Shamim Afghan Cuisine

It’s always heartening to find a representative of lesser-known Central and South Asian cuisines if you’re one of the more adventurous foodies out there, and locals to Adelaide’s Firle have got a great ambassador in their midst in the form of Shamim Afghan Cuisine down Glynburn Road. As the restaurant likes to say, here there’s delight in every bite, and it’s no less a delight to simply explore what’s on offer at this friendly outpost for Afghan food. Oh, and there’s some Iranian thrown in there for good measure!

Afghanistan is a crossroads of a nation, and that goes for its food too. Geographically, Afghanistan straddles Central Asia and South Asia and, also considered a gateway to the Middle East, features many diverse influences in its national cuisine. Shamim Afghan Cuisine is one of the few Adelaide restaurants to focus on this kind of food, although the menu also incorporates some – equally less commonplace – Iranian delicacies as well. Easily found along the Firle stretch of Glynburn Road, Shamim is an unmissable destination for lovers of exotic fare.

Adelaide’s more intrepid diners might be familiar with dishes like Adana kebab (a southern Turkish staple), but are less likely to know the Afghan dumplings called manto. These are an essential part of any meal at this Firle Afghan and Iranian restaurant, good as a meal in themselves or shared before you embark on bigger dishes like the Qabuli (Kabul) palow – the national dish of Afghanistan that consists of a slow-cooked lamb shank with mixed herbs on rice mixed through with caramelised carrots and raisins. Book now for a culinary journey you’ll want to repeat!