The Helmand

The way The Helmand, an Afghan spot in Mount Vernon, squeezes so much flavor into their dishes should be studied by a special task force (and one that we’d like to be a part of). See this phenomenon for yourself by ordering the leek aushak dumplings with yogurt and mint, tender pumpkin kaddo borwani in garlic and yogurt, and the onion-beef mantwo swimming in meat sauce. The restaurant is located in a 100-year-old carriage house that works for a first date when sharing some dumplings sounds fun, or a special occasion meal after a visit to the Walters Art Museum, when everybody wants their own big plate of rice and meat.