Contemporary Afghani Cuisine

I love Maza, where Saz used to be at 558 State. I used to like Saz just fine, the artichoke quesadilla being the only artichoke quesadilla I have seen on a menu before, but I love Maza. And truthfully, I couldn't remember the last time I had been to Saz.

Since Maza's opening this spring, I have been there a 1/2 dozen times and have ordered the same entree each time, mixing up the salad, soup and appetizers for variety. I order the Kofta every time. This is an amazing Afghani meatball dish (more like small seasoned beef patties) with basmati rice and served with a tomato based sauce with chickpeas, leeks and a million other spices that makes for an unbelievably savory combination. I have also sampled the lamb kabuli palow, which is a tender lamb dish served with a basmati rice pilaf with raisins, carrots and onions, as well as the beef and chicken kebobs (watch out, those metal skewers are hot, and the wait staff don't always warn the diners - one of my dining companions got a nasty burn).

The salad is decent - fresh leafy greens with a homemade balsamic dressing and the soup is good, too. A tomato vegetable soup with noodles and a comforting flavor.

The complementary flatbread is fresh and warm, and the Maza sampler is super yum - it comes with buryani (fried potato and leek dumplings), a chunky hummus (I am an afficianado of the creamiest of hummus - that found at Mediterranean Cafe or King of Falafel) but this hummus is excellent, and a giant vegetable fritter - I think with chickpeas, leeks and potato? The sambosa is also excellent - another fried dumpling filled with ground beef, onion, cilantro and chickpeas. All of the dumplings I have tried thus far are served with yogurt sauce and a zesty green chutney. Yum.

At the time of it's opening, there might have been a question of whether or not State Street could support two Afghani restaurants (the other being Maza's parent across the street, Kabul) and I can say with certainty, yes. Even with relatively poor, slow service, the place is always packed and the food consistently good.