Naseer and his brother, the Ahmad brothers, did one of my overall favorite things – combined American Southern fried chicken with the Mediterranean kabobs, shawarmas, curries, and sauces in their humble, no-frills Notos Southen Bites (or Notos Kabob Halal) in Laurel, MD. I’ve seen this done a couple of times, one such example, and I’m a strong proponent of tasteful fusion especially when it comes to spices and being able to get 2 favorites in one spot!
Clean, modern, order-then-sit-down in the cafeteria behind the railing kind of setup that we see very often today that helps keep the pre-order line separate from people waiting for their grub. Keeps things organized, keep things moving without anyone stepping on each other’s toes.
Onto the shmeat of my article – the kabobs and curries. Solid flavor across the board! Ahmad brothers’ hospitality seeps right into their food and it shows with every bite! Afghan curries definitely hit different from Indian ones with unique flavor and plenty of proverbial broth to just soak the fresh naan in. Yogurt and the green spicy sauces highlight the baselines perfectly too!
And we just cannot forget the Southern take on fried chicken and your staple sides like yams, mash potatoes, and slaw! The Afghani spices truly elevate the batter here! If you’ve never tried this twist on the good ol’ fried chick’, I recommend that you do!
Owners of Notos are fantastic, food is delicious, and I’m only a little torn by the restaurant’s setup where it doesn’t necessarily invite the open kitchen staff to mingle with the customers like you get in places with wait staff since chatting with the owners alone is a homey experience here. Definitely recommend checking this place out!
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