07/19/09

Always the best!

by pattersonplace

The food is always the same. Great! Affordable!

So is the service. Off the charts great!

• Pros: Service and food!
• Cons: always crowded!

09/14/08

best food in baltimore, romantic interior, great first date restaurant

by DavidCarlyle

The bread is a must-get here. My bf and I always bring it home and make sandwiches from it the next morning. Vegetarian versions of their appetizer are fabulous....and if you're looking for a place to take a first date...this is a warm, inviting, sweet spot. Very relaxing, very fulfilling. It does get busy though so reservations are a must unless you don't mind waiting by the bar. the funniest thing about the menu though is the understated name for thier best desert. They call it special ice-cream but truly this is one the most delicately flavored, fresh date, fig and mango combination that money can buy. Two thumbs up to my favorite neighborhood kitchen! btw, cazbar is also great at least for pides (and cheap too).

• Pros: exotic interior, warm ambience, great service
• Cons: small space fills up quickly

09/12/08

Ignored

by orchids0005

We were ignored for the first five minutes upon entering the restaurant. After speaking with someone, twice, we were unceremoniously shown a table at which time we decided to leave. Will never find out if the food is better than the reception.

08/03/07

I wasn't that impressed

by azzarah

Loved the Persian-style icecream with rosewater and Saffron. The food was not that great though. I'm Persian and thought I'd love Afghani food, but I found it really bland. I wonder if it's the Americanized version of it, because I love the food at Afghan Kabob on Lombard. Also, staff members were somewhat rude. Another thing worth noting....Tables were so close together, it was awkward. I've been here on three different occasion. One time I was on a first date and I felt so uncomfortable talking to my date about my personal life because this guy I know from work and his wife were sitting right next to us (literally). The second time, I was there with a friend. They sat us right by the door. I got a draft of freezing cold air hitting my butt every 5 minutes when someone walked in or walked out. Plus, people were hanging their coats right next to us and messing up my hair as they were hanging their jackets. Another ridiculous thing was that there was a line right next to where we were sitting. Kinda ridiculous.

• Pros: Pretty traditional Afghani decor, Persian icecream
• Cons: Bland overpriced food, not enough room to feel comfortable, rude staff

01/04/07

Great Afghan food at a great price.

by tealady1

Visiting family on Maryland's Eastern Shore for the holidays I found myself in Baltimore for dinner and the theatre, more specifically at The Helmand. Having never experienced Afghan cuisine before I have nothing to compare this to but I found the food to be fresh with a nice balance of spices, not to hot and not to bland, the food plentyful and the prices resonable.

As the owner of a tea company, importing premium teas from around the world, I would consider myself as having a fairly accute palate. I really enjoyed the soup before dinner, it was hearty (I really should have stopped there until dessert) with a nicely flavored broth and full of a variety of beans, yum. It was too late for tea, I avoid caffeine at this time of day and will not drink decaffeinated, but my sister in law enjoyed a cup of black tea with cardamom. Dessert was a tasty treat with a bit of Afghan pastry and traditional Afghan ice cream, a combination of vanilla ice cream that had a strong cardamom and licorice taste wrapped around fresh dates and figs.

The prices were more than resonable, the portions were large and the food was good! It was a great first experience with Afghan food, one that I will repeat agian.

• Pros: Great food, great prices.
• Cons: None

10/31/06

Creative, delicious, great Afghani ravioli!

by hiseema

Its something new, something different. Something delicious.

I recently moved to Baltimore and, was unanimously advised to try the Helmand. Almost every person I talked to raved about this place; and, for good reason. The staff is friendly, the ambience warm, the owner's brother the Prime Minister of Afghanistan. What more could you ask for in a Baltimore dining experience?

This dimly lit dining room was packed early on a Thursday night--always a good sign, especially when its raining outside. I much-appreciated the waiter's recommendation of a good glass of wine (and not just the most expensive, but something truly geared to my taste). Our food arrived quickly and together--and in the end, I wanted more.

Selections at this fine chateau of a dining place include Afghani ravioli (to die for), cucumber-yogurt dishes, kabob meats, and other creative options. I love having options--if you do, too, this is the place.

Top off a scrumptious (and affordable) meal with a hot cup of cardomom tea. And bring friends--this place is fun, too. Truly a Baltimore hotspot.

• Pros: creative, delicious, ambience

09/24/06

Great service and food

by onejolly

This is a great restaurant! I'm particularly impressed with their service. I went there for an early dinner this weekend, around 6PM, and was seated right away. The waiter was very attentive, polite and friendly. The food was overall very good - my dish was slightly more bland than I had hoped for, but it may just be my personal taste for spicy food in general. The wine was delicious, as was the dessert and appetizers. This place is a great value!!!

• Pros: great value, decent food
• Cons: none

05/25/06

Excellent Food Although Expensive

by dixon_jeremy

After happy hour down at Little Havanas we decided to catch a bite to eat at The Helmand. We did not have reservations (It was 8pm on a Wednesday) and we only had to wait 15 minutes. The bread they serve is excellent, I was left wanting more. We had one of the salads and the potato and leek pastries for our appetizers. They were both excellent. For the main course, I had one of the many daily specials, the beef tenderloin kabob served with grilled vegetables on pallow. Excellent. Decent wine selection although I wasn't looking for anything in particular. I am not sure if they have a reserve list or not. $10-$20 entrees...biggest problem was local parking. Lots will run you $5-$10. It also has a large vegetarian menu.

Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant. The service was good, the food was good, and the ambiance was good.

• Pros: Interesting, Daily Specials
• Cons: Expensive Parking

11/04/05

Insulting and rude on the phone.

by ralukose

I have been a loyal customer of Helmands for ten years in three cities. I called for a Saturday reservation and got a 5:30 reservation. I was told that we would need to be done by 7pm. Never has a restaurant openly told me that I had a specified period of time to eat and be gone. I told him that we would be 6 adults and one baby. He says to me: "If your baby is crying, will you please take your baby to the side or outside?" Never has a restaurant told me how I need to treat my child for their sake. Restaurants find all kinds of ways of turning away customers with babies. But explicitly on the phone?I am completely appalled and insulted by this experience and will never go to any Helmands, in any city, ever again. Its too bad. The food is good.

07/22/05

Wonderful!!!

by redkell69

This is one of the best resurants in Baltimore! A must to anyone living in or visiting Baltimore.

• Pros: inexpensive, great service, great food
• Cons: none