Helai: Afghan restaurant | Rotterdam

2 min read

An Afghan restaurant where you can eat delicious vegetarian food in Rotterdam? Yes, you can! The newly opened Helai, near the Kuip, offers vegetarians quite a bit of choice. You can also opt for a veg menu. And when you call in advance that you want to eat vegetarian, the chef can show even more of his veg creativity. So together with a friend, also a vegetarian, we set out to investigate.

Afghan spheres

Upon entering, the tall windows and abundant light stand out. The space is large, perhaps just a tad too large to immediately call it “cozy. You can choose between a table or a corner with benches at Helai. We chose a corner with benches. The interior is a mixture between Afghan and Western. The bar has beautiful mosaic tiles and the lamps are very atmospheric. There was also no lack of a Persian rug on the floor and a real water fountain. The large windows also provided a fantastic view. Everything in the restaurant looked neat and tidy.

Friendly and attentive service

The service is very friendly and attentive. This is unlike many other restaurants I have been to. Especially in restaurants in Utrecht, this is a scarce commodity. Also, the service knows what is being served. So compliments to the service.

Surprising taste sensations

About the food I can say 1 thing: the food was very good. Afghan cuisine is slightly different from Iranian cuisine, which I know from my trip to Iran. I did not like the Ash I tasted in Iran, but the Afghan variety at Helai did! I also gobbled down the leek dumplings (Ashaak) and stuffed pancake in no time.

Helai surprised me by several flavors in the food that I could not immediately place. The quantities are good. They serve the food on a platter. From the bowl you grab what you like to eat, this makes sharing food easy. I was very fond of their cilantro with lime including all kinds of fresh herb sauce. What a caress for your tongue. The bread was also very tasty. On a couple of dishes, the cook was a little too enthusiastic with the oil. Hopefully they won’t do that next time. But all in all, the food was very good!

For dessert, there was ice cream and don’t forget typical Afghan tea. Just because of the teapot. Parking is available at the door and after 6 p.m. it is free.

Conclusion: I will definitely come back here!