Restaurant Review: The Afghan Horsemen

The Afghan Horsemen
202-1833 Anderson Street
Vancouver, BC, V6H 4E5


Located at the entrance to Granville Island, The Afghan Horsemen is one of Vancouvers better known Afghan restaurants. Shame on me that it happened to be my first visit here! It is a favorite restaurant of a friend of mine, and we happened to head there for her birthday.


Well, one of the nicest things about the restaurant is its ambiance. They have tried to maintain an authentic 'Afghani' feel. If you come in a group big enough, you can get your own room where you sit on the floor and eat off of lowered tables. There are fine persian carpets and decorative hookahs everywhere, giving you that 'Lawrence of Arabia' feel. I am told that apparently you can hire a Belly Dancer to perform as well, but unfortunately, she was not on the menu that day... :(


Well, as for the food, I tried the 'Karahi', which is an authentic Afghan dish consisting of Lamb Shish Kebab with sauteed onions, green peppers, tomatoes, onions and fried eggs, served sizzling hot. The food has a somewhat Indian feel to it, is somewhat spicy, and I liked it very much. I don't know about how healthy it is, but there is no doubt that Afghans and Pakistanis have mastered the art of Non-Veg cuisine.


I must say the price is a bit lofty. My dish cost $20, and after, taxes, tip, and drinks, an individual bill can easily come out to $30. So be ready to leave with a lighter wallet when you enter. A quick note about the service. Although in general, the service was friendly and prompt, we had a bit of confusion surrounding paying the bill, which took about 15 min to resolve. The problem may have been because we came in a large group, but still, isn't really excusable.

Service: 2/5
Ambiance/Location: 4/5
Food: 3/5