Walking into Ariana is like getting a warm embrace from a lifelong friend. The storefront space on Chestnut Street right in the midst of the hustle bustle of Old City’s nightlife offers a sense of reprieve from the activity outside. Soft instrumental music hums in the background, setting the tone for the rich textures of the space—vibrant oriental rugs line a lush window seat encased in pillows, patterned curtains and ornate lanterns cast romantic shadows on the walls.
For more than a decade, owner Beheshta Hashmi and her family have been bringing the best of Afghani cuisine to the area at this cozy BYOB. The dishes are unique in their lightness—you won’t feel weighed down by excess oil, butter or cream. The key is the ability to develop layers of flavor using regional spices and fruits such as orange, clove and cinnamon, and scenting rice with the aroma of rosewater for a floral note.
There are a few perfect ways to kick off the meal. Try the aashak, steamed scallion dumplings with a tangy yogurt and mint sauce or bulanees, which are turnovers filled with scallions and herbs or sample the sambosas, which are fried dumplings stuffed with chickpeas, beef and spices with a cilantro dipping sauce.
After the appetizers, you may be lucky enough to witness a belly-dancing show, or enjoy some Hookah, further taking you on a culinary and cultural journey.
On to the main course! Try the norange palow, seasoned lamb or chicken atop saffron-dusted basmati rice and covered in almonds, pistachios and orange strips soaked in rosewater for a hint of sweetness. Or maybe you prefer the lamb corma, a savory feast of boneless lamb with onions, tomatoes, garlic and Afghani spices over basmati rice. Not a meat lover? Not to worry. Go for the chalow badenjan, eggplant slow-simmered in tomatoes, onions, garlic and spices, topped with yogurt and served with basmati rice—to sop it all up.
On the side, there’s buranee kadu, soft sauteed pumpkin topped with a yogurt meat sauce and sabzi, pureed spinach cooked down with onions and spices with Afghan sauce, and an entire list of vegetables to complement any entree—all served with a doughy, crisp flatbread. It’s truly a symphony of flavor!
For dessert, try the baklava, made in-house from thin layers of pastry with syrup and walnuts, or the firnee, a refreshing and creamy Afghan-style pudding topped with ground pistachios, almonds and—you guessed it—rosewater. It’s a divine finish to a truly transportive meal.
Dinner hours are Sunday through Thursday, 4–11 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m.–2 a.m.
Find Ariana Fine Afghan Cuisine at 134 Chestnut St. in Philadelphia; phone: (215) 922-1535.
- Photos: Al B For
