Helmand Palace Menu (Update 2025)
Welcome to Helmand Palace, a gem nestled in San Francisco’s vibrant culinary scene. Specializing in Mediterranean and African cuisine, this restaurant offers a unique fusion of flavors that promise to enchant your palate. The menu features a delightful array of appetizers, including the sweetly seasoned Kadoo, a baked baby pumpkin dish, and savory Mantwo, a homemade pastry filled with beef and topped with a rich carrot sauce.
For those craving something heartwarming, the soups like Shorwa and Lentil Soup make for a comforting start. Vegetarian options abound, ensuring that every guest feels catered to. Don't miss the iconic kebabs, grilled to perfection, which have garnered rave reviews for their flavor and tenderness. Helmand Palace is not only about food; it’s about experience—complete with warm service in an inviting atmosphere. A visit here is truly worth it!
Appetizers
Aushak
Ravioli filled with leeks and scallions served with mint yogurt and beef sauce.
Mantwo
Homemade pastry shell filled with onions and beef served with mint yogurt and topped with carrots, yellow split peas, and beef sauce.
Samosa
Vegetarian. Pan-fried twin pastry shells, one filled with leeks and scallions, the other with spiced potatoes.
Banjan
Vegetarian. Pan-fried eggplant seasoned with spices, then baked with fresh tomatoes, served with mint yogurt.
Kadoo
Baked baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar and topped with ground beef sauce.
Gulpea
Fresh cauliflower sauted with tomatoes, hot peppers, fried onion, and turmeric.
Vegetarian Aushak
Ravioli filled with leeks and scallions topped with carrots yellow split-peas served with mint yogurt.
Vegetarian Mantwo
Homemade pastry shell filled with onions topped with carrots yellow split-peas served with mint yogurt.
Vegetarian Kadoo
Vegetarian. Baked baby pumpkin seasoned with sugar topping with yogurt.
Vegetarian Apperizers
Soup
Aush
Homemade noodle soup served with mint yogurt and beef sauce.
Shorwa
Fresh vegetable soup with lamb.
Lentil Soup
Traditional lentil soup: a local favorite.
Vegetarian Aush
Homemade noodle soup served with mint yogurt and yellow split pea sauce.
Vegetarian Shorwa
Vegetarian. Fresh vegetable soup.
Salata
Mixed green salad served with balsamic vinaigrette or pomegranate dressing.
Afghani Salata
Diced tomatoes and onions, cilantro, mint, and cucumbers.
Yougurt Salad
Cilantro, cucumber, mint, and green onions with yogurt sauce.
House Salad
Mix green, tomatoes, kalamata olive, herbs, feta cheese, cucumbers, olive oil.
Salad
Entres
Qabelee
Pallow rice baked with lamb shanks, raisins, and glazed julienne carrots.
Chowpan
Half rack of grilled lamb served on a bed of afghan bread with sauted eggplant and pallow rice.
Mixed Grill
Lamb kabob, beef kabob, koufta kabob, and chicken kabob served with grilled vegetables, laghatac, and your choice of salad or rice.
Salmon Kabab
Fresh-grilled salmon served with sauted spinach and challow rice.
Seek Kabab
Charbroiled leg-of-lamb marinated in a puree of garlic, onions, and sumac. Served with sauted eggplant and pallow rice.
Chapendaz
Beef tenderloin served with lentils and spinach rice.
Kofta Kabab
Ground beef mixed with green onions, fresh cilantro, garlic, hot peppers, and sauted eggplant. Served with challow rice.
Mourgh Kabab
Char-broiled chicken breast served with sauted spinach and pallow rice.
Theeka Kabab
Prime rib marinated in a puree of onion, sumac, and garlic, then grilled and served with sauted lentils and pallow rice.
Deygee Kabab
Sauted leg-of-lamb with yellow split-peas, onions, and red bell peppers served with sweet pumpkin and spinach rice.
Sabzi Chalow
Sauted spinach with chunks of lamb and afghan seasonings. Served with challow rice.
Kourma Chalow
Lamb sauted with afghan seasonings and a variety of vegetables. Served with challow rice.
Koufta Challow
Beef meatballs with afghan seasoning sauted with sun-dried tomatoes, hot peppers, and green peas in a fresh tomato sauce. Served with challow rice.
Mourgh Challow
Chicken breast sauted with spices and yellow split-peas. Served with yogurt and challow rice.
Mourgh Salata
Grilled chicken breast served on a mixed green salad with grilled vegetables and a vinaigrette dressing.
Qourmay Ma-He
Fresh fish of the day, briefly pan-fried, then sauted with fresh ginger, garlic, red potatoes, sun-dried and whole tomatoes. Served with challow rice.
Lawand
Choice of leg-of-lamb or shrimp sauted with onions, tomatoes, garlic, fresh cilantro, and hot peppers. Served with challow rice and spinach.
Special Vegetarian Entre
A platter of baked pumpkin, pan-fried eggplant with yogurt sauce, and sauted okra with fresh tomatoes. Served with pallow rice.
Vegetarian Kourma Challow
Sauted green beans, carrots, cauliflower, turnips, and potatoes. Served with spinach and challow rice.
Kaddo & Banjan Challow
Baked baby pumpkin and eggplant with mint yogurt, and fresh tomato sauce. Served with challow rice.
Vegetarian Sabzi Challow
Spinach sauted with afghan seasoning. Served with okra and challow rice.
Vegetarian Entres
Side Dishes
Laghatac
Eggplant sauted with onion, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, and turmeric.
Sabzi
Spinach sauted with onions.
Bendi
Okra sauted with onions, fresh tomatoes, black pepper and garlic.
Dall
Lentils.
Chllow
Baked rice seasoned with cumin seed.
Pallow
Baked rice seasoned with cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin seeds, and black pepper.
Hummus
Vegetarian. A delightful dip of chickpeas mixed with garlic, lemon juice, roasted sesame paste, olive oil.
Tabouleh
Vegetarian. Bulgur wheat, lemon, tomatoes, lots of chopped parsley, onion, olive oil.
Baba Ganoush
Vegetarian. Roasted eggplant, garlic, lemon, roasted sesame paste, olive oil.
Falafel
Vegetarian. Vegan. Chickpeas blend mixed with garlic, parsley, chives, sesame, spices.