I'm updating my review.... A year ago I dropped my vegetarian daughter off at college in the area. I only ordered vegetarian dishes because she won't eat meat and I didn't want to gorge myself on falafel then feel I needed to eat the meat. For a solid year I've been waiting to drop my kid off again at college.... And the twerp transferred to a school near home. So, I just made a FOUR HOUR DRIVE to get another order of this amazing food with my husband who was not on the first trip. He told me "don't order too much, I'm not very hungry tonight". Psshhhh.... Hold my beer. First, I opened the hummus. The most amazing fragrant olive oil was on top of it. And my son ate the naan without complaint which is the real hero here because he never tries any food. The potato filled fried appetizers were amazingly flavorful but not heavy. There's just a smidge of potato filling, not a lot. Enough to get the taste without filling you up. My husband told me to get four orders of that next time. We ordered the kofta combo plate. In all fairness this was an error on my part, I meant to order the kebabs. The order came with double the rice and one kofta of each variety on top. We didn't get the falafel in our order and I'm not even calling to get my money back because honestly it's a good thing we didn't get it.... I'm stuffed. I think they meant to put the falafel on top of one and the kofta should have both gone in the other. I also forgot to add the carrots and raisin topping. A bummer for sure. I was ordering faster than I could proof read apparently. Let's talk about the rice.... It's a basmati of some sort. It's flavored with cinnamon and cumin for sure. I can't place the other spices. But I assure you, there's no need to be upset if you get double the rice like we did... The sweet pumpkin with the white sauce.... This was my favorite last time. It's sweet with just a little tangy bit that hits right at the end. The baklawa in pistachio and walnut. And Firnee... Such a great end to the meal. My "not very hungry" husband is in a food coma at the hotel. He ate until he was full then kept going back for random bites of food. I wish this place delivered four hours away. But they don't so I will have to find reason to come back to the Albany area. read more

Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen - Vegetarian platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

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Your reviewer has never been to Afghanistan, but now feels like he has. Grilled lamb and beef were the favorites here. Chicken was good, but certainly a third choice. Good eggplant and worthwhile bread. Try the three sauces! Nice crew and fast service. Ask for the hot tea. read more

Dropped my daughter off here with a friend about 6 months ago. I went to I Love NY Pizza next door...they said the food was very good. Ok and so was the pizza. Yesterday we wanted to go to one of my favorite spots "Maurice's/Jc Deli" been going there for years for lunch. They were closed. I remembered taking my daughter here so figured we would give it a try. We started with the Hummus...the hummus was smoother than Greek hummus. The bread not pita was awesome! Needed a couple of more pieces! Yumm. Wife orders a chicken kebab platter...tons of tasty rice and super tender chicken. I had the beef wrap! Amazing!!! read more

We found Mazadar thanks to Yelp when we were looking for a quick, satisfying dinner option near Albany during an 8-hour drive back to Boston. It was the perfect choice! We started with the mantu as an app, which are ground beef-filled "ravioli" with delish sauces on top. They taste similar to Turkish manti but are larger and thus have more filling. YUM. For our main course, we split the lamb and beef kofta combo which includes amazingly seasoned rice, a small salad, and Afghan naan along with the two meats. Before the food arrived, a staff member brought over 3 bottles of sauce: a cilantro-y green one, a spicy red one, and a yogurty white one. YUM YUM YUM. I loved mixing the red and white sauces together and trying all of the different flavors. The meat was of great quality, and the meal felt balanced and satisfying. The service was great! After ordering and paying at the counter, they bring the dishes (and sauces) to you at your seat. Our server was quick to notice that we were sharing our meal and offered an extra plate. They also clean up the tables after you leave. Mazadar was a great way to enjoy a quick, delicious meal while still feeling taken care of. read more

My food is always fresh and ready when I arrive for pickup. The gentleman always has a smile and great demeanor. Food is very good. Waypoint

Kind of a mixed bag. I am in a wheelchair and getting in through the two perpendicular doors was very hard although a worker did come hold open the second door while my aide held the first open so I could back part way out to go through the one he was holding open. I did notice a door on the side, that was probably the handicapped entrance that was padlocked shut. Once we got to the counter (we were the only customers) we waited 10 minutes before they would talk to us. The food was a little expensive,  probably because they are halal, but was excellent. I got the fiery falafel burger meal. It came with fries that were very good but could have used a tad less salt. The meal came with 3 bottles of sauces. One bottle contained a yogurt dill sauce that was so delicious I dipped my fries into a giant puddle of it. Although the food was so good, I won't return because the atmosphere was so hostile. read more

Wonderful. Originally came here for a yelp event and have returned several times since. The meat is incredibly fresh and juicy, the rice is perfectly seasoned, and the white sauce is to die for (I am pretty sure my plate ends up being almost just entirely a pool of white sauce by the end). The prices are not as cheap as other fast casual places, but the portions are substantial and the ingredients are phenomenal. Don't miss the pumpkin; it's easily one of the best items on the menu. read more

Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen - Lamb Kabob Platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

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The burgers are now on the menu. My teen had the "Volcano Burger" which adds fries for a buck, bargain. A big good quality bun, tender Angus meat, a fried onion ring, tomatoes and jalapeños in a mayo-based sauce. If I were nearby and hungering for a burger, I'd seriously consider it. Another strange ordering experience: they now charge an extra $1.50 (maybe they always did?) if you want the carrots and raisins mixed in with your rice. I ordered it that way and paid the upcharge, yet the rice arrived without. I sent it back and the server said actually, we are out of the topping, would you like a refund? I said yes but no action was taken till I stopped by the cashier on the way out and asked for my money, which Mahmood provided but without the recognition I would have expected that it must have been a big disappointment to miss the full rice flavor. As before, the lesson is: check your order and make sure it's correct. Biggest concern is that they are as predicted cutting back on the special touches in favor of standard Americanized fare. I mean, how hard would it be to prep up some raisins and carrots at a food cost of maybe 10%? [UPDATE: see Mahmood's answer below. He assures us that this was a one-time phenomenon and he's not going to water down the original menu.] read more

Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen - Volcano Burger and fries combo - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

I was excited to try this placed based on the good reviews. Unfortunately, my experience wasn't great and I won't be back. First, there was barely any acknowledgment from the man working the register. He was sort of put off that we wanted to order. I tried a variety of the vegetarian dishes and all were so heavily salted they were inedible. The sauces they brought on the side were delicious, though. read more

Perfect lamb ribs and rice. Amazing texture and flavor on the halal lamb. Having the white sauce at your table is dangerous. It was super delicious. My date had the salmon and enjoy it too. The salad could use a little bit of a lettuce upgrade but we loved the meats. read more

Great food, friendly service. And they were quick. I would definitely go back! You should try it too.

It's all about that rice. Before coming to Mazadar for the first time, I heard an interview with Mahmood on WAMC's Food Friday, where I learned a lot about what goes on behind the scenes. What's unfortunate is that these amazing facts are largely opaque to the casual visitor who walks into the restaurant. Maybe that's okay. The goal here seems to be making Afghani food more approachable to those who may be less adventurous. And I think that's smart. Everything from the name which puts the cuisine under the familiar "mediterranean" umbrella, to the bright look, and friendly feel of the decor. Menus are displayed on monitors above the cash register, and while they'll answer any questions you may have, you may not know what you don't know. Like the very remarkable fact that Mazadar makes their own yogurt. Or that the meats are marinated for a minimum of 24-48 hours. Or that the rice is basmati sella, which requires an overnight soak before it can be made into those perfect delicate long grains, perfumed with cinnamon and cumin. That rice serves as the bed for all manners of meat. I went for the lamb chops, because I was feeling fancy, and one of my friends said it was her favorite thing on the menu. Did I really need to eat the four lamb chops and all that rice? No. In fact, I could have split that plate with another adult. Instead, I ate all the meat, and took most of that rice home. My son, who is a real rice connoisseur, is in heaven. I gave him a taste of my leftovers. Now, based on that experience, he's demanding a visit of his very own. While I was eating, I saw the chicken kabobs, and they looked incredible. Not only that, but they were about half the price of the lamb chops. The white sauce was delicious, based on their own yogurt, enriched with mayonnaise, and seasoned with herbs, its a decadent treat for those who want to gild the lily. Of course there are also shakers of sumac on every table, in addition to more traditional green and hot sauce bottles. I also went for the yogurt drink, which was salty, herbaceous, and paired well with the food. It may not be for everyone, but I appreciated being able to enjoy a traditional accompaniment to my meal. What is certainly for everyone is the firnee. Do not miss this dessert. The baklawa comes in from Montreal, but this light pudding flavored with cardamom and rosewater is a fantastic way to end a meal. For those who are new to Mazadar, I might recommend splitting a combination platter. That way you will definitely get the rice. And then you can try two different meats. I think the chicken and the lamb would be a good way to mix it up. And hopefully you'll have enough room for dessert. Lighter eaters might want to split just one kabob, so they can squeeze in one of the appetizers and share a firnee to end on a sweet note. It may be tempting to get one of those wraps, but then you would miss out on all that lovely, and amazing rice. Don't forget... it's all about the rice. read more

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RUN, don't walk! The pumpkin appetizer was one of the best things I've had in a long time. Not pictured is the falafel salad I ordered, which is more than enough for 2+ people and full of crisp, colorful veggies with spices atop! The falafel salad and pumpkin appetizer together only cost me $20.00! Delicious food and large portions at a generous price. Could not ask for more! Thank you for making my weekend! read more

Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen - Pumpkin appetizer - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

Mazedar is an Urdu adjective meaning delightful, affording exquisite pleasure, sweet or grateful to the senses, especially to the taste. Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen may not fully meet the definition of mazedar! But it may come close enough. After all, mazedar is in the palate of the taster. On my first visit to MMK I was a little surprised to see the setup was more like a fast food layout. The entrance into the brightly lit interior leads to a cattle chute along a half-wall separating the sparsely furnished dining area from the chute and leading to the ordering counter where five monitors above the counter display the menu and photos of the food. It's menu consists of kabobs, wraps, salads, appetizers, desserts and drinks. I decided to start with the Mantu ($6.50) dumplings filled with seasoned beef and onions topped with yogurt, tomato sauce, and mint. I'm not certain that I observed or tasted any tomato sauce, but I did have what I believed to be chickpeas on top. All their yogurt is made in-house. I thought it was mild and quite to my liking. The seasoned beef filling was plentiful and very flavorful. The dumpling wrappers were even soft and tender. I should note at this point that I was at MMK with a group of ten foodies. And while I was concerned that we would be overwhelming the kitchen, I want to point out how well they did in getting all the individual orders out in a timely basis. The one minor glitch that I ran into, I felt was not worth calling to their attention. Platter orders come with a salad and everyone ordered something that came with a salad. I however, was the only one who had ordered an appetizer. So I was served my Mantu while everyone else was served their salad. I finished my Mantu when everyone finished their salad. The main courses all came out next so I never got a salad. Looking at the size of my main course, I decided to not ask about the salad. My main course was a combo platter of Lamb Kabob and Chicken Kofta ($18.95). The lamb and chicken were served on a bed of basmati sella rice. This rice is steamed and dried before milling which gives it a yellow color. It is very flavorful. The chunks of lamb were tender, very tasty, and having been marinated in a special seasoning, were absent any hint of gaminess. The ground chicken was similarly marinated and provided a nice grilled flavor. I also had a cup of Afghan Tea ($1.75). It wasn't as strong in flavor as I thought it might be, but you could see the remains of some herbs or spices at the bottom of my cup when emptied. I'd be interested in returning, maybe to try some beef or salmon, but most certainly to have some Baklawa or Firnee (probably both!) for dessert. read more

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We had a Fantastic UYE here tonight! It was fantastic. my disclaimer: i am only giving 4 stars because i have never had this style cuisine before and have nothing to compare to. in my opinion, i do not like counter service much, but they really make sure you get good table service after you order. it was nice. they remembered all the orders and brought them to our large table correctly. I opted for the lamb chops, best choice. so delicious. the rice was a great addition. the meal started with a small salad which gave me the chance to try all the amazing sauces. i ate every spot on my plate, it was divine. only thing that may have made my meal better would have been enjoying a glass of wine with it. my picky boyfriend tried the wings and fries. the wings were good in my opinion. they are grilled as opposed to fries so it gives a different experience. he wasn't a big fan but i liked them. the fries were surprisingly great. i guess my one complaint here is that $16 is way too pricy for 10 chicken wings. overall, i loved my meal and i wish i had leftovers. such a pleasant surprise for a small counter service spot in a strip mall. if i got the chance, i'd come back! and maybe add a star! read more

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I ordered the lamb and chicken kabobs meal with the carrots and raisins over the rice and all I can say is wow. The meat was perfectly seasoned and cooked, it was juicy but well cooked. The rice was great, loved the addition of the raisins and carrots. The meal comes with a piece of bread, a salad, and three sauces. Will visit again. read more

Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen - Lamb Lamb Kabob and Chicken Kabob Combo - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

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New Mediterranean/afghan place. Great lamb and chicken gyros. Highly recommended for not-fancy eat-in or take out. When I was there, there were 2 middle eastern families dining which I took as a good sign. It was. Spoke with the owner who was very earnest and polite I look forward to my next visit. Updated after several more visits: still great food and friendly service. One of my go-to places. read more

Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen - Where you order - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

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You can never go wrong with the afghan mantu dish along with the kabobs over rice. What make this 5 stars was the service - the guy who works here was very attentive to our needs. And the pistachio ice cream was surprisingly different and satisfied our cravings! read more

The food is excellent. The staff warm and welcoming. I am not expert on this cuisine so 4 stars. But it's clean and welcoming.

This Afghan restaurant is tucked into a small strip mall near Central Avenue and Route 155. I've tried several dishes here as takeout meals and they are all delicious, well prepared and unique. My favorites are falafel and the kabobs. read more

Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen - Falafel Platter with sauces - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

Yay Good job Yelp for introducing us to a legit Afghan spot! One of our fave restaurants is Pamir Afghan In Queens and every time we come back here we are on the lookout for something similar. Mazadar has a more contemporary look which is fine but I really wasn't expecting flavors that we're going be great but they proved me wrong! Chicken kebabs flavorful juices well seasoned as well as the long grain rice, plus they have the sumac seasoning at your table! I was going give them about 4 stars since our food took over 30 mins but the owner Ahmed (sorry if wrong spelling ) was apologetic and explained the massive take out orders for the rice. And yes I must have that rice with my kebabs so I was willing to wait. He let us try some appetizers and desserts which were yummy! My fave is the eggplant and scallion crispy bread and the pistachio pudding is bomb-not too sweet with cardamom and pistachios. Great service also by Eddie. Thanks guys can't wait to come back and try other entrees! read more

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Two friends and I decided to try Mazadar last weekend to quell a craving for Mediterranean food. Myself and my friend ordered through the website and my friend ordered through the app. This caused some confusion about ordering because you need to verify the payment through your bank app and my friend didn't receive a confirmation email until we got to the store. When we arrived, all we had to do was call the store and let them know we were picking up orders for the three of us. They quickly brought the food out to us and it smelled amazing. My one friend and I ordered bolanis- fried dough with filling inside. she got the mixed veggie and I got the potato, and we traded one. The mixed veggie seemed to be just spinach and it was pretty good, but the potato one was both of our favorite. Who doesn't like basically mashed potato in fried dough? I scarfed mine down before our hour drive back home. I hurriedly got home and onto my couch to eat my chicken kebab platter. I drizzled the white sauce and hot sauce on my food and it was delicious! The chicken was flavorful and tender, and the hot sauce added the kick I wanted. On its own, the dish wasn't spicy. The rice was full of flavor and was perfectly cooked. The most interesting part was the Afghan pita- I've never tried it before, and it was fluffy and moist. I really enjoyed my meal overall and will definitely be back to continue getting rewards!! read more

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Wow! I had the Chicken wrap and the wife had the lamb wrap. Just incredible how fresh and tasty they were. Definitely a craving place that I'll definitely need at least once a week! read more

Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen - Chicken wrap was amazing! Definitely will be back to try more stuff on the menu. - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

What a heavenly dinner we had, absolutely the BEST Mediterranean / Afghan food we have ever eaten! We had the veggie sampler platter and the beef koftas and chicken kabob combo. Everything was outstanding and then we had the beef Lotta and chicken kabob combo. Everything was outstanding and then we had the Afghan Delight ice cream which was delicious! The owner, Mahmood, was so gracious and the service excellent! We Will Definitely Return! read more

I recently visited this restaurant and was pleasantly surprised at how delicious everything was! It was all freshly made to order. I had the Mantu and the Lamb Kabob and Chicken Kabob Combo on top of mazadar rice. Even though the Mantu is an appetizer, I wish the plate had more dumplings! The combination of flavors were absolutely delicious. The kabob combo was just as tender and flavorful. Great customer service. I definitely plan to come back next time I'm in Colonie. read more

Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen - The Lamb Kabob and Chicken Kabob Combo - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

Food was good and I liked the full size condiments (sauces) on the table so you could try them all. The rice was delicious and I liked the side salad too. Place is very clean and the staff friendly and helpful. read more

Vegetarian falafel heaven! I had the falafel platter with 6 huge delicious falafel, crispy outside and moist and perfectly green and spiced inside. Generous rice, side salad and bread! The three sauces were delicious- white yummy sauce, red mildly hot sauce and green bright herbaceous sauce. (Shake the bottles before you pour) all this for $10 and tip. You order at the counter but they serve the food and sauces; real plates and silverware. read more

Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen - Falafel platter- perfectly delicious - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

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Delicious food. I got the veggie sampler, and everything was so good. The employees were all very nice. We ordered take out. The dining room looked clean. read more

was very friendly. Food was hot and came out quickly. The french fries were crisp and really good. We had the chicken Gyro wrap and it was so good! Also very clean in the restaurant. read more

The food here is so delicious!! Whenever I visit the capitol region I always come here. Its not only tasty, but its good quality food. It beats my favorite Afghan/Middle Eastern spot in nyc. The chicken kabob is mouth watering, tender, juicy with so much flavor. It doesn't even need the white sauce. Its good on its own. We also order the chicken kofta which was very flavorful as well. The portions were perfect. Our favorite appetizer is the Kadu Burani. The pumpkin is so soft and sweet, mixed with the sauce gives a nice contrast in flavor. For dessert I tried the Ferni. This really exceeded my expectations! It was light and refreshing and just the right amount of sweetness. The cardamom really shines through ans love the floral taste it gave. I finished the whole container so quick, prob one of the best puddings Ive tasted. Looking forward to coming back again! Def a gem in the capitol region. read more

Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen - Pumpkin Appetizer - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

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Good food and very tasty. Got dinner to go. First time there. 3 dinners were all positive reviewed.

Some of the best lamb chops that I've ever had - a hidden gem! No frills atmosphere, but the food always delivers.

Mazadar is sooo good! The staff is friendly and accommodating all the time and will go out of your way to make sure everything is to your liking. My favorite items on their menu have to start with their lamb chops. They are so soft and tender but thoroughly cooked and full of flavor. You have to try it. Also a huge fan of the mantu for a quick bite. The quesadillas and fries are also one of my favorites and go to items. If you're Muslim this place is 100% halal. read more

The place is clean, warm and inviting. Food is always delicious & large portions, workers are kind and supportive, one of my favorites!! I consider it a treat when we order from here. read more

Delicious Greek food just about 7 minutes off the freeway! This place was very authentic, and used spices that were very unique. We got a couple orders of the Chicken Kabob Platter as well as the Mantu Dumplings. The mantu dumplings were very unique. They were filled with beef and spiced lentils, topped with tzatziki sauce. They were very good! The chicken on the chicken platter stole the show!! I've never had Greek chicken cooked so perfectly. Very tender, and perfectly golden brown. Not over done at all. The hummus was delicious and creamy. I would recommend a side of that.The staff was very friendly and helpful. read more

Mazadar Mediterranean Kitchen - Mediterranean Near Me - Albany, New York

A truly fantastic experience! This place should be on everyone's radar for middle eastern/afghan food. We got a chicken wrap and falafel mazburger and both the items were fresh with the right amount of spice! The red & mint sauce along with the yogurt sauces add to the already great flavor! The Baklava was amazing... The place itself is very clean and I will highly recommend it to try! read more

One of my favorite places to eat in Albany. Their vegetarian food is delicious. Highly recommend the veggie sampler!

The Capital Region is evolving and so is her taste buds. Going are the days of dry kabobs, bland flavors and overly sweet desserts. There is a new guard in town. Let me start by saying that I love (really love) Middle Eastern / Mediterranean food. The spices and citrus-like flavors that deeply define many of the region's food is something that makes my mouth water. Enter Mazadar - organic, grass-fed, responsibly sourced meats. 100% Halal - 110% delicious. Top Middle-Eastern / Mediterranean (in terms of quality and flavor) in the Capital Region. Mazadar is fast casual for the crowd that upholds high standards for quality and fresh Middle Eastern flavors that are not "Americanized." Chef Mahmood, who spent many years working in fine dining restaurants, decided to bring amazing quality food to a fast casual restaurant. At first I think to myself, "why couldn't this place be more upscale, considering their food quality can easily infuse their audiences' taste buds with a mixture of spice, tanginess, and succulence?" Just thinking about their seared lamb chops with rice (5-star quality under $17), that could easily be in an upscale restaurant for almost double the price of what Mazadar sells it for, makes me salivate as I think about the tender meat cooked to an almost perfect sear. I later learned that the chef is committed to keeping the place 100% Halal and alcohol-free, so I'm torn because this place is so underrated just because it has the fast casual appearance. Chicken kabobs - succulence, succulence, flavor, spice, succulence. Mazadar knows what a chicken kabob should taste like. It brings me back to some of the days when chicken over rice became a "thing" in NYC in the early 2000s. Do not even get me started on how many of the chicken kabobs I've had in our Capital Region...many of which are as dead and dry as downtown Albany after 5 p.m. Mazadar takes pride in their quality and the chicken is responsibly raised with organic feed. This is not something you see, even in NYC - flavors this authentic with organic ingredients. Yes, Mazadar is a little more pricey than some of the other fast casual joints in the area, but their quality commands it (and I'm usually one of the cheapest people I know). Yes, it may be a little too casual of a restaurant - I understand now why that is the case. And yes, there is a lot of rice, but it's so darn good. Mazadar is my go to Middle Eastern spot when I'm in the Albany area. My other loved restaurant is on the other side of the Hudson. My biggest gripe about Mazadar is that the neighborhood might not appreciate it's quality or price. It's so underrated as a restaurant, because this place can easily be in an area that knows what sumac and Afghani spices are; an area where organic and responsibly raised means something, and where people appreciate ethnic food that stays true to its core. read more

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Ive eaten at many restaurants and diners throughout year and THIS one is a GAURANTEED 5star experience. I'm very thorough when I rate food establishments. I first take in the atmosphere of the place. Mazadar is very clean,uncluttered, and modern. Secondly, I look at the employees. Mazadar had incredibly warm,polite,and informative employees. I had never seen their menu prior to this visit and it was displayed beautifully above the counter. There were videos on the monitors showing their dishes being prepared. I informed the man behind the counter that I had a few restrictions and he ,very kindly,suggested dishes that would work well for me. The third aspect of my rating system is the bathrooms. If the bathroom is nasty,the kitchen will be too. Mazadars bathroom was immaculate. Very clean. The fourth,and most importantly, is the food. Our food was ordered at the counter then delivered to our table on really nice glass plates. The portion sizes were pretty big. The food was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! The greens were very fresh and crisp. An assortment of unique condiments, and dressings were readily available on each table. We had the lamb which was cooked to perfection,medium rare for me. The cost was $40 for two dinners and drinks. I'm DEFINITELY returning to this restaurant. Check out their menu online. It's a great menu. As we sat there contemplating a score over our last few bites, we were sure that this score was going to be a big one. We give this business a solid 9.3 out of 10. You will NOT be disappointed. This place deserves the recognition. read more

Excellent volcano burger and lamb !! I love this place it is my favorite restaurant in Capital region