Ariana Afghanistan Restaurant

Ariana Afghanistan Restaurant

http://ariana-afghan.com/

4182 Dale Boulevard Dale City, VA 22193

703.897.1190

Who knew there would be such a hidden gem in Woodbridge?  Ariana is Afghani dining done right.  When you walk in you’re welcomed by an elegant foyer with fresh flowers and dramatic draping curtains.  The dining room is wide enough to accommodate large banquets and weddings – in fact there is a throne for each of the newly weds!  The food is just as amazing.  Every meal is served with a house salad of tender greens and perfectly ripe tomatoes with a minty creamy dressing.  For our appetizer we sampled the Bolanee, a clay oven baked pastry with potato and leek filling paired with yogurt chutney sauce on the side.  The Bolanee was soft and tender with crisp edges and a warm creamy potato filling with a slightly spicy kick.  The pairing sauce was tangy and cooling all at once.  One entrée we tried was the shami.  It was a long piece of tender meat with a rich hearty flavor served on top of a crispy, sturdy Nan.  Meat lovers have found paradise.  For those looking for less meat try the Palau.  When it is brought to your table all you can see is fragrant saffron rice but below the rice is a real treasure.  Extremely tender, fall off the bone, melt-in-your-mouth, cooked to perfection lamb morsels lie in wait.  Each bite was truly an experience.  A rich and flavorful meat sauce is served on the side made with chick peas, which helps hydrate the rice and vary the flavors in the dish.  To cleanse your palate with an after dinner treat try the Firnee.  Firnee is a fluffy but creamy handmade pudding thickened with cornstarch with pieces of pistachios sprinkled throughout.  At first glance the appearance of clumpy pudding may be off putting but one bite of this sweet floral dessert and you’ll be amazed.  The floral flavor is at first overwhelming but before I knew it I was gobbling down the last bite.  Ariana is an experience from start to finish for both the eyes and the palate.