I didn’t know what to expect when I ordered the kofta chalaw entree from Pomir Grill. The menu read “Afghan styled meatballs cooked in a plum sauce with rice and salad” – not what I’d call an enticing description. I was hesitant to stray from my all-time favorite butternut squash dish based on this lackluster description, but was so glad I made the leap to try something new. I’d best describe the entree as a jazzed up version of Swedish meatballs in a brown plum sauce with lentils for an altogether pleasing combination of flavor, texture, and visual appeal. Who knew meatballs could be so sexy? The rice and salad that accompanied the meal were equally as exciting. Brown rice with raisins and slivered carrots and a finely diced salad of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and a mint dressing made for a delicious meal that even the most conservative of diners would enjoy. I topped off my meal with a slice of almond cake to take home – it made it as far as I-290. The dense cake was warm and soaked in a light sweet syrup topped generously with sliced almonds. Pomir Grill’s diverse Afghan cuisine is unlike any other. -MO
I am always excited to see new restaurants opening up in Worcester especially those with a different type of food than others in the area- enter Pomir Grill serving Afghani cuisine. They have a fairly simple menu with some traditional middle eastern foods such as kehabs but a diverse enough menu to satisfy both vegetarians and non vegetarians. While we were all checking out the menu, our waitress/host did a great job of explaining the various dishes which helped us narrow down our selections for the night. They started us off with some Afghani breads that were light and served with some side sauces (yogurt/cucumber, tomato/basil which was somewhat sweet, Cardamon walnut pesto) They also have a nice spicy tomato sauce which I enjoyed more than the sweet version – you just need to ask for it but well worth it if you like spicy. After loving the bread/sauces I decided to try some appetizers that I shared with a friend. We shared a Sambosa which is a baked pastry topped with seasame seeds and filled with thinly chopped/sliced flavored beef and Kachalu cutlets which was actually a lightly fried soft potato patty that had a light lemony flavor (from Cardamon) with a spinach filling. There was a light crust to the “cutlet” so thankfully it was not the heavy dish I was expecting.
When it came to the main meal, I went with the “kofta chalow” – which were meatballs cooked in a plum sauce with some lentils. The lamb Meatballs were moist and the sauce was not sweet with a nice corainder flavor. Great combination of flavors as I could eat them again and again. It also came with your choice of sides and I went with the side of spiced rice mixed with raisins and slivered carrots (called Qabuli Palow) as well as a small green salad. The rice is the national dish of Afghanistan and went well with the meatballs and plum sauce.
Pomir Grill, a family owned and operated restaurant, is a nice addition to the Worcester restaurant scene. Food was fresh, had good portions and had the right amount of spices to be flavorful but not overpowering. Overall, I know I will be going back soon to try some of their other dishes particularly their “pasta” and their vegetarian dishes. When you go don’t forget that they are BYOB and bring your favorite beverage to enjoy. -MM