Hard-core devotees of ultra-cheap dining know that dearth of design and style is often a sign of gastronomic promise, not despair. With that disclaimer, hopefully I won't be skewered by claiming that Shinwari Kabab House is about as visually stimulating as a frat boy's sock drawer or the coffee table spread of high-tech magazines and gadgets belonging to a sober engineering major. Luckily, it smells a lot better than the former and is far less cluttered than the latter.
In fact, Shinwari looks a lot like its short-lived predecessor, Ariana Kabob House. Same stainless steel buffet line along one wall, same mildly smudged mirrors along another, same shabby floral carpeting, same stack of Corningware dishes.
Ariana served Afghani food, suffered from friendly but inefficient service and never got its mojo back after a kitchen fire temporarily closed the place, despite a vocal community that rooted heartily for this restaurant underdog (I still get occasional e-mails asking if I could write an article to help revive the place). Shinwari co-owner Avtar Singh describes his food as the estuary of three cultures: Afghani, Pakistani and Indian.
Don't sweat it if you don't know the distinctions. As long as you have a basic familiarity with Indian foods, you'll be on solid ground. The lunch buffet on my visit had both goat and chicken shorba (that's a curried sauce), tandoor chicken, aloo gobi (cauliflower and potatoes), a watery yellow dhal, saag paneer (leafy greens with cheese), basmati rice, samosas, a tossed salad of iceberg and cucumbers with a quartet of chutneys and sauces, and best of all, fresh, buttery naan (flatbread) that is brought to the table piping hot from the kitchen.
Shinwari is truly a bargain binge. The daily lunch buffet is only $6.99, the Monday night buffet only a dollar more. And that includes chai tea and dessert (sweet gulab jamun, or fried dough balls in a syrup, and ras malai, or paneer cheese balls cooked in sugar syrup).
You can also order à la carte, where the selection includes fish, lamb chops, more rice dishes and a variety of breads.
