Bistro Aracosia, Washington DC

Grabbed takeout from here and ordered the Qabuli Palou, the slowly braised lamb shank. While I enjoyed it, this is definitely a dish you want to have hot. Saw they had indoor seating and hope to get a chance to eat here the next time...I'm in the area.More

I don't want to criticize your food. But it takes 30 minutes for a meal. There is a long waiting period. And the cashier speaks in a non-professional language.they say wait 10 minutes continuously and when 10 minutes are over they say wait 10 minutes...againThe food of this restaurant can be delicious, but those who do not want to wait for a long time should not prefer this place.More

Wonderful neighborhood. Service was personable and most importantly the food met my expectations as I heard many good things about Bistro Aracosia. Friends, wife and I shard the Hot Mazza Assortment. My main plate was the Lamb Tenderloin (cooked medium) . My wife's Lamb Shank...was very impressive. Will return soon.More

My foodie nephew wanted something different for his birthday so he chose Afghanistan food. We studied the menu and picked a variety of items. Unfortunately the descriptions from the menu were not what was delivered in our take out order... We ordered 2 different Kabob...entrees. NONE of them were actually served as kebobs. The Surf & Turf described as "a skewer of Salmon and a skewer of Tenderloin" had one very small piece of fish and several strips & a chunk of "meat" (see photo) Neither showed any indication of being in the same kitchen as a "skewer". The fish was nicely grilled and still maintained some moisture but we were very disappointed at the portion of fish. The "meat" was very seasoned, tender but well done. Again never saw any indication of contact with a skewer. The two rice servings were adequate but unequal in serving size. The other "Kabob" entree was Chicken and Tenderloin. Chicken was a little dry and the "skewer of meat" was a different serving than the other entree. BOTH "meat" dishes should have been the same size/type of portions. (see photos). Rhumi's Chicken is described as "chicken slowly cooked in a spicy tomato sauce". The sauce was interesting but the chicken "slices" didn't have the flavor infused that simmering should have imparted. Nor did the chicken have color that the cooking technique should have shown. It was dried out. There is NO MENTION of the slices of green pepper that were in it. Can't find any dish listed on the menu that has them either. A casual search of Afghanistan foods failed to turn it up as an item used in their dishes. Hmmmmm... The appetizer of Leek and Scallion Dumplings [Aushak] was flavorful but was dumped into a container that was way to small for even this inadequate sized portion. As unique as this type of food might be we found the portion size issues, the questionable execution of cooking techniques and the discrepancies of menu description versus what was "delivered" displeasing. I can only wonder if the failure to execute simple kitchen techniques is a desire to put out quantity versus quality, cutting prep time or just laziness. We gave this a courtesy rating of average but "skewer" it disappointing..More

Eaten here many times and have continues to get takeout over last few months. The food is so good. We've tried all different things from the menu and have not been disappointed. Looking forward to when we can eat inside again. The owner and staff...are so nice.More

To celebrate my birthday on a late-May Saturday under coronavirus restrictions, we ordered dinner from the Aracosia Afghan restaurant on McCarthur Boulevard. It was wonderful! My wife ordered and paid by phone, and we called to let them know that we were on the way...a few minutes before the prearranged pick-up time. They offered to put the food in the trunk, so we would not have to get out of the car, but my wife just walked inside and the food was waiting at a table by the entrance. The food was well packed, and it was still warm by the time we arrived home. The Leek and Scallion Dumplings [Aushak] appetizer was small, but delicious. The entrees, Veal & Mushrooms stew and the Veal & Mushrooms Sabzi Lawaan, were simply delicious and the portions were generous. The food came with four small containers, each containing a different sauce. All very good. We did not order drinks, though you can order wine, as well as cocktails. We were tempted by the catchy, social-distancing-themed names of the cocktails, but we're not into cocktails. Though, next time ... We're big fans of the Aracosia restaurants, both the one on the Palisades neighborhood of Washington, DC and the one in McLean, Virginia, and we are delighted that they are able to operate under the restricted conditions imposed by the pandemic.More

We got take out from here and it is only my 2nd time earing Afghani food so I was not sure what to expect. It was great! It is much more then simple kebabs and the flavors are new and interesting. It seems like we...tried all the chicken dishes and really liked them all. The sweet and savory dumplings were far better then I expected and I wish we had more. The soft dumplings and the pumpkin ones were not crowd pleasers but thats just our preference. I will be sure to order from them again!!More