Unaabi Grill

We ordered food over the phone and when my husband went to pick it up, there was no order. The guy in back says the owner was there briefly and must have taken the order and left without giving it to the kitchen. Brilliant! We were so hungry we ended up with Greek fiesta instead.
My husband did mention the place smelled amazing but had a sanitation rating of 90.5. Not so good. There were great reviews of the food, but I don’t think we will be back.

After a quite disappointing experience at the other area Afghan restaurant, I was really pleasantly surprised by Unaabi Grill! The inside was empty on a Monday night (the website encouraged reservations, but I felt sort of silly walking into an empty restaurant citing my reservation). I think walk-​ins later on a week night are probably fine. We had our choice of tables – several were pretty rickety so we opted for a stable one. Our waitress was SO NICE! Yes, we were the only people in the place, but it didn’t feel awkward at all. She was really attentive and helpful in suggesting things off the menu. Although the food was somewhere between «a-​ok» and «I’m a fan» the service definitely solidified a four-​star rating from me.
We started out with the combo bolanee appetizer plate – it came with 10 – read TEN – fried turnover appetizers (sort of like samosas or empanadas but smaller). There were two each of the five fried bolanees they serve. It was fun to try them (some were a little emptyish on the filling). It was an overload of fried food, so if I went back, I’d pick one or two bolanee orders and something not fried to start. The pumpkin was definitely our favorite – next probably the spinach. Also, to start, they brought out some hummus and Afghan bread.
My boyfriend opted for one of the lamb entrees – it was huge and he seemed to really like it. I got the chicken tikka and it was seasoned really well! Definitely not the bland restaurant chicken you get most of the time, with a heaping of basmati rice. Because it was smaller pieces and bone in chicken, I was surprised with how little meat was actually on the plate, but it was only $ 8, so I shouldn’t complain (and because we had appetizers, I was able to take half of it home, so not bad at all).
Glad to see a different type of cuisine well represented in the Triangle!

After having returned from a trip where I had Afghan Cuisine for the first time (and was blown away), I was ecstatic to locate the one and only local Afghan restaurant recently. Once I perused their menu online, I noticed a couple of familiar dishes which set my buds into «gotta try’m» mode. I called and eventually spoke with the owner about a few dishes and another few which were not on their menu. Well that sealed the deal.
Upon arriving, we were greeted promptly and we placed a take out order as it was within about 30 minutes of closing time. We sampled from all over the menu — Aushak Dinner, Paula Okra, Grape Leaves, Sambosa and Bakalava. I really wanted to try their Firnee but they were all out for the evening — next time!
I also spoke with the owner about making Kadoo which is a pan-​fried then baked baby pumpkin seasoned w/​sugar & served on yogurt garlic sauce, topped w/​ground beef sauce. He said with 24 hours advanced notice he could prepare that for use to try, so you can bet I will trying it next visit.
Overall, the Aushak was good and highly recommended. Their version was a bit different than what I expected from my earlier Afgan adventure — had a hot /​spicey component which was a surprise and the yogart was bit less thick.
Next trip, I plan to try an eggplant dish (which I will try almost anywhere) and sample around the menu further.
If you enjoy Mediterranean-​style food (and they do have a Mediterranean section), then try Afghan. As far as I can discern, Unaabi is the only Afghan in the triangle and as others have said, it is a unique blend of spices, bases, and aromatics from the region of the world.

I have been having a taste for Afghani food and decided to give this place a try since I hadn’t had it in a few years. I went here for dinner with a friend last week and we thoroughly enjoyed this place. I had one of my favorite dishes Aushak and tried something new Kabuli Palau which was very tasty and savory. Our waiter was kind and attentive and did a good job explaining the dishes to my friend who had never had Afghani food before. I definitely plan on giving the buffet a try before I head back home to the DMV.

My e-​bay Bride and I Could Smell this Delicious Food one Parking lot away! No longer the stand-​out Yellow colored Building it was just months ago, you can still tell it is a reformed pizzahut… They did a Nice job of decorating the interior!
The Service was GREAT! They are making everything to order, Fresh so in some peoples words «Slow»! This food is FANTASTIC and worth the wait! All dishes were Incredibly Enjoyable!
Our Appetizers were MANY: :
First — Bolanee: :
Combo Bolanee Appetizer Sampler plate of ALL fried Turnovers: Two of each :
Bolanee Sabzi Fried turnovers filled with spinach, herbs & spices, served with minted yogurt sauce
Bolanee Sambossa Fried dumplings filled with seasoned ground beef, served with minted yogurt sauce
Bolanee Gandana Fried turnovers filled with scallions, herbs & spices, served with minted yogurt sauce
Bolanee Kachalou Fried turnovers filled with potatoes, herbs & spices, served with minted yogurt sauce
Bolanee Pumpkin Fried turnovers filled with mashed pumpkin, seasoned with herbs & spices, served with minted yogurt sauce
NOTHING Left ! ! !
Second
«Dips» With Afghan Bread!
Baba Ghanouj Grilled eggplant, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and spices… This one is one of the Two Best I have ever eaten! Grilled instead of that typical fake «smoked flavor!
Hummus Chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and spices! Excellent! No artificial Flavors! SUPER Fresh! Here’s your Grocery list!
Mast Khiyar (Cucumber sauce) A tangy dip of yogurt, cucumber chunks, garlic and mint, similar to Tzatziki and better than most of the Greek Versions!
Main Course
Kabab Combo Platter: :
Sultani Kebabs Fire-​grilled kebab assortment (fish, lamb, beef kofta, lamb tikka, chicken breast) Served with rice & Afghan bread! Tender meats! These were seasoned perfectly! Impressive variety of Flavors!
Afghan Bread is so good! We ate three Baskets or maybe four, Better than almost all Pita! Our Waitress said it was cooked in a Large Oven like a Tandori? I think? It was so good and I took photos of ALL the Food except the Bread
For Dessert (yes we ate a lot — just two people — we did take some home) I only ordered «Turkish Coffee» they served it with Milk! The Coffee was Good! Typical Turkish Coffee! This was the only part of the Meal I would not repeat, though it was good I like a stronger spicier version that is a little more rare!
We did not check out any of the delicious sounding Salads this time nor the Lentil Soup… My Bride is Part Turkish so she felt right at home here and did all the Ordering!
Since I met my Bride I’m Totally for Arranged Marriages!!!

Safe to say it’s the worst experience I ever had in a restaurant. There was only one person hosting, cooking, taking care of the checks. As a result everything was late, and food was beyond mediocre.
Last but not least, we gave 3 cards and asked for split checks. In the most unapologetic tone possible, the host/​chef/​cashier got back to us saying he just divided the total by 3, instead of charging each person for what they ordered. I still regret not making a scene about this.

I’ve enjoyed Persian and Afghan food elsewhere, so I was eager to try this place. I wasn’t disappointed. The appetizers my girlfriend and I had were excellent and the entrees were outstanding. I had the lamb and she had the chicken — both were cooked wonderfully and served with the buttery, Persian-​style basmati rice with (Afghan-​style) carrot slices and raisins. The service was great, décor is striking, and prices were very reasonable.
I’m only disappointed that this place is all the way down in Cary — kind of a hike from Durham. And strangely, it was almost deserted at the prime dinner hour on a Friday night. Those Cary folks need to be a little more adventurous in their cuisine. If only Unaabi was a little closer, I’d be getting takeout there all the time.

Consider yourself a culinary adventurer inhibited by geography? Try Unaabi for some delicious Afghan cuisine. This is the kind of place where you eat until you’re about to burst — and then eat more, because it’s just so good.
Don’t let the emptiness of the parking lot fool you. This place is a little gem. We were sent here by an NCSU professor who dedicates an entire section of his course on global agriculture to trying different cuisines of the area; he gave this place a gold star. So if you can’t take my word for it, take his.
Order the Aushak. You’re welcome.
Service was wonderful — the waiter even comped our dessert! Though he had a little difficulty separating the checks, so if you’re all using cards — I’d suggest telling them when you order.
Go if you like: A.) Supporting locally owned businesses B.) Foreign food C.) Eating.

Well… the food here didn’t really stack up to the wonderful Afghan food I’ve had in DC, VA, and MD. Portions were plentiful and the décor and service were great. (We had a young guy as our waiter and he was good.) But the house salad had too much creamy dressing, and overall both my entrée and appetizer were too sweet. I had the pumpkin dumpling appetizer and lamb with pine nuts, orange rind, and pistachios. It was a great combination of flavors, just a little too sweet.
Keep in mind that there is no alcohol served here.

Tried to come in for lunch on a Monday, was very surprised to see that the doors were closed and lights off even though it was within business hours. Pulled on the door just to be sure, then this guy came out and told me that he was the cook, and that the restaurant was closed because the server is sick. Are you kidding me???
Will not be back.

Really, really good food. If you take your patience with you then you won’t mind the relatively slow service, but once they get to your table they are super friendly and willing to help in any way they can.
Everything I ate here was delicious, from the fire-​grilled meat to the rice to the bread and the turnovers. All very tasty. If you’re looking to try some different ethnic food in the area I would highly recommend you give this place a shot.
P. S. It says «reservations recommended» on the website, but we got there about 7:30 on a Friday and the place was pretty much empty aside from us and 3 other tables, so I wouldn’t worry about the reservations.

Wonderful dining experience; delicious Middle-​Eastern food!
Located right down the street from where we live, I figured we should give the place a try. From the outside, it doesn’t look like much (though they recently got a new sign). However, when you step inside, you are pleasantly surprised by the faux hardwood floors and Afghan accoutrement. You can hardly tell that this place used to be a Pizza Hut!
The service was great, and the food was freshly made and well presented. Pay attention to the hours of operation! It is open for lunch during the week from 11a.m. until 2:30 p.m., and then it closes until dinnertime at 5 p.m. I witnessed a couple of patrons being politely turned away while we finished up our lunch.
I ordered the Palau Pumpkin, which was a delicious vegetarian dish. The pumpkin was perfectly stewed and very tender. The dish was served with lightly seasoned Basmati rice and sesame bread as well as a house salad with some sort of light dill dressing. It was just the right portion to satisfy without leaving you feeling stuffed or starving for more :)
I will definitely be back!

Was just there this past Saturday night.
Service: we had a waitress who admitted it was her first night working there. I thought she did a fine job. So the previous reviews complaining about the poor service might be addressed by this change. She was helpful, pleasant, and speedy.
Décor: it’s formerly a Pizza Hut. They didn’t do much to the building, other than clean out the inside. With the hardwood floors and brick interior walls, it’s very echo-​y inside. And the chair was a bit hard on my posterior. But I’m not that concerned about that.
This is Afghan food. Based on the restaurant name, I had wrongly assumed it was Indian. IMHO, if they included «Afghan Cuisine» on their signage on the building I think they would have more customers.
I ordered the kabab combo and was very pleased with it. My wife had one of the chicken dishes and she really liked it. A really nice blend of spices in both dishes. We struck up a conversation with the manager asking what they put in there, he said the english translation maps to «sumac». There are some flavor similarities with India, but I found there is much less «sauce» (less wet, think dry rub). Be sure to try the tomato and cilantro sauces which are on the table. My kabab combo included lamb, fish, 2 kinds of chicken, and sausage, and griiled onions and peppers. My lamb was a bit tough/​chewey. The flavor is great, and it pleasantly hangs on your tounge for hours afterwards (take a pack of mints if you are on a date).
The portions sizes were just right, even though I took a box of leftovers home that made a good lunch.
We’ll be returning.
Most dinner entrees were around $ 15. Seemed very reasonably priced.
The manager said there is a Groupon available right now, but we went there because we had driven by it a lot and wanted to try it out. I’ll give it 3.5 stars.

I am SHOCKED this restaurant has had such good reviews. We arrived at about 7:30 on a Thursday night and there were only 2 cars in the parking lot, and that should have been my red flag, but I’m always willing try out a new place.
We entered and were greeted by a very unenthusiastic waitress and seated. I noticed that there was another table already seating and eating.
When the waitress came back she asked for our order, no drinks first, no explanation of the menu, nothing.
We ordered an appetizer and two entrees, which both came out together, and after about 10 minutes of eating, our salads which were supposed to come before the meal arrived. In terms of taste, everything was very blah. We ordered the lamb korma which consisted of a very plain tomato sauce, about 10 chunks of an off putting lamb, a huge mound of plain rice and a small piece of bread. I ordered the lamb tikka, which was similar, but no sauce and barely any seasoning. I was desperate for some salt pepper to be added.
Two couple were seated after us, which prompted another member of the staff to reach behind me and turn the OPEN sign off. It was almost as if she was irked that there were people trickling in. Our plates were continually piling up on the table and were not removed until we were ready to leave… and crashing plates and silverware is not conducive to a relaxing, conversational environment.
I would NOT eat here again, and I don’t recommend that you do either.

Went for lunch using a Groupon and it was great. I had a mixed meat grill (including fish) and it had some great flavors, nice rice and a salad to start. My only complaint with the platter was that the fish had bones (and I hate bones) but there was so much other good stuff I could skip the fish and not feel guilty. Also had the appetizer sampler which was their fried turnovers, expected something like samosas but these very thinner and crispier, almost like samosa spring rolls.
I saw in other reviews some people had problems with the service. I found the server extremely nice and concerned with how we were enjoying the meal but we were the only guests in the restaurant. I can see how if it is busy it can get slow.

This was my 2^nd trip to Unaabi, but I must admit it’s been years since I’ve been. We went on a Monday night and they had a respectable crowd. My friend and I sampled a mix of vegetarian (pumpkin dish) and chicken dishes and ordered 2 to go. We had a $ 25
gift certificate (purchased for $ 3 if you have a coupon code, so we needed to spend $ 50).
The food was delish, but the service was HORRIBLE! Our waitress was so bad it was downright comical. At one point she explained to me that 25% and $ 25 off were the same. Right! Also, she told me she had ordered our appetizers, only to bring over her notes to prove it to me, where in fact she hadn’t written it down. ;) Yup, she screwed almost everything up, but the place is super cute, so go!
A word of warning… they don’t serve any alcohol as in NONE! So, if you need a fix, take care of that before you leave. We were disappointed.
Also, we were so excited by our waitress, that we forgot about the yummy sauces. FAIL!
Otherwise, we’ll be back!

Ok, this was my first taste of Afghani food. I didn’t know quite what to expect but I had heard that it was like a mix between Iranian food and Indian food. This pigeon holes it a little bit, to me Afghani food embodies what great Middle Eastern food is. Perfectly seasoned meat that is melded so well with the flavors from grilling, that it makes you wonder who they have cooking it. Is someone’s grandfather back in the kitchen taking care of the meat preparation? And the rice and vegetable are so finely seasoned that the flavors are almost fragrant to your taste buds. Unaabi gets this. And does it well.
I must say that driving up I was not overly impressed by the area or the outside façade of the building. But it is what it is. However, the inside was very nicely decorated. It was very cultural but not the obnoxious in your face kind of way that some places can be.
We started the meal with the combo turnovers and they were all deliciously fried pockets of happiness. The pumpkin turnover was great as an appetizer, and yet I know that it would have been great served with a nutmeg cream sauce as a dessert. Delicious! For dinner, I ordered the chicken kabuli which was chicken with brown basmati rice with carrots, raisins, and almonds. It was amazing! The rice, carrots, raisins, and the almonds was so well cooked and so perfectly seasoned that I would have been completely happy it it were a vegetarian dish. But add on the perfectly cooked chicken and the delicious spices and the dish is something that that I wish I knew how to cook at home and I can hardly wait to eat my leftovers.
Based on my experience here, I would say that Afghani food IS totally worth seeking out and I can’t wait to come back here! and have another delicious meal.
Some of the previous reviews indicate that the service could use improvements. This was not the case during my visit. The wait staff was so attentive that we never once had to ask for a single thing. They anticipated our needs very well.
Overall, this was quite a pleasant surprise. Unaabli gets how to make great Middle Eastern food and would recommend this restaurant to anyone that likes great food.

Unaabi Grill was my first venture into Afghan cuisine, but I plan on going back to try new items as well as trying other Afghan restaurants as I find them. I had heard the style of food is similar to Indian cuisine, and my sources did not let me down. All of our food was at least reminiscent of Indian dishes I’ve ordered in the past, but the overall taste is quite different.
My favorite item was the Bolanee Pumpkin, which are deliciously spiced turnovers that come with a nice yogurt based sauce. As for the entrees, I recommend getting the combo items which are only $ 1 – 2 extra but allow you to try more dishes and switch between different levels of spicy. One of the three vegetable dishes we ordered was much spicier than the other two (eggplant maybe?) and I appreciated being able to take a bite of that and then switch to the other dishes to give my mouth a bit of a break. The dishes are served with salad, rice, and a nice flat bread (nan-​e). The nan-​s looks similar to Indian naan but has a milder flavor and feels heavier to me. It worked well as a vehicle for the strongly spiced flavors, but I don’t find myself craving it how I crave good Indian breads. We also ordered the Firnee for dessert, which is a pudding similar to rice pudding, but even sweeter and without the rice.
Overall, all of the food was excellent and the waitresses were very attentive. We arrived after 9 pm on a weekday and they happily seated us. We offered to order take out instead of eating in if they wanted to close, but they refused saying it was no problem and were happy to seat us. I would definitely recommend Unaabi Grill to anyone who already likes Indian food, but probably not to the pub food/​grill crowd.

You say Unaabi, I say «delicious grilled meats with delicately spiced rice»! It had been over a year since my first visit to Unaabi Grill and I guess I had just forgotten about the place! Located off of Kildaire Farms Road in an area of Cary I rarely get out to, it was sorta understandable… But it’s a shame if you like ethnic food and you don’t check out this place!
I met up with fellow Unilocalers Phil G and Tripp W over at this little Afghani eatery for lunch the other day and it was as good as the first time. We had a Twongo to use so we went all out. Family of Five deal for three hungry dudes?! Yes, please! We started off with a fresh Afghani salad, simple and tasty. Then moved on to a platter of bolanee, fried dumplings/​turnovers. Six different types stuffed with pumpkin, scallions, potato, beef, spinach and eggplant. Light, crispy and dee-​licious! And then the main platter of grilled meat kabobs (lamb, chicken, kofta, chicken tandoori) came out, whoa. The tandoori chicken was wonderfully juicy and covered in a spicy rub. Loved it! Toss in some fragrant basmati rice and Afghani bread and you had three happy boys!
Service was fine an Unaabi if a bit uneven. It’s a family run place with additional locations in NYC and for some reason, they decided to open up a location in NC, go figure! But what I can tell you is PLEASE visit this place if you like Mediterranean or Turkish food. It’s really good and deserves to be successful down here! With only one other Afghani option in the area (Village Kabob), Unaabi Grill deserves your appetite and support!
Update: Village Kabob has closed leaving Unaabi as the ONLY Afghani restaurant that I know of in the area…

Tried it for lunch, and it was one of those mixed review kind of meals. We arrived a little after 11, and they definitely were not ready. They gave us a menu, and left us completely alone for over 10 minutes while they scurried around doing restaurant prep things.
Finally after I waved to let them know there were survivors a young man wandered over looking apprehensive, a feeling I was becoming familiar with. It took a while for him to take our order (there seemed to be a theme building here), but it was finally, and a little painfully, finished.
The Combo appetizer was generally good, although I’m now convinced that there are somethings that should not be put in turnovers. The Afghan Salad with a lemon based dressing was absolutely superb. The bread was not my favorite, but if you put enough stuff on it, or dip it in some other stuff, it works.
The kabobs were a mixed lot, the beef good, the lamb chewy. The rice was excellent. I didn’t try any of the vegetarian dish for the same reason I don’t talk to animals.
Delivery for all items was slow, and the place was as empty as Nancy Pelosi’s smile. But, I’ll give’em another shot — I sense there is potential here — but, then again I sensed my first wife was a keeper.