Satisfying Afghani Mantoo in Tooting’s Kabuli Darbar
By Thia Tapadar
Kabuli Darbar is an “Authentic Afghan” cuisine situated at the heart of Tooting Broadway.
Decorated with traditional Afghan decor that adds to its authenticity, this newly opened restaurant offers a very family-friendly environment for diners.
Since the restaurant was empty at lunch time, my friend and I received excellent service, with the waiter going through items on the menu and asking us the sorts of tastes we liked in order to recommend something.
I went for the Mantoo (dough balls filled with mince, topped with lentils and yoghurt) while my friend ordered the naan bread with lamb skewer.
The food took roughly 15 minutes to come out, but sadly wasn’t too hot.
The lamb skewers were six very tiny cubes of super chewy meat, which I thought was a rip off for £9.65.
And was the accompanying naan bread, which was almost the size of the table, supposed to compensate for the lack of lamb?!
My mantoo on the other hand was cooked to perfection and really settled my mantoo-cravings.
Mantoo – lamb minced meat wrapped in steamy pastry, served on yoghurt and topped with lentils – S £3.95, L £7.50
It was £7.50 for seven pieces; and though on the starter menu, filled me up enough to serve as a main.
The cutlery was also a slight disappointment, with marks on a plate (such things are enough to put me off a place for life)!
Ours had little bits of meat stuck on them which, once addressed, were very well cleaned in the end.
Overall, I think it was a nice experience, but overpriced for what it is.
I shall only return if the mantoo-craving kicks in again, but not for anything else.
Kabuli Darbar
201 Upper Tooting Rd,
London SW17 7TG.
T:Â +44 (0)20 8682 3480 |Â W: www.kabuldarbar.co.uk
