Craving lamb. Submitted my order via their website. Arrived at the restaurant and we were greeted as we walked in. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant's decor is culturally appropriate.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We arrived early evening and they had a candle and tablecloth on each table.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I ordered Baadenjaan Bouranee, luscious eggplant dish; Frenched Rack Of Lamb, perfectly cooked, tender and flavorful; and Pumpkin Dumpling Entree, perfectly sweet, smooth interior and perfectly steamed dumpling wrapper. I will continue to support this establishment. read more

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Awesome experience. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Clean restaurant, friendly staff, great vegan options![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I definitely want to come back to try more menu items. The bread and dipping sauces initially brought out are a nice touch and very tasty. With regard to vegan options our waiter was knowledgeable and proactive (warning me before I even asked that one dipping sauce contained yogurt). read more

Afghan Bistro - Scallion and leek Sabzi Dumpling Entree - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

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We were able to get reservations to this restaurant earlier in the day, but I would highly suggest getting reservations ahead of time because we saw people get denied when they just walked in. When we walked in, we were greeted very nicely and sat quickly. Our server was new and it was her first day so she couldn't really give any recommendations which wasn't the best, but the manager came out and was able to help with describing some of the dishes and giving great recommendations. Most of the people that we ate with ended up with some type of lamb dish and the lamb was phenomenal. The rice was delicious. The eggplant was delicious. We got a bunch of appetizers. Everything was on point. Everything tasted super fresh and overall we had a very nice experience. The food also came out very quickly. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The overall ambience was very nice very home type vibe and it is a smaller restaurant for limited tables[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] One of our friends that we went with since we haven't seen each other for a long time was really craving a beer and kebabs which sometimes a little bit harder than one would anticipate but they served alcohol as well as delicious food so win-win here. So overall, I would highly recommend this place if you want delicious Afghan food, but of course remember to book in advance . read more

Afghan Bistro - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Delicious Afghan food in an intimate, homely, and cozy setting.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Came impromptu on a Saturday night for dinner. Had to wait less than 10 minutes to get a table for two. The menu has so many options which made it difficult to choose. Ended up trying the Beef Mantu (Dumplings) and one of their specialties of the day, a Lamb Shank Karahi which had jalapeño, garam masala, and lots of veggies like eggplant, tomatoes, pickled onions on top, etc. The Mantu was a lovely appetizer and delicious while the Karahi was flavorful and tasty. Also tried one of their mocktails which had Mango, Saffron, and Lemon- that drink was a little disappointing as I could tell how it was made exactly and wished it was more elevated for a restaurant, but not bad. Overall, I enjoyed my meal here and loved trying traditional Afghan dishes beyond kabobs. read more

Afghan Bistro - Mantu Entree (Beef) - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

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BLUF: still delicious food and great service. Really don't know how many times I've reviewed this restaurant. But I think I try to keep it only once a year so it's not stupidly redundant. In the end they all say the same: they have very good service and they have delicious food. I think the last time I was here I had one not so great piece of chicken on my kabob. But this last visit was great. I tried the saffron chicken, which was very good, but I would not get it again. Not because it wasn't tasty, but because it's not as strongly seasoned and flavored as some of the other dishes that I like more. Others who tried it said that that's what they would order next time they came. Also got the beef and chicken platter which was very good. This place even makes ground beef taste wonderful. They had a sampler platter of appetizers that included beef, leek, and pumpkin dumplings. They were all delicious. You don't know how good pumpkin can taste till you have it here. Nakhoud Mushroom Lawaan, while it is a challenge to pronounce, is a delicious vegetarian dish. The same is true of the Spicy Risotto with Eggplant and Butternut Squash. I always end my reviews with a note as to to whether I'd go back. In this case consider that I've been going here consistently for probably over 8 years now. That should say it all read more

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I've been wanting to check this place out since it opened. I happened to be around the Alexandria area after visiting a nearby Hindu temple, and decided to have an early dinner. Reviews have been raving about how the food is authentic and flavorful. Personally, I have always found Afghanistan to be a fascinating country and culture. Honestly, when you take time to educate yourself about a misunderstood country, you develop an appreciation for it and learn to discard misconceptions about it. Okay education over... now onto to the food! I started off with the Bolani. A thin, crispy flatbread filled with potatoes and chives. Have this with the homemade chutney and white sauce! Next came the Aushak, an Afghan dumpling filled with lentils, onions, and spices. These were good, my only feedback would be to add more filling in the dumplings :) The garlic yogurt sauce was a great topping, and the dried mint added a subtle coolness as well. They also had Vegetarian Mantu (another famous Afghan dumpling dish typically served with a meat sauce) but it's only available for catering... sigh...if only I had a big event to host. Lastly is the star of this place, the Sheer Yakh (Ice Cream). For those unfamiliar... think of the Indian/Pakistani Kulfi, but a soft serve version. I can tell this place became famous for the dessert because of the way it is made, and let me tell you, it is NOT an easy job. They have three stations where massive amounts of ice and rock salt are poured, and in the churning process, the cream deposits start to thicken and small ice crystals form in the mixture. You can definitely get a good amount of both in every bite! It's sprinkled with more cream and grounded pistachios. Unpopular opinion, I am not a fan of Pistachio, but I liked how the nuttiness complimented texture. Customer service was pleasant too. The staff speaks mostly Dari/ Pashto, and according to one staff member they are recent arrivals to the country since the Taliban took over. Nonetheless, this restaurants adds to our ever growing diverse community. Give this place some love and support! read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]This is definitely Springfield's Hole in the wall, because how is this quaint bistro, that serves amazing traditional Afghani flavors, Michelin star recognition service is in the middle of nowhere (a plaza next to a gas station and close to a bunch of storage/machinery supplies warehouses).[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We just came recently to celebrate my friend and my husbands birthdays, since we all enjoy the food and the serene atmosphere to catch up with friends.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] They usually provide freshly baked bread with chutneys on the house. I've had this afghani bread in several other restaurants, but here has the perfect balance of soft crunch and chewy, perfect for dipping! We got a chutney assortment, red one is closer to a savory pepper jelly and the green one is a mix of a jalapeño-cilantro pesto with some acidity almost like a chimichurri! The yogurt-herb one has some hot kick (probably some green chili) my favorite is the mango chutney, sweet and savory perfect to balance the spicy ones! We had the dumpling appetizer platter, usually both Pumpkin and Aushak (leek & scallions) one comes with minced beef on top, although the waiter kindly set it on the side so I can eat it since I'm pescatarian. I love the pumpkin one so much, the butternut squash is cooked to perfection, the sweetness of the squash works so well with the yogurt sauce and mint on top!the leek one is a lot less interesting if you don't put the minced beef on top (for non vegetarians) I like to put some of the red chutney on top for extra flavor! The party enjoyed the Mantu which is stuffed with minced beef topped with carrots and peas qorma. So far we all loved the pumpkin!! I ordered the vegetarian qabuli combination platter! It has all my favorite things! Four variations of their veggie forward dishes: sabzi (slow cooked greens and herbs) nakhoud (chickpeas cooked in tomato), kadoo (pumpkin/butternut squash) and baadenjaan (eggplant cooked in tomato) served with qabuli rice. I just love this dish because I get to enjoy all the vegetarian options at once, even though the chickpeas and the eggplant are "stew-tomato-ish dishes" the spices used on each one (chickpeas are topped with fresh cilantro while the eggplant is topped with the characteristic afghani yogurt-mint) they are different, but paired beautifully! I usually don't eat a lot of rice, but every time I come here Id have the rice, it's well seasoned, plus the carrots and raisins add sweetness to the garam spiced on it! Love it! It's definitely a vegetarian feast! My partner had their Lamb with greens and he really liked it! He is not much of an eggplant fan, so he preferred this dish instead, the sbazi mix they use for the stew is very fragrant and the lamb is cooked tenderly! My friends got the lamb chop kebab, they love meat so they usually go for this dish and ate it all. One of ordered the chicken lawaan, the yogurt and spices worked beautifully and the chicken apparently well portioned that she took the rest home! I want to say that I'm very sad they didn't give us an extra cardamom cake for my husband, because they assumed he just wanted to split the pistachio ricotta cake with me, they only brought one for both of them, they really skimped on the dessert, but it was really good that it was quite offensive such a small piece for 2 big guys the milk bath was so creamy and pleasantly sweet! Perfect tres leches interpretation!!! I enjoyed the pistachio-ricotta cake, the vanilla sponge texture was spot, the ricotta layer was creamy, the pistachio layer was not overwhelmingly sweet, everything was tied perfectly with the tart cherry/raspberry sauce that elevated it and the salted pistachios added the crunch and extra flavor! My least favorite of the desserts was the Firni, it definitely is an afghani pudding/flan sort of panacotta (which I'm not really fond of because of the lack of flavors) it could improve if they actually drizzled it with the same sauce or added some macerated berries, maybe add some more cardamom or pistachio extract, not my favorite, texture wise was okay? (Not ordering it again) read more

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Service is still a high point but the lamb shank (which two of us had) was too dry for us.

[[HIGHLIGHT]]I never would have guessed that this undecript place from the outside serve up such favorable meals and would have a warm ambiance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. The very high rating is not rating creep, it's earned. We were a 4-some for lunch. We shared an appetizer(delicious dumplings) , ordered different entrees and skipped dessert-to full. We had 2 drinks with alcohol and 1 w/o. This is my 1st Afgan Restaurant, unless my memory fails me. All four of us raved about our meals. The service is friendly and there were offers to answer any questions we had about the menu. I was warned that my dress was spicy, is an example of excellent service also. The service was very attentive but yet not distracting. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were the 1st table seated at about 11:30-ish & the 1st to leave. The place was really filling up as we left.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Out timing was perfect so my TOTD is come early, if you can. read more

Afghan Bistro - Very detailed lunch bill, easy to split. We split 50/50. :-) - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

Food was delicious and service was excellent. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very small place, difficult to eat here with a large party[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. read more

Afghan Bistro - Beef Tenderloin & Chicken - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

The food was amazing, the dumplings were delicious and the lamb was so tender falling of the bone!! Not only was the food so good but the hospitality and service was a 10/10. The whole experience was great! Definitely one of my favorite places to eat. High key recommend read more

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Food was fantastic. Really interesting take on a dumpling. Service was good and quick. Price was very reasonable as well

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Friendly staff, warm ambiance, and the food is absolutely delicious![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Highly recommend this spot. Every dish was so flavorful and unique. So glad we found this hidden gem! read more

Afghan Bistro is a hidden gem. Located in an unassuming strip mall, I never would've known about the delicious Afghan food served here if it weren't for Yelp. I went on a Friday evening, and do recommend making a reservation, especially if you have a larger party. Fortunately, they were willing to seat my part of two. The service here is very hospitable. The host and staff are warm and make you feel very at home. The food is absolutely delicious. I loved everything. They start you off with complimentary dips and bread, which is served warm. For apps, we ordered a dumpling trio, which was great because it gave us a chance to try a variety and see which we liked best. We also tried a chicken yogurt stew and chicken and steak kabobs. We think they may have forgotten about our entrees because we noticed that it took a long time for them to bring the dishes out, but the staff did acknowledge and apologize for taking a long time. I definitely recommend giving this place a try. read more

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Amazing food and service! Never disappoints. I had one of the specials and was excellent. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Party of seven.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Afghan Bistro - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

10 out of 5 stars every time I come. What a hidden gem for folks that have not been yet. It is located in a small shopping center off of 95 but serving some of the best food in the entire DMV. The smells, look, and taste of everything they offer is otherworldly. The service whether take out or dine in is always exceptional. Their bread, dips/sauces are amazing to start and you cannot go wrong with any appetizer, main dish, or dessert. Everything is so good!! Mouth is watering just thinking about here. A must go to for all in the area read more

My friend recommended Afghan Bistro, so we made reservations for an early (4:30pm) Saturday dinner. The restaurant is small, but very in demand - I would recommend making reservations in advance as seats are limited and we saw multiple couples who couldn't be accommodated. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I liked the relaxed vibe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We started with the dumplings which were delicious, and then I got the Lamb Shank Sabzi Moghuli (it was not spicy, but they may have toned it down for me) and one of the non-alcoholic fruit drinks which was tasty. My friend ordered the Lamb Shank Moghuli which is apparently her favorite. I also grabbed dumplings and a Chicken Aracosian for my husband to go and he was very happy with it. I was unaware but pleasantly surprised to learn it is part of the Aracosia Restaurant group, as we have enjoyed Aracosia McLean a few times!! read more

Revisited and ordered Chicken Sabzi Lawaan again. Happy to say the dish is consistently good. This time, I also ordered the Frenched Rack of Lamb (Chopaan). The meat was impossibly tender and delicious. It went beautifully with the tomato chickpea korma, which had a hint of spiciness that accentuated the myriad of flavors. The entire dish was wonderfully aromatic. Definitely a great meal! read more

This place really is a hidden gem! I've driven past this place multiple times and have never thought of stopping by until a friend of mine recommended it. My friends and I stopped by on a Thursday afternoon and were seated promptly. The waiter and waitresses were very attentive and knowledgeable of the menu items. The complementary bread and dips were delish! I ordered the beef tenderloin - the meat was tender and flavorful. To top off the night, we ordered the tres leches cake, which is my favorite dessert. The food and service were GREAT! This was my first experience trying afghan food and was very pleased - thank you, Afghan Bistro! read more

Afghan Bistro - Beef tenderloin - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

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One of the best meals I've had in a while! Staff was all super helpful and friendly. I appreciated the recommendations and will absolutely be back! Our server mentioned that they will have saffron ice cream soon, looking forward to that read more

The food here in this little place is OUT OF THIS WORLD. I cannot overstate how warm and delectable each component of our meal was, from the bread, to the appetizer, to my massive lamb shank over rice as the entree. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The server was super nice, and the family-style atmosphere was perfect for an enjoyable dinner.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Such a great hidden jem! read more

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We first visited about seven years ago when we lived down the street. My wife and I could not believe how delicious the food was. Deep flavors, and a variety of spices that make it a one of a kind culinary experience. I now live in Annapolis, was driving by on business, and decided to stop by for lunch. It was as wonderful as I remember. Took some to go home for the Mrs. If you enjoy deep flavors and aromas, this is the place for you. read more

Another great find, thanks to good friends. We really enjoyed our lunch time meal at Afghan Bistro located on Alban Road, just south of Springfield. The Lamb Shank Moghuli, is a deliciously spiced shank in tomato sauce served atop basmati rice. Our friends has the similar Afghania Dhood Palou, a smoked version of the Lamb Shank. Both dishes provided dinner sized portions, leaving plenty to bring home to enjoy later. The spices in the dishes were a perfect match across the board. A special treat was the Qabuli rice - a seasoned basmati rice with raisins and jullianed carrots upon which the lamb and its accompanying sauce were set. We shared the Pistachio Cake for dessert. Two layers of delightfully light cake with ground pistachios separated by ricotta cheese filling atop a decorative drizzle of pomegranate syrup. Our server made excellent recommendations and was attentive throughout our meal. The restaurant was fairly busy but we didn't feel crowded. We'll definitely be back! read more

Afghan Bistro - Pistachio Cake - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

Hidden gem that is a tiny Afghan restaurant inside of a strip mall I came here on a Friday night. I was fortunate that I had the foresight to make a reservation because they had to turn a few walk-in's away Complimentary bread that comes with 3 different dipping sauces. It was all very tasty, but some of the sauces were also pretty spicy so beware Have a large menu comprised of a variety of unique dishes Service was great and food came out very quickly It is a little pricy, but the quality of the food makes it worth it My only complaints are that there were a few tendons in my chicken, I got a drink that just tasted like straight vodka, and the tables are very small read more

Had a great dinner at Afghan Bistro! The staff and owner were very friendly and have good recommendations. I ordered the chicken karahi because it was a spicier dish which was good. The chicken was marinated and cooked well and there was a lot of curry given. I didn't really taste any spice but still good. Other dishes that were ordered were rumis chicken, lamb shoulder chops and juicy chicken thighs. When we were seated bread and dips were provided. The bread was really good and the three dips given were all different which gave a nice variety. Overall this was a good spot! read more

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What a pleasure to come back! I've been missing Afghan Bistro's fantastic food and was ecstatic to have the opportunity to enjoy it again. What I got: Leek & Scallion dumplings - 3* stick with the pumpkin dumplings, those are supreme! These were alright. I gave the meat topping another try but was reminded I wasn't a big fan of it. Rumi's Chicken - 5* fantastic! The chicken is the perfect moistness, the flavor was out of this world and the rice was the perfect quantity. I saved some to eat again tomorrow! read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Delicious food, cool atmosphere, and absolutely top notch service.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I was passing through the area and saw the great reviews for Afghan Bistro, I'm so glad I stopped by. Not only is the food as good or better than any Afghan I've had around, the staff here goes above and beyond to serve their guests. When the waitress brought the dips and bread to start, I politely waved off the bread. The young man who seemed to be running the show came over a few minutes later and asked if I was gluten-free, and I said I was, and he offered to bring cut vegetables in place of the bread so that I could still experience their sauces. I'm so glad he did, the sauces are amazing! He also asked if I had any other dietary restrictions, and I told him that I try to avoid dairy. He said that anything can be made dairy, and yogurt could be replaced with coconut milk versions. I was so glad he said this, because I ordered the Qabuli combination platter and the coconut milk yogurt was excellent on it. I ordered a second platter as well and it was equally delicious. The two people working checked on me and all the other guests frequently, and made sure we had everything we needed and were satisfied. I'd come back here for the service alone! Worth your stop! read more

The food is very tasty with lots of options. They have multiple locations in the area operating under the name of Aracocia. One recommendation I would make is to unify the names across all the locations to create a better brand recognition. read more

Afghan Bistro - Bread with dips - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

The food was undercooked, ground beef seekh was almost rare inside, my waiter were very pleasant though and she brought a replacement, but overall i wouldn't go back. read more

Afghan Bistro - Seekh Ground Beef - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

This place is amazing... trust the reviews and give it a try. FOOD: Beef tenderloin + Lamb and Beef tenderloin DRINKS: Peach Martini + Lemonade DESSERT: Chocolate cake From the food to the service, I have no complaints really. The BEEF TENDERLOIN is the best I've ever had, like seriously I recommend trying it. SERVICE is just amazing here... can't beat it. read more

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While this place is a bit pricy, I think their food is well worth the cost. I had the Saffron Tea, Saffron Chicken, Leek and Scallion Dumplings with meat. While I found the dumplings forgettable, the Saffron Chicken might be one of the best chicken dishes I've had in my life. So flavorful, beautifully presented, and the chicken was perfectly cooked to fall apart in your mouth. So good! The employees were all incredibly helpful and sweet. They gave us appreciated suggestions on the LONG menu. Some notes: The space is small, so be prepared to sit VERY close to another party. Also, while ordering was quick, the food took quite a while to come out. Know that this is not the right choice for a quicker dinner. read more

Afghan Bistro - This is almost every table in the place. It's a bit small. - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

This is one of the absolute best authentic Afghan restaurant. Everything is amazing. Go try for yourself.

So so so good!!! There was some miscommunication with the food in the back and they gave us the correct food (within 5 mins) and let us keep the extra with no charge. They also let my daughter get rose water ice cream (also very good) for free after we were just going to share baklava! The gentleman who took our order and was helping us without asking was so great, very attentive. Highly highly recommend, I live more than 3 hours away and this place alone is reason enough to drive here. So good. read more

Afghan Bistro - Sabzi Dumpling Appetizer - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

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Excellent lamb and overall delicious food and great waiters! We will definitely return!

Fantastic food, great service great pricing!! Look forward to many visits back. I enjoyed the tenderloin beef kabob.

A hidden gem. I thought twice about entering, as the outside looks questionable and being in a somewhat rundown strip mall makes you wonder. There are not many choices around, so I entered.. this is one of the best afghan places I have ever been. The prices are very reasonable and the flavors do not disappoint. The staff were welcoming and pleasant. I strongly suggest you try this place out if you are in the area.. The one less star is because you have to overcome the outside appearance to actually get inside.. read more

Afghan Bistro - Lamb over rice - Afghan Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

Started off with their complimentary bread and assorted Dumplings. For my entree I got the Lamb Shank Moghuli and for dessert I finished off with the Saffron Sheer Birinj. All the food here was amazing! The lamb was fall off the bone tender and super flavorful. The bread was also perfectly toasted and I loved the variety of sauces they provide. The rice pudding dessert was just ok, probably just not my cup of tea. Great small family owned Afghan restaurant! Restaurant is definitely on the smaller size, so make sure to call ahead or prepare to wait. read more

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Came here with my family for a late lunch on a Saturday. We made a reservation but were a bit late and they were very accommodating because it wasn't too busy at 3pm. I want to start off by saying that the staff here is sooo nice!! We had great service and such a great experience. They start you off with warm afghan bread with 4 dipping sauces ranging from sweet to spicy. We orders the spicy lamb shank special, the lamb chops, chicken breast and the kabob. Everything was delicious we really enjoyed our food thoroughly. The lamb chop and the lamb shank were my favorite from what we ordered. I would def recommend coming here and plan to go again myself! The inside is small but cozy and clean. It's a bit of a hidden gem but they have other locations in DC and McLean where they even provide live music on the weekends! read more

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I can't imagine Afghan good getting better than this. It's not just authentic (I ate meals In Afghanistan), but it has extra flair. Squash is used liberally and with a perfect hint of sweetness in some dishes. I ordered the lamb shank and was impressed. Our attentive waiter said it slow cooked over 18 hours. The meat fell off the bone and had the right balance of protein to fat. My wife had beef and chicken, and both meats were juicy and well-seasoned. It is nice that the restaurant has alcohol and great service. It feels contemporary. I did not expect this, as the restaurant was located in a strip mall. Based on the intersection of flavor, price, and service, Afghan Bistro deserves five stars. It is worth the trip. read more

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The food was fresh and full of flavor. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place was spotless, which made the whole visit even more enjoyable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] On top of that, the customer service was outstandingattentive, and professional. I recommend read more