From the gorgeous Afghan rugs to the heirloom photos on the partitions, partner-and-spouse duo Zubair and Shamin Popal’s fashionable gem presents diners in Washington, D.C. a correct taste of Afghanistan. A celebration of their society and journey, Lapis brings together the aromatic spices and flavors of Afghan delicacies with loved ones recipes. So come hungry, due to the fact when you established foot in this heat and layered spot, hits like lamb chops with cardamom-scented rice and split pea soup await.
But do not get our phrase for it, examine out what our Inspectors experienced to say in this article, and underneath, study from the team on what you need to know just before you go.
What is the dish to purchase at Lapis?
This is a person of the fiercest debates in our family members, and we will every single combat to the grave on what is finest. I advocate Qabuli Palow, the countrywide dish of Afghanistan and a quintessential element of our cuisine and society.
My recipe for Qabuli Palow has been handed down and generations, with each and every of us generating our very own refinements to spice ratios and procedure to best it. In our variation at Lapis, the perfect mix of black cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon in our signature rice with julienned carrots and raisins improves the taste of the tender lamb (or roasted veggies for a vegetarian model) served atop it.
What price assortment can clients count on at Lapis?
$20 – $35.
When is the finest time to prevent by?
There’s no lousy time to come. Visitors can love a small-critical nonetheless stylish lunch or brunch on our stunning patio or in the dining home with higher ceilings and all-natural light, or have a far more intimate evening at supper by the delicate flicker of candle gentle. Pro tip: friends who appear for dinner can delight in alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails downstairs in our speakeasy-design bar Lapop ahead of their food.
What was the idea driving Lapis?
Lapis is an exertion of appreciate to honor our heritage and share our society with the local community that warmly embraced us when our household arrived to D.C. right after fleeing Afghanistan in the course of the Soviet invasion. It’s an extension of our house, from the household shots on the partitions to the recipes handed down for generations to the warm hospitality our provider staff extends to visitors to the smallest design particulars to create a snapshot of our place.
When you enter Lapis, you grow to be a visitor in our residence. It is not simply a area for a meal it’s our way to share the abundant tradition, delightful delicacies, and intrinsic hospitality of our homeland with our local community in D.C. We want our attendees to stage into the magic of Afghanistan in an tasteful nonetheless comfy and inexpensive way.
How would you describe your technique to food and cooking?
Our dishes mix the fragrant spices and mouth watering flavors of Afghan cuisine into very simple, healthful dishes that taste excellent. We make every little thing from scratch applying contemporary and, when probable, area ingredients. These are the dishes that I cooked for my children and that my grandchildren now take in, so it’s important they’re healthy without having compromising taste—this final part is specifically essential, as my young ones are continue to my hardest critics!
How did you conceive of a menu that is delicious, however excellent worth?
The toughest component of menu enhancement for Lapis was deciding upon which dishes to involve from the a lot of recipes handed down, refined, and beloved by our household. Since quite a few Afghan dishes use the exact base substances of tomatoes, onions, and a handful of spices like turmeric, cardamom, and coriander, we’re in a position to reduce foodstuff costs and have overall flexibility to target on applying the freshest, greatest excellent elements.
