishes; there are chicken and beef entrees aside from the lamb. I don't recall seeing any fish items on the menu. (Are there fish in Afghanistan?) Rice, fruits or vegetables accompany each meat dish, but this restaurant would probably be a poor choice for a vegetarian, as there's really only one vegetarian entree and it's basically a large portion of the vegetarian appetizers. The dishes I've tried at Helmand were very flavorful, but not spicy-hot.
The last time I ate there I had the grilled lamb entree. This came on a large oval platter with five delicious and well-cooked pieces of meat. Normally, just one of these five pieces would be enough meat for me, so I shared out three pieces to the folks I was eating with and had two for myself. Grilled bell peppers and onions came with the lamb, as well as a small serving of pilaf seasoned with currants and some finely diced carrot. Also, a slice of ripe mango accompanied the entree. I thought this was an odd choice, but when I tried a bite of mango with the lamb it was great. Others at the table had chosen a chicken breast served over the same pilaf that I had a portion of, and two orders of grilled beef that looked a lot like my lamb dish except it came with cooked apples instead of mango. Everyone was happy with their choices, but admitted that my lamb was the best choice.
The atmosphere is a little odd, but not unpleasant. There are white linens and candles on the tables, and the wait staff are decked out in black tie uniforms. But the place has a somewhat down at the heels feeling to it. Don't let that put you off! The service is very good and with this quality of food at these prices, you're getting a very good value. The noise level is quiet to moderate.
After dinner you can linger over Turkish coffee, prepared tableside, or a small selection of desserts. Parking of course, is always a problem in San Francisco, but they do validate for the nearby valet parking lot.
I've never had much of a wait to be seated here, even on Friday or Saturday. But I've only eaten here as part of a group with 1-3 other people. Larger parties should probably take advantage of their reservations.
All in all, this place is a fun, relatively undiscovered treat and a great bargain.
Looking for other San Francisco restaurants of this caliber? I've also reviewed:
• Woodward's Garden - top notch food in a funky urban setting
• Boulevard, which I think is even better than Woodward's Garden
• Suppenkuche - unpretentious German bierhaus charm in Hayes Valley
• Betelnut - highly recommended for a fun night with a group
Recommended:
Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Best Suited For: Friends
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