LAUREL, Md. — Just one year after opening its doors for the first time, a small restaurant offering a taste of home for the Laurel community is celebrating a big honor. My Kabul Restaurant and Cafe has landed on the Washington Post's list of best new restaurants for 2024.
“The concept is refugees for refugees," co-owner, Khalis Noori told WUSA9 shortly after the restaurant's grand opening last year.
Nearly 80,000 people fled Afghanistan when U.S. troops withdrew from Afghanistan and the Taliban took over, including Noori and his family.
“It was difficult. It was traumatic. It was very uncertain," Noori said. "It was either or. Either you get to that airport and leave Afghanistan or you get killed.”
Noori landed in Virginia in 2021 and worked with other refugee families to offer a taste of home. The restaurant opened its doors in Laurel in May 2023.
He said at least in the Afghan community, you're taught not to openly share your feelings. But, uprooting your life is traumatic, so he wanted to provide a safe space to talk about their journeys together.
"They're all welcome here, to have a meal here, to be with us, to talk with us. And just to have that environment where they can feel free to talk about their journey," he said.
Now, My Kabul is one of 26 restaurants named one of the region's best by food critic Tom Sietsema.
My Kabul is open Wednesday through Monday for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information click here.
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