Aryana
4886-B Boul. Sources / Anselme Lavigne
Dollard des Ormeaux, Québec
H8Y 3C7
Tel : (514) 683-9595
No website/ BYOB

I am always looking for the proverbial next fix for different types of flavorful cuisines. So when I read a review in The Gazette November 17, 2011 about an Afghani restaurant called Aryana that had just opened in a strip mall on Sources Boulevard in Dollard des Ormeaux; I was excited. I yearned to experience again what I had tasted so many years ago at another Afghani restaurant on Duluth Street called Khyber Pass. What I particularly liked was the rice pilaf with copious amounts of carrots and raisins, the sweetness of the raisins mixed with different Arabic spices like sumac and cumin were so foreign to me back then. So I was eager to replicate the experience.

Aryana is owned by Azim Afghanzadah and his wife Safia who originate from Kabul, Afghanistan.
This local neighborhood family run eatery has been garnishing lots of attention since its opening in August 2011 and the second only Afghani restaurant in all of Montreal right now.

So two and a half years later (yes I‘m slow). I finally trekked to Aryana to sample their cuisine, with my partner in crime Frenchie Hot Bunz in tow. This little restaurant is always packed ( I tried to get in a few times) with not many tables, it seats about 25 people or less, a reservation is a must, otherwise you may find yourself lost in West Island eating at one of the many food franchises that swarm the streets of suburbia.

On the menu you will find similar names to East Asian cuisine, like Gurma ( Korma ), Palow ( Palao), Sambosa ( Samosa) ,Kefta or mantoo ( manti) and yes it is the same as it counterparts with a little variation. We sampled and shared an entrée of Mantoo dumplings, generous portions of meat filled manti dough dumplings that came in shape of knapsacks and filled with ground beef, Arabic herbs and served with light mint yogurt and topped with Harissa hot sauce. I have to say that I was impressed with the starters and quite enjoyed them. For the main meals we had Kabuli Murgh Palow and Chapli Kebab.

 Mantoo Dumplings

Kabuli Murgh Palow is stewed lamb made with carrot, onions, and raisins atop a heap of basmati rice.
It was so tender, flavorful and mouth-watering. It hit the spot for those typical flavors of Afghanistan food I tasted at Khyber Pass.

 Kabuli Murgh Palow

The disappointment came in the Chapli Kebab dish that appeared as two hamburger patties atop a white  taste less iceberg salad and rice. The flavors were there, but the presentation was not much to write home about. I would have expected the Kebab on sticks or at least in forms of oval elongated meatballs that is representative of this type of cuisine.

Chapli Kebab

We also never received our Afghani bread but were politely credited once we mentioned it. The friendly service is outta this world. You can see that Safia and her children try really hard to please. The décor is typical of a small restaurant located in strip mall, but do not expect anything fancy. It is minimalistic to say the least, but that is not what counts here.

Prices range from $ 2.00-$6.00 for appetizers and $6.00- 14.50 for main meals. The restaurant is not licensed and you can bring your own wine. We did not have dessert, coffee or tea.
Total cost of meal including tax and tip $ 45.00, pretty inexpensive for a Saturday night’s dinner and we found plenty of parking at no extra cost.

Link to Gazette Article
http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Casual+Dining+Aryana/5727424/story.html