Noosh brings unique flavors to Middle Eastern food scene

By GABRIELLE LAWRENCE

One of the things I love most about Lansing is that everyone has their own go-to shawarma spot. While I certainly have my favorites, I’m always eager to see what’s new in town, and I was happy to meet a small group of friends (including my illustrious co-reviewer) for lunch at Noosh Afghan Cuisine, which took over the location of the former Nola Bistro in Delta Township last year.

We started to explore the menu, and I was struck by the many dishes that included pumpkin as an ingredient. As it turns out, this isn’t a symptom of the pumpkin spicing of just about everything that happens this time of year. Pumpkin is an extremely popular ingredient in Afghan cuisine.

We wanted to try as much of the menu as possible, so we chose the traditional family plate ($49.99) as our lunch centerpiece. The platter offered a thick base layer of two kinds of rice: traditional white rice and brown rice studded with dried cranberries. The rice was laden with various proteins, but my attention was quickly drawn to the beef meatballs. The oversized meatballs, bathing in a light tomato sauce, were some of the most flavorful and moist I’ve ever had.

While I tried to hide from my companions that I was eating much more than my fair share of the meatballs, I also quickly dug into the pumpkin Bolani, naan bread sandwiched around a layer of pumpkin puree. If you’re looking for an entry-level Afghan dish, this is a good place to start. Most of us have had a quesadilla before, and this is not unlike one, except there’s no cheese.

Another of my favorites from our gargantuan lunch spread was the mantu, beef dumplings (think Chinese soup dumplings) served atop a yogurt-and-tomato sauce. While the dumplings were tender and fabulous, I could have eaten the sauce like a soup. So as not to be completely weird, I resorted to sopping it up with the basket of extra naan.

I knew I wanted to try the traditional burger ($10.99) myself before driving across town to eat with Mr. She Ate, so I ordered one for a takeout dinner a while later. If you saw me hammering down on food in the parking lot while wearing a full business suit, no you didn’t. The fries were crispy and seasoned with something that made them just the slightest bit spicy. The burger was straightforward — a thick, juicy patty on a pillowy bun with welcome toppings of pickles and a slightly spicy mayo — but the flavor profile was completely unexpected and magnificent. Flecks of cilantro topped the patty, and I could see the bits of coriander seasoning the meat. I managed to save some for Mr. She Ate, but I would have ended the day happy had I scarfed it all down in the parking lot.

We also shared the kabob family plate ($41.99). The rice that layered the bottom of the platter wasn’t the rice with vermicelli that I’m used to getting at Middle Eastern restaurants — here, we were given distinct portions of white rice and a brown rice that was deliciously buttery. The sheen wore off, however, with some of the ground meat on the platter. It was a bit gristly and a tad overcooked, so I quickly shifted my attention to the chicken shawarma and lamb kabob, both of which were excellent.

I didn’t grow up in a lamb-eating household, and many members of my family are still quick to demur whenever I suggest it for a holiday meal. Lamb is one of my favorite dishes, and I think it a shame that it isn’t eaten as widely in the United States as it is in many other parts of the world. Noosh’s version was tooth-sinkingly tender and provided many of my favorite bites of the meal.

I’m frequently intimidated to try restaurants that serve cuisines I’m not familiar with. If you’ve had shawarma (if you live here, chances are you have), you’ll find enough to be comfortable with at Noosh. If you haven’t had shawarma and you’re not a vegetarian, welcome to the wonderful world of a dish beloved the world over. Start at Noosh, which is a fantastic addition to our dining scene — one I hope is successful for years to come.

By BRYAN BEVERLY

I take pride in having an open mind when it comes to exploring different flavors and genres of food — Caribbean, Icelandic, Welsh, Māori and Taiwanese are all examples of international cuisines I’ve been fortunate to sample either in-country or in the home kitchens of natives of those countries. Later this month, I’ll be traveling to Norway for my day job, and I look forward to tasting some authentic Scandinavian dishes. Closer to home, our community is privileged to have far-reaching ethnic tastes to choose from, and those options continue to expand as new restaurants open.

Early last month, I was invited to attend a fundraising breakfast for a charitable organization. As usual, the organization offered guests highlights of the good work it’s doing in and around Lansing. One of those highlights included a testimonial from a refugee who came to the United States from Afghanistan with members of his family. He spoke of the challenges he faced in his home country, the lengthy process for seeking entrée to our country and the support the charity offered him and his family as they settled into Lansing and established themselves as contributing members of the community. After a few years of support — language acquisition, housing, food security and employability skills lessons — the gentleman was able to open a restaurant that showcases his proud heritage through food.

That restaurant is Noosh Afghan Cuisine, which offers both dine-in and carryout options. The staff is very friendly, and the owner is keen to make his guests comfortable, offering to answer any questions you may have about the dishes.

Noosh opened in 2023 and has developed a loyal fan base with a menu that includes Middle Eastern staples like shawarma and kabobs paired with Western fare like burgers and fries, but with Afghan flavors. The true stars are the traditional Afghan delicacies, and I urge you to give the area’s only Afghan restaurant a try.

What’s really good

My first trip to Noosh was for takeout on a busy weekday evening while my better half was out of town for a conference. I figured the flavor profiles would be too intense for my younger littles, ages 8 (happy birthday, Simone) and 4, so I grabbed them some sub sandwiches before heading in to pick up my food.

I ordered the lamb chops ($24.99), which were served with brown rice, salad and a zesty garlic sauce. The chops were meaty, well seasoned and cooked to a perfect medium. I followed that with the beef burger ($10.99), and let me say, it wasn’t what I was expecting in terms of flavor. It was better. Packed with traditional Afghan spices like coriander and black cumin, this burger will have you considering new flavor possibilities at your next cookout. Paired with carnival-cut french fries and topped with chopped cilantro, red onion and a slightly spicy mayo, this handheld was teeming with yumminess.

What’s amazing

On my second visit to Noosh, I was joined by three of my favorite dining companions (and former Lansing Board of Education colleagues), including the incomparable Mrs. She Ate. Our calendars miraculously aligned for a Monday lunch and incredibly, the food matched the great company. We shared the traditional family plate ($49.99), and there was more than enough food for the four of us. Mounds of white rice and qabli (brown rice, shaved carrots and raisins) were flanked by mantu (beef dumplings with cilantro, tomato paste and a delightful yogurt sauce) and bolani (think of a quesadilla but instead of cheese, there’s spiced pumpkin).

These combinations alone were outstanding, but there was so much more. Bowls of kofta challow (spiced meatballs) and chicken karahi accompanied the main plate, bathing in delicious variations of tomato sauce. Then there was the warm and spongy naan bread, which served as the perfect instrument to sop up all the bright flavors. What an all-around wonderful meal.

Best bite

Those who know me best understand lamb chops and dumplings are among my favorite foods, and Noosh’s versions are terrific. So, for my best bite nod to go to a pumpkin dish should tell you all you need to know. The burani pumpkin ($10.99) consisted of thick slices of poached pumpkin drizzled with a light garlic sauce, dusted with paprika and sprinkled with sliced red chilis. So good. Open your mind, expand your horizons and give this dish — or one of Noosh’s many other fabulous options — a shot.