Dietary restrictions can be funny things. I’ll never forget taking a colleague out for her first taste of fried chicken at a restaurant almost a decade ago. She was in her mid-20s, but finding a halal version of the classic American dish wasn’t easy. Ever since, I’ve kept an eye out for similar offerings for friends with dietary restrictions, whether it’s kosher sushi, vegan shaking beef, or halal barbecue.
Yes, halal barbecue. Kanoon, a new restaurant in Herndon, trades in precisely that promise.
On its website, the restaurant self-identifies as the first halal smokehouse in New Jersey. It is not the first in NoVA — District BBQ in Dunn Loring and Hal & Al’s BBQ in Arlington are among the spots that beat it to the punch — but what Kanoon offers is different.
While the other businesses trade in American-style barbecue, Kanoon blends it with Middle Eastern flavors. The beef rib (which made for two days of leftovers) is rubbed with cumin and coriander for an effect that conjures an earthy take on pastrami.
A pound is $34.99, though my server said that I might be charged more if my portion exceeded a pound. With a side of lightly smoked rice and a collection of salty pickles, I wouldn’t mind spending a few more dollars to share such a memorable repast. Kanoon’s other smoked meats include chicken, lamb neck, and beef brisket.
Instead, I decided to taste my way through some of the more traditional Middle Eastern options. The $29.99 cold mezza platter features full-sized helpings of sweet-and-sour muhammara, smoky baba ghanoush, creamy hummus, and ultra-fresh yogurt with chopped cucumbers. I can’t argue with the dips, but I wish the bread was housemade.
For the same price as the mezzas, I also dug into a meaty pile of delights in the form of the mixed grill. The well-balanced kufta was my favorite of the kebabs, but everything was satisfying. That includes shish tawook, shish kebab, and a partially deboned chicken chop. I got it with toothsome bulgur, garlic sauce that I wish had been more piquant, and a grill-blistered chile.
But if I return to Kanoon, it will be for the smoke.
Kanoon: 1106 Herndon Pkwy., Herndon
Feature image by Alice Levitt
