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| - BOTTOM LINE: Whether you've come for the Aga Khan (or not), it's worth dining at.
There's no way this won't come across as a backhanded compliment, but Diwan was much better than expected. Call me cynical, but my expectations were super low going in - I mean, how could you not for a museum-associated resto in the boonies of Eglinton and the DVP?!
The space is beautiful with floor to ceiling windows interspersed with antique wooden panels of yore. The staff are thoughtful and polite. And the prices aren't outrageous. I came here for lunch after touring the Aga Khan (unfortunately parking is not comped for lunches, but is for dinner) and was pleasantly surprised. I'm also looking forward to their summer season when they open up their 100-seat patio and move their grilling outdoors.
I would highly recommend starting with their seasonal MEZZE PLATTER, which for us, came with marinated olives, amazingly spiced pastirma beef, fresh slaw and some chicken skewers.
Their PERSIAN OMELETTE was decent, but I couldn't really figure what was so "Persian" about it. Unless you really want an omelette, you might want to try something else.
Which comes to the MIXED KEBAB GRILL, served with your choice of chicken, lamb, beef or sturgeon. I would definitely recommend the sturgeon - not only is it not frequently served in restos, but it has a very nice meaty texture that does well to survive on the grill. The accompanying rice was also fragrant and delicious.
All in all, my DC and I came away impressed with the quality and value of Diwan. I would definitely like to come back for their dinner offerings and provide an updated review then.
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