Aladin Kebabish

We can’t think of many laid-back dinner situations that Aladin Kebabish, a Pakistani spot in Hendon, doesn’t suit. Stepping off the busy, grey broadway and into this restaurant, we were comforted by familiar, homely sights—sports playing on the TV, framed family photos on the walls, and a fish tank sitting atop a chest of drawers. As dishes kept coming out of the kitchen, we relaxed further into our seats, laughed louder, and bickered over the last shards of papadom. Dishes at this restaurant are soothing, especially the qeema masala—a thick, rich gravy, perfect for scooping up with big pieces of lightly charred garlic naan. You should also make room on your table for the karachi nihari lamb. It arrives at the table on the bone, but the meat is so tender that the bone will soon be swimming alone in the hot gravy. Aladin’s phone rings off the hook with people wanting to snag last-minute tables and get takeaways, so book ahead.