UPDATED: Oct. 2 at 12:43 a.m.

Asghar Maleki is committed to bringing food from Afghanistan to Syracuse.

Maleki opened Bamyan Kabab, the city’s first Afghan restaurant, with the hope of providing a simple menu full of healthy, natural flavors. He said he hopes the food will bring the people of Syracuse into a classic Afghan kitchen without sacrificing their health.

“This restaurant is special because it is so cultural while being so healthy,” Maleki said. “We don’t fry any of our food in oil. We use fresh pepper, not even the powder. If we want a dish to have color, we use natural foods like onions or saffron.”

Coupled with its health-conscious food, the Burnet Avenue restaurant’s authenticity offers a home for lovers of classic Afghan cookery and those who wish to try something new.

“We always use the top ingredients, and we would rather make whatever we can here. We don’t want to buy our food,” Maleki said. “It is all about … providing quality, just quality.”

Bamyan Kabab offers pickles, yogurt and bread that are all made in-house. The rice and naan bread are derived from Afghan recipes. Food options range from a mix of kebab with naan or rice to a spicy biryani. Maleki values the art of “less is more” and plans on keeping his menu simple to conserve quality.

Courtesy of Bamyan Kabab

“I am not going to freeze anything. I want to keep the quality of my food,” Maleki said. “To me, it’s all about quality and not the quantity. Anyone can make a thousand dishes. I can make my dishes well.”

Maleki’s commitment to the quality of his food is a representation of how much he cares. He lives above the restaurant, and thanks to his proximity, he is able to devote time to ensure the food he produces is worthy of his customers.

Bamyan Kabab is just getting started, but it already has honorable goals in mind. To Maleki, it’s not all about raising money to support himself and his family but also about providing his customers with an experience they can remember and be content with.

“My goal is that when I take people’s money I am giving them good food in return,” Maleki said. “I want people to be happy here.”

This story has been updated for appropriate style.

Published on October 1, 2017 at 9:57 pm

Contact Leah: ltoney@syr.edu