34 November 2021
KINDNESS
& KABOBS
Food and hospitality
nurture our bodies
and souls
BY JANET GIBSON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
CINDY BURNHAM
GOOD EATS
K
indness. It's a concept that we see – we feel – time and again at Afghan Kabob.
Co-owner Helal "Leo" Dur steps away from the kitchen to help Intissar Larouz on
her first day working the counter where customer orders are taken and rung up.
Intissar is a recent refugee from Morocco and speaks English well. She is happy
with Leo's mentorship and patience. "He's too kind, like a big brother to us," she says.
April Godfrey, the head cashier with a smile as big as the day is long, checks to see if we need
anything else – as we relax on sturdy furnishings handcraed by a veteran in this military-
friendly business (with more on that later in this story). What else could we possibly want?
We are savoring every bite of a perfectly juicy, marinated and grilled chicken kabob served
over a bed of flavorful long-grain rice from Afghanistan. e authentic dish is enhanced
with caramelized raisins and slivers of carrots. Add in a side of chickpeas and potatoes in an
addictive tomato-based sauce that strikes the tongue as sweet followed by slightly spicy, and a
salad rich in chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and herbs. All this goodness is $12.
Topping it off – aer we rave about the chickpea sauce – "Chef Sam" assembles containers of
