Kebab Kurry Express
A rare opportunity to sample Afghan food in Orange County
We’re not really sure about the story behind Kebab Kurry Express: Although they apparently have different owners, this Afghan restaurant materialized in the same Santa Ana plaza as AYCE Sushi SCM and FuRaiBo in 2023, one year after the similarly named and identically logoed Kebab Kurry opened in Laguna Beach next to the Sawdust Art Festival. Now the first location has closed, leaving Kebab Kurry Express as one of the only Afghan options in Orange County (next to Chili Chutney Grill) – though it goes out of its way to explain that its menu is Mediterranean, Indian, and Afghan.
That’s obvious when you look over the small collection of options and see appetizers such as the baba ghanoush-like Kashke Bademjan, pakoras, and sambosas alongside Afghan Aush noodle soup, which notably includes swirls of yogurt and mint. Grilled kebabs spanning lamb, beef, and chicken options are available – and quite good – alongside mantoo dumplings, chicken tikka masala, coconut chicken, and wraps (including falafels or the same proteins from the kababs).
Our single experience here was fine. Each of the items we ordered had at least a small spin on better-known Persian or Indian versions – hummus arrived topped with sliced olives and pine nuts, pitas were replaced with an unleavened flatbread, and tikka masala had swirls of yogurt on top – through apart from that yogurt and some dill, the flavors were otherwise 85% similar to and not more compelling than typical Middle Eastern, Meditteranean, or Indian items served elsewhere. That said, portion sizes were fairly generous, though padded with rice and very creamy salad.
We would go back and give Kebab Kurry Express another shot before reaching any definitive conclusions. It’s a fast-casual sort of experience, and affordable enough to experiment with.
Stats
Price: $$
Service: Table
Open Since: 2023
Addresses
3394 S. Bristol St. Unit B
Santa Ana, CA 92704
657.643.2760
Instagram: @kebabkurryexpress