A restaurant I have taken visitors to Melbourne to is an Afghan place called Golistan in Box Hill South. Although the restaurant mostly does takeaway there are a number of tables there. I brought my Taiwanese friend and her Indian husband there a few days ago for dinner. They enjoyed the food and we had a good time but the place got a bit smokey because I think they were having trouble with their vent. The food was excellent though so perhaps consider doing takeaway if you go.
Manto
This is my favourite dish there and I always order it. It is dumplings made with lamb mince and vegetables, drizzled with a yoghurt sauce. A bit spicy but not too hot.
This dish comes with Afghan bread which is thin and tasty. Some people just come for the bread and I saw a woman buying 6 loaves to take away.
Lamb Tikka Kebab
The grilled lamb cubes are very succulent and the spice marinade they use is mild so it suits many palates. The salad on the side is crunchy and fresh. It also comes with a piece of bread.
Not pictured is the chicken karahi which is cooked with capsicum and has a bit of a kick to it. It came while I was eating so I forgot to take a photo. Great one but a bit oily for my taste. It goes well with the bread though!
We also ordered lassi but it didn't taste like the Indian lassi I have had before. It was quite sour and salty. Unfortunately I couldn't finish my drink.
Overall this is what I consider a hidden gem in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Value for money for delicious, hearty food!
Photos taken with my Samsung Galaxy s5.
