MUST TRY:
1. Lamb Shank - There are 3 lamb shank mains on the menu. Make sure you order one of them for some tender lamb treatment. The only difference between them appears to be the rice. It can be confusing to figure this out when reading the menu:
a) adas polo
b) morasa polo
c) baqali polo
(in order appearance on the menu. They are all great. I think the morasa polo is the most distinct compared to other cuisine because of the orange influence)
2. Aloo gheysi - It's a chicken stew, which is sweeter and lighter in colour than the others. I don't think there is a way to describe this properly. Just order it.
3. Fesenjaan - put walnut and pomegranate in a chicken stew and you're probably headed for greatness
4. Kashk-e bademjaan (appetizer) - it's a wonderful eggplant dip
RECOMMENDED:
Ghormeh Sabzi (special)- More intense and herby than the other stews. Not everyone will love it, but it's great.
GOOD:
Qeymeh - Probably just my personal preference. I love the other stews, so it's like finishing 4th at the Olympics.
Noon-o paneer-o gerdu - solid platter for an intro to the rest of the meal
Strategy:
1. Bring a group and share. Each dish has it's own complexity. When you're sharing 5-6 of these dishes it becomes a whirlwind of flavours. It's like a hurricane. Each individual spice, rice, and lamb molecule interacts with the others to create a profoundly mystifying taste.
2. RESERVATIONS. Must have reservations. Reservations or die.
3. Service: is amicable, but slow and strangely non-existent at times. It may take a while to put your order in and get things rolling, but the food normally comes quite fast. They are laid back, but they seem to truly care if you have a good meal. Stay on top of them if you need to get moving, but it's best to only come here if you're open to a relaxed meal.
BONUS: The decor is smart and gives you the sense that you have been whisked away to Persia.
(sample of 5 meals)