The restaurant’s namesake, traditional Afghan dumplings called mantu
Even if you are unfamiliar with the story behind them, Afghan-born Chef Hamidullah Noori’s dumplings are an impressive sight: tennis-ball-sized, rose-shaped beauties filled with spiced meat or vegetables and striped with sauce.
And if you do know the story? The dumplings seem that much more a work of art when you’re aware of the journey it took for Noori to be here, cooking them for you: a father and uncle killed by the Taliban, a youth spent working in order to support his family, a talent for cooking that led him to a five-star restaurant in Kabul and then to the United States in 2015.
The Mantu’s menu and decor
The Richmond restaurant scene eagerly awaited the opening of The Mantu, Noori’s modern Afghan restaurant in the old Burger Bach space in Carytown, since it first learned that Ellwood Thompson’s owner and founder Rick Hood had leased the space to Noori and his partner Shagufta Sajid, whom he met while working at Noorani Kabab House in Henrico. Ellwood’s even carries a selection of Noori’s offerings on its hot bar and provides him with access to local, organic ingredients.
Noori previously cooked at Ellwood’s, and throughout his time there and during his work with the pop-up series The Underground Kitchen, he earned himself a following for updated takes on the food he grew up with and his warm demeanor.
At 1,700 square feet, The Mantu, which debuted in late May, features a communal table in the center of the dining room that’s nestled under a hand-carved wooden light fixture, a glowing bar and a breezy patio that faces Thompson Street. A smattering of tables inside is carefully laid with white tablecloths, the overall vibe falling somewhere between fine dining and a friend’s kitchen: warm and inviting, thoughtful and unfussy.
Chef Hamidullah Noori
True to its namesake, the mantu, traditional Afghan dumplings, are the stars here. Three to a plate, they arrive in a stately row, dressed with sauce and topped with a sprinkling of herbs and spices. The homemade dough is silky, but just firm enough to cradle the deeply spiced filling. In the beef mantu, a delicate bundle of meat is laced with ginger, garlic, cilantro and turmeric. The vegetarian version features sweet shredded butternut squash mingling with onion, cilantro and mint, accompanied by a spiced kidney-bean-and-tomato sauce — a beautiful balance of spicy, sweet, savory and acidic notes.
Although you could have a perfectly great meal here by simply ordering a few plates of mantu and digging in with a friend, it would cut the experience short.
Chicken chapli kebab
Diners would miss out on dishes like the chicken chapli kebab, ground chicken infused with garam masala, ginger and chiles, pan-fried and then adorned with crisp potato shreds. The pile of herbal, green zamarut-colored pallow — basmati rice with spinach, dill and garlic — offsets it perfectly. Then there’s the lamb shank. Braised with tomatoes and vegetables until it falls from the bone, it’s joined by lentils in a tangy, spiced tomato sauce. When paired with the sweet notes of the rice with raisins, carrots, cumin and cardamom, it sings.
The vegetarian dishes at The Mantu by no means play second fiddle. Pan-fried eggplant arrives stacked in silken slices and drizzled with a zesty yogurt sauce, and there are plenty of vegan options as well.
And it is all even better the next day, making it easy to justify ordering a little extra to take home.
Lamb shank with lentils
On our visits, Noori made appearances in the dining room, checking on tables, patiently answering questions, asking guests about their meals and thanking them for coming. The servers, as well — despite sometimes appearing inexperienced — were affable, and pleased to guide us through the menu and point out their favorite dishes. We truly felt like guests in someone’s home.
As far as beverages are concerned, skip the cocktails — the list lacks inspiration and depth. But luckily, you won’t miss them; you’ll be glad there’s more room for the food. At the core of The Mantu is a focus on sharing an otherwise fairly uncharted cuisine with the Richmond dining community and showcasing the power of perseverance. Likewise, you won’t begrudge the occasional hiccups in service — par for the course in most Richmond restaurants, anyway — because the welcome is warm, the food delicious and the story, inspiring
4 out of 5 stars
10 S. Thompson St.
804-716-6760
$8 to $32
