Afghan Charcoal Kebab

By Henry Gardner

If you are fortunate to visit the unassuming Afghan Charcoal Kebab (Sydney Road, Coburg), you will be offered carefully prepared local and traditional meals that will delight and surprise. The décor resembles a homely pizza and kebab place, but do not let appearances deceive; traditional Afghani naan bread is woodfire baked in a tandoor oven and the house speciality, carefully marinated kebab is carefully grilled over lightly smoked coals in order to achieve maximum flavour.

What is to be loved about Afghan Charcoal Kebab is that it embodies the Coburg of the present moment – at once local and understated, yet vibrant with difference and a piquant sense of what it means to be at home here. This small restaurant is at once its own little cosmos – voices in hushed tones, English, Arabic, Hindi and Pashto fill in the background of the cosy eating space. Grilled kebabs are the mainstays of the menu and can be accompanied with rice, dips and salad ($12 for 2 skewers, $15 for 3) or alternatively sandwiched by freshly baked bread ($11). The salads are perhaps better conceived of as a garnish yet are more than made up for by the dips, of which each customer can choose two from a wide range. Given that pricing is more than reasonable even by local standards, a wallet could easily be stretched to cover a spread of dips, rice, fresh breads grilled meat, rice and drink for well under $20. The biryani and qorma rices ($12) are also a particular favourite with the locals and are recommended to complement the meal when served with grilled kebab ($15).

Perhaps given the number of excellent pizza and falafel options available locally this viewer would recommend sticking to the mixed grill options on Afghan Charcoal Kebab’s menu, but if looking for a strictly vegetarian or vegan option, homely specialities like the lentil, bean and home-style soups are heartily recommended and also served with too-generous portions of freshly baked bread. If strictly on a budget there is a popular falafel ($5) or doner kebab ($7) special, however if budget or taste permit there is advantage to the culinary adventurous, with great value in the soups and mixed-rice dishes.

Sitting in Afghan Charcoal Kebab eating traditional specialities watching the steady yet eager parade of customers anticipating then enjoying their carefully created meals, one begins to wonder if this cafe has already woven into the memories of the latest waves of migration to the northern suburbs of Melbourne. We can imagine that in the future, second and third generation migrant families will nostalgically reflect on this simple place where the staff behind the counter wore bright blue hairnets and afghan bread was served alongside pizza, yet amidst the smoke of grilled kebab and the chatter of diverse locals, they felt, with their weary yet proud parents, that they were once again at home.

Afghan Charcoal Kebab
7/457 Sydney Rd, Coburg
(03) 9354 2425