By GABRIELLE LAWRENCE and BRYAN BEVERLY
By GABRIELLE LAWRENCE
One of the things I love most about Lansing is that everyone has their own go-to shawarma place. While I certainly have my favorites, I’m always eager to see what’s new in town, and I was happy to meet a small group of friends (including my famous fellow reviewer) for lunch at Noosh Afghan Cuisine, which took over the place. of the former Nola Bistro in Delta Township last year.
We started exploring the menu and I was struck by the many dishes that contained pumpkin as an ingredient. As it turns out, this isn’t a pumpkin spice symptom of almost everything that happens this time of year. Pumpkin is an extremely popular ingredient in Afghan cuisine.
We wanted to try as much of the menu as possible, so we chose the traditional family plate ($49.99) as our lunch centerpiece. The dish featured a thick bottom layer of two types of rice: traditional white rice and brown rice studded with dried cranberries. The rice was loaded with various proteins, but my attention was quickly drawn to the beef dumplings. The large meatballs bathed in a light tomato sauce were some of the most flavorful and moist I’ve ever had.
While I tried to hide from my companions that I ate way more than my fair share of meatballs, I also quickly dug into Pumpkin Bolani, naan bread sandwiched around a layer of pumpkin puree. If you’re looking for an entry-level Afghan dish, this is a great place to start. Most of us have had a quesadilla before, and this one is not unlike one, except there is no cheese.
Another of my favorites from our giant lunch spread was the mantu, beef dumplings (think Chinese soup dumplings) served on top of a yogurt-and-tomato sauce. While the dumplings were tender and amazing, I could have eaten the sauce as a soup. Not to be completely weird, I resorted to sopping it up with the basket of extra naan.
I knew I wanted to try the traditional burger ($10.99) for myself before driving across town to eat with Mr. She Ate, so I ordered one for a takeaway dinner a while later. If you saw me chowing down on food in the parking lot while wearing a full business suit, no you didn’t. The fries were crispy and seasoned with something that made them just the tiniest bit spicy. The burger was straightforward—a thick, juicy patty on a pillowy bun with welcome spikes of pickles and a lightly spicy mayo—but the flavor profile was completely unexpected and magnificent. Spots of cilantro topped the patty and I could see the cilantro bits spicing up the meat. I managed to save some for Mr. She Ate, but I would have ended the day happy if I had wiped it all down in the parking lot.
We also shared the family kabob plate ($41.99). The rice that lined the bottom of the dish was not the rice with vermicelli that I am used to getting in Middle Eastern restaurants – here we got distinct portions of white rice and a brown rice that was deliciously buttery. However, the shine disappeared with some of the minced meat on the dish. It was a bit cloudy and a bit overcooked, so I quickly turned my attention to the chicken shawarma and lamb kabob, both of which were excellent.
I didn’t grow up in a lamb-eating household, and many members of my family are still quick to say no when I suggest it for a holiday meal. Lamb is one of my favorite foods, and I think it’s a shame that it’s not as widely eaten in the United States as it is in many other parts of the world. Noosh’s version was toothsomely tender and provided many of my favorite bits of the meal.
I am often intimidated to try restaurants that serve cuisines I am not familiar with. If you’ve had shawarma (if you live here, chances are you have), you’ll find plenty to be familiar with at Noosh. If you haven’t had shawarma and you’re not a vegetarian, then welcome to the wonderful world of a dish loved all over the world. Start with Noosh, which is a great addition to our dining scene – one that I hope will be successful for years to come.
By BRYAN BEVERLY
I pride myself on having an open mind when it comes to exploring different flavors and genres of food – Caribbean, Icelandic, Welsh, Maori and Taiwanese are all examples of international cuisines I’ve been lucky enough to sample either in the country or in the home kitchens of natives of these countries. Later this month I’m traveling to Norway for my day job, and I’m looking forward to tasting some authentic Scandinavian dishes. Closer to home, our community is privileged to have wide-ranging ethnic flavors to choose from, and these options continue to expand as new restaurants open.
At the beginning of last month, I was invited to attend a fundraising breakfast for a charity. As usual, the organization offered guests highlights of the good work it does in and around Lansing. One of those highlights included a testimony from a refugee who came to the United States from Afghanistan with members of his family. He spoke about the challenges he faced in his home country, the lengthy process of seeking entry into our country and the support the charity offered him and his family as they settled in Lansing and established themselves as contributing members of society. After a few years of support – language acquisition, housing, food security and employability training – the gentleman was able to open a restaurant that showcases his proud heritage through food.
This restaurant is Noosh Afghan Cuisine, which offers both dine-in and take-out options. The staff is very friendly and the owner is keen to make his guests comfortable and offers to answer any questions you may have about the dishes.
Opened in 2023, Noosh has developed a loyal fan base with a menu that includes Middle Eastern staples like shawarma and kabobs paired with Western fare like burgers and fries, but with an Afghan flavor. The true stars are the traditional Afghan delicacies and I encourage you to try the area’s only Afghan restaurant.
Which is really good
My first trip to Noosh was for takeout on a busy weeknight while my better half was out of town for a conference. I figured the flavor profiles would be too intense for my younger kids, ages 8 (happy birthday, Simone) and 4, so I grabbed them some sub sandwiches before going in to get my food.
I ordered the lamb chops ($24.99) which were served with brown rice, salad and a fresh garlic sauce. The chops were meaty, well seasoned and cooked to a perfect medium. I followed that with the beef burger ($10.99) and let me say, it was not what I expected in terms of taste. It was better. Packed with traditional Afghan spices like coriander and black cumin, this burger will have you thinking about new flavor options for your next cookout. Paired with carnival fries and topped with chopped cilantro, red onion and a lightly spiced mayo, this handheld was bursting with deliciousness.
Which is great
On my second visit to Noosh, I was joined by three of my favorite dining companions (and former Lansing Board of Education colleagues), including the inimitable Mrs. She Ate. Our calendars miraculously matched a Monday lunch, and amazingly, the food matched the good company. We shared the traditional family plate ($49.99) and there was more than enough food for the four of us. Mounds of white rice and qabli (brown rice, shaved carrots and raisins) were flanked by mantu (beef dumplings with cilantro, tomato paste and a lovely yoghurt sauce) and bolani (think a quesadilla, but instead of cheese there’s spiced pumpkin).
These combinations alone were excellent, but there was so much more. Bowls of kofta challow (spiced meatballs) and chicken karahi accompanied the main course, bathed in delicious variations of tomato sauce. Then there was the warm and spongy naan bread, which acted as the perfect instrument to soak up all the bright flavors. What a wonderful meal all around.
Best bite
Those who know me best understand lamb chops and dumplings are among my favorite dishes, and Noosh’s versions are amazing. So for my best bet, nodding to go to a pumpkin patch should tell you all you need to know. The burani pumpkin dish ($10.99) consisted of thick slices of poached pumpkin drizzled with a light garlic sauce, sprinkled with paprika and sprinkled with red chili slices. So good. Open your mind, expand your horizons, and give this dish—or one of Noosh’s many other great options—a shot.