dinner at mama ayesha’s

I spent my entire weekend anticipating my first taste of Afghan food. One of my friends is also really into running (and talking about running animatedly); luckily, he’s also really into food. I knew that the restaurant I reserved for us would have to be exciting. I’m honestly shocked that Mama Ayesha’s isn’t a more well-known spot among the Georgetown student body. It’s reasonably priced, the portions are fantastic, and the food itself is great. If you like Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food (I know there’s a vast amount of diversity encompassed in those terms) and want to try something new, I would absolutely recommend this spot.

We started with the hummus and pita because, well, we had to. This might have been the best hummus I’ve ever had. It was quite nutty, and the fresh olive oil drizzle added a pleasant earthiness. I nearly went overboard and lost my appetite via over-pitafication before the main course.

Pita texture: 9/10

Pita taste: 8/10

Pita warmth: 8/10

Hummus consistency: 9/10

Hummus taste: 9/10

Overall: 8.7/10

For my main course, I tried Menzalah. Our excellent waiter described Menzalah as an “eggplant and ground beef lasagna,” which, I must say, is a pretty accurate articulation of the dish. The ground beef layer was by far the best part of this meal. It wasn’t overly dry, nor was it overly spiced. The beef was prepared simply with onions and classic spices from Middle Eastern cuisine. The eggplant was slightly undercooked in one small spot, but, otherwise, it was incredibly juicy. The almond garnish atop the dish paired nicely with the saltiness of the vermicelli rice.

Ground beef: 9.2/10

Eggplant: 7.5/10

Onions: 7.9/10

Rice: 7.5/10

Overall: 8.4/10