THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED The Helmand

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED The Helmand Restaurant Review:

THIS ESTABLISHMENT IS CLOSED The specialty at Helmand, a unique Afghani restaurant in North Beach, is lamb served three ways: sautéed with yellow split peas, onions and vinegar; speared into kebabs, marinated with onion and sun-dried baby grapes, and charbroiled; or marinated, sliced and served on Afghan bread with sautéed eggplant. One popular dish, aushak, is a kind of Afghan ravioli with a yogurt and tomato-meat sauce. The combinations seem exotic but the flavors work, and a good wine list matches the refined food. Turkish coffee prepared tableside is an elegant end to any meal here, especially with a couple of cardamom pods popped into the brew. The experience can be spoiled by impersonal service.