Afghan dumplings and comfort food at Kabul Flavour

Back in the day, the South Yarra section of Chapel Street was the glamorous, sparkling counterpart to Windsor's ragged little misfit. But the scrappy Windsor of yore is long gone, and neon-slashed bars spill out on to the street in a wash of doof-doof instead. Which is what makes Kabul Flavour such a delicious anomaly.

Here, traditional Afghan music plays, lights are warm-glowing lanterns pitched up high near the pretty, arched wooden ceiling and an expansive landscape of Afghanistan hangs overhead. The interior is simple, with oxblood leather banquette seating and a rich Persian runner stretching the length of the slim, sleek dining room.

Kabul Flavour is the work of four refugees from Afghanistan – Hatis Karimi, Mustafa Ensafi, Assadullah Daryabi and Arif Naseri – who have been working in Melbourne kitchens for the past few years. Mustafa was the head chef at Mornington's beloved Afghan Marco Polo Restaurant, and Kabul Flavour's manager, Hatis, also worked there, but now these four friends have decided to bring their refreshingly slider-free fare to Windsor.

Traditional Afghan cuisine at hospitable prices is the name of the game here, with a good range of vegetarian and gluten-free options clearly marked. Kick things off with a swath of entrees – perhaps a skewer of char-grilled chicken tika, some crisp falafel, or the flavour-burst of the borani badenjon – fat discs of fried eggplant drenched in tangy tomato sauce and a dash of garlic yoghurt.

Once you venture into mains territory, make a beeline for the munto and the kabuli pilaf. Munto are plump dumplings, stuffed with spiced mince, steamed, then slathered in a tomato and mince sauce. They're incredibly light but like the homeliest comfort food at the same time.

Kabuli pilaf, Afghanistan's national dish, is an aromatic rice dish peppered with caramelised carrots and scattered with sultanas, cardamom and slivered almonds. Served either with lamb or spinach for vegetarians, it's another homely winner.

Salad-wise, if you like your food with a squint-inducing tang, order up shor nakhut – chickpeas and soft coins of potato in a generous vinegar and coriander dressing. Try to resist dipping some naan into it. You can't.

Kebab fans will love the spiced and marinated skewers of grilled lamb or chicken, as well as the lamb and beef mince koftas, while lovers of a fragrant, clean curry will jam on the qormas here – the chicken qorma is a generous bowl of neat little nubs of meat, cooked to tenderness in a gently spiced yoghurt and cashew sauce, while the qorma subzi is an unusual blend of fried vegetables with lamb, dried limes and kidney beans.

Desserts are kept simple – Turkish delight, baklava or the silken firnee, a slender tile of sweet cooked Afghani custard, studded with almonds and dusted with crushed pistachios. Perfect with coffee. Get into it.