Jasmine Bistro Restaurant

"Boston's Hidden Restaurants has featured literally hundreds of dining spots since its inception, and obviously some of these restaurants tend to stand out above the others. We do believe that the Jasmine Bistro in Brighton may in fact be such a place.

The Jasmine Bistro is a tiny, intimate place with an old-world feel to the place. Attractive hanging lights, colorful handwoven cloths on the tables, white stucco walls, and pictures adorning the walls make this place feel like it could indeed be someplace far away. gave it the feel of a real European bistro Service was quite good, with the waiter (I'm pretty sure he was also the owner) was gracious and professional, and had an old-world way about him. The old-world feeling was also felt in the overall atmosphere of the place, as the white stucco walls, antique-looking hanging lights, and abundant pictures on the walls gave it the feel of a real European bistro.

The owner and chef of the Jasmine Bistro was born in Afghanistan and trained in Budapest and Paris, so his varied culinary skills certainly are reflected in the food at this tiny Brighton Center spot. Appetizers are a bit limited at the Jasmine Bistro, but they do have soups and salads, and the delicious fried eggplant with paprika in Bell Pepper Sauce is one appetizer that should not be overlooked. A variety of wines from all over the world are featured here, including a few Hungarian wines. For entrees, Hungarian food lovers may want to try the astoundingly good beef gulyas (cubed beef in bell pepper paprika sauce with sliced potatoes); for those who are looking to try a French dish, the rich, buttery black forest chicken is tough to beat, as it features breaded, fried chicken cutlets with wild mushrooms and a cream sauce, and with a side of basmati rice mixed with clove, cumin, and cardamon; for those interested in Middle Eastern food, the lamb kabob includes cubes of lamb fillet rubbed in various spices and served with pepper and onion rice pilaf; and for diners who wish to try Asian entrees, there are all kinds of curry dishes including those with beef, lamb, chicken, and shrimp.

The Jasmine Bistro is well-known among serious food lovers and a few food critics, but perhaps because of its relatively out-of-the-way location in Brighton Center, it hasn't really caught on with too many diners. But it has surely caught our attention; indeed, in our view, this may just be the best restaurant on our site, or at the very least it is in our top 5. Don't miss this one".