EATS

HELMAND

For Afghani food, you can't get much more authentic than the Helmand -- the owner is the brother of the post-Taliban Afghan leader Hamid Karzai -- or much more mouth-wateringly delicious. From Aushak to Kabuli, Bendi to Banjan Laghatag, you can't go wrong with any of the (lamb- and chicken-heavy) items on the menu, but we particularly recommend starting off with the Kaddo Borawni, a pan-friend and baked baby pumpkin dish that, as one diner put it, practically dances in your mouth. It's a little on the fancy and expensive side, but you'll thank yourself later for the special treat.