Helmand
(617) 492-4646
143 1st St
Cambridge,
MA
02142
42.3664
-71.0781
Neighborhood: East Cambridge
What People Are Saying About Helmand
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene
The city's premier destination for Afghan cuisine offers a relaxed, airy setting in which to enjoy authentic kabobs and vegetarian dishes. Earth-toned Afghan knick-knacks line the walls, and pleasant servers maintain a calming atmosphere. Expect a loyal, local crowd of area techies and academics, plus the odd family of expats.
The Food
For those unfamiliar, Afghan cuisine has distinct Indian, Persian and Arabic influences. Dishes are highly seasoned with spices like turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon and cilantro. The entrees are hearty and rely heavily on the vegetable-intensive sauces and baked rice which accompany every dish. The lamb is very good, especially the dwopiaza, slices of marinated tenderloin in a thick, yellow split-pea gravy. Fans of kabobs enjoy the koufta challow, beef meatballs with Afghan spices and a sun-dried tomato sauce. Vegetarians have much to choose from, including the popular kaddo, super sweet baked baby pumpkin topped with garlicky yogurt.
User Reviews
Anonymous
November 29, 2008
In my opinion Helmand has some of the best food in Cambridge. The unique dishes are unlike anything you'll find in the area, and the bread made on the premises is amazing. The onl drawback is that the service can be a bit lacking.
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jbjamesblair
November 14, 2008
Inside of 5 minutes after sitting down I knew the service was brutal. First, we're at a table of 10, and my girlfriend decides to tag along. She's already eaten, but wants to be with us. She'll order an appetizer and a drink. When it comes time for us to order an entree, she politely says that she's already eaten. The response from the waiter "Uhh... we're a FULL service restaurant." Frankly, I didn't know if they were offering to give her a little somethin' somethin' in the back room or what. I mean, I know what a "full service" massage parlor is, is that what they were suggesting. After she asked, it turns out that meant "you better order an entree". So we did. The one plus is that the food arrived WICKED FAST (wasn't that hot, but maybe that's just the style). The food was so-so overall. Then, I head up to wash my hands in the bathroom. I head into the men's washroom where there's (literally) a toilet on the floor. I don't mean bolted to the floor, I mean cracked and sitting open on the floor. I step over it to get to the sink. I begin soaping my hands, when a woman (yes, this was a men's bathroom) enters and tells me that I need to use the women's bathroom (yes, I'm a man) on the OTHER side of the restaurant. Recall my hands are now covered in soap. So I walk across the restaurant, of course the women's bathroom is occupied. So I wait (yes, with soapy hands) until the bathroom is free. Of course, the lousy paper towels in the bathroom disintegrate in your hands because they're so cheap that I'm still picking white junk off my fingers by the time I'm back at the table. The service only went from bad to worse, but I'm limited to 2000 characters here. In short: food so-so, service BRUTAL. Better luck elsewhere.
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oabinader
October 26, 2008
I organized a formal dinner at Helmand in Cambridge (for a group of 12), and called two weeks in advance for a reservation. I called again two days prior to confirm, and was told that I would be charged $100 if I brought fewer than 8 persons. I assured them that we'd be more than 8. In fact, the day of, I politely asked if they could please accommodate two more persons. The hostess and manager said no, without explanation. We asked the waiter as well, were told to wait 30 minutes, and did so. However, they still did not accommodate our group. The experience was embarrassing and I hope no customer with a large group ever experiences what I did last night. Two persons from our group excused themselves to make the situation less awkward. We were gracious, had dinner and tipped the server accordingly. While I admit the food is good, my experience with the SERVICE there was really quite disappointing. I will never return to Helmand in Cambridge again. Helmand has 14 fewer customers now. I lost my appetite when treated so rudely. What's the point of serving good food when the service leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth?
read full reviewThe Details on Helmand
Parking:
At night, don't worry about parking--the area surrounding the restaurant is a ghost town, so expect loads of metered spaces to be available.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Cash, Diners Club, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Local Favorite, Romantic Dining, Date Spot, Group Dining
Cuisine:
Smoking Permitted:
No
