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| - Its always a delight for us to dine here especially with a group. Craving or feeling adventurous for Persian food, we've brought family, friends and off-shore co-workers to this place and every time it's a big hit. How so? The great food, the warm and earthly ambiance, and interior architecture that allow us to virtually leap from arctic Toronto to sultry Iran (visually). Quite a fieldtrip. If only we could be Jumpers. Remember that movie back in 2008? There is a wow factor to this place. I don't use this word on a loosey-goosey manner but its impressive. Its perfect for a romantic date, family dinner or lunch, corporate dining, etc. The interior architecture provides nice nooks if you want some amount of hush-hush or privacy. It's folksy with a nice balance of exotic (perhaps for us Non-Iranians) elegance.
So what about the food? Nothing too fancy to tickle your senses. But something so authentic perhaps that the simplicity is enough to fill your soul. Feel free to fill me up with the right single word for this. Anyway, you will see and taste a lot of yogurt, pomegranate, dried berries, walnuts, spices - not the hot chilies but something garlic and onion based with some hints of this and that herbs (Ahh, ignorance is bliss! Haha!), and some olives too.
The eggplants, it's the motherload of all their Appetizer and it does a great job to keep us seated and enjoy the relatively long wait for the main dishes. The refillable Nan bread always come fresh and warm from the oven. Butter would be unnecessary - as hearty as it can get. I enjoy watching the bakers hand tossing the dough at the side near the kitchen, they're always gorgeous! Like Italians are tall, dark and handsome and hairy. Are they? :D
Let me give you our faves and try it out for taste, if it doesn't get you sucked in.
APPETIZER (our usuals): Kalkabab - mashed eggplant with walnuts, pomegranate paste, some garlic, herbs & spices; Badenjan Kabab - fried eggplant stuffed with walnuts, pomegranate paste, onions; or this one, Borani spinach - sautéed spinach and yogurt, and flavored with garlic and some herb. I really dunno what that herb is but its beginning to grow in me.
MAIN DISH: I hafta warn you, the appetizer may seem a petite dish for a minute there. Wait until you see the platter of a main dish that is coming up your way. Yeah, one platter one person. And I mean, the oval and almost like your Gramma's serving plate kinda thing, and its filled and heaped!
I always go for Chicken, how can I go wrong. So its Chicken Zereshk Polo which is a flavorful char-broiled breast with Basmati rice (its always white and yellow; its buttered right?) and red berries - dried cranberries I would suppose, with a slice of lemon and a whole grilled tomato on the side. This could be my last meal before an execution.
My husband usually forgets me over the Beef dishes like Sultani Kabab, char-broiled tender veal and ground beef; Kabab Torsh, char-broiled veal with pomegranate paste and walnuts, and again those spices; or Koobideh Kabab, ground beef on skewers all with Basmati, berries, lemon, and tomato - the wholesome foursome, I would call 'em.
Another interesting and sometimes wonderful dish is the Ghaimeh stew. Its actually delicious but a little too rich for me. Our off-shore friends loved it, though. Its beef with tomato, onion, and beans - stewed. I did say that, did I?
OTHER FOODS: A good-to-know - they also serve seafood and vegetarian dishes, but we haven't tried any of those. Except for Rainbow Trout. The fillet was better tasting pan-fried than bbq'd, but that's our taste buds. But, heck, go for the meat stuff!
One unique and probably their very own is the Yogurt Soda. After one time, I never ordered it again. Its too weird for me. Its acquired taste, definitely. Perhaps in time. Desserts? We simply don't have enough room for one though you can ask for the menu for it.
SERVICE: Its nice and friendly, and the server frequently checks on us on how things are going or how's the food, and refills our water or Nan with quick initiative. The food may come a tad slower than you're used to but that's because its made fresh. You can taste it right off the plate. But as I said earlier, the Appetizers - its there for a good reason, and its diverting like a hostess on stilettos.
PRICE: Appetizers can get you from $5 to about less than $10. Beef dishes, if you don't go for North Special which is about $25, its $10 to 18. Chicken would be $12 to 15. The stews and vegans around $14.
I hope my review satisfies you and make you hungry enough to go get some for yourself. Its our go-to Persian or Iranian (you know Iran was called Persia in ancient times, right? Ok. That's settled) and who knows you just might enjoy it like we do... as much as always. When is the best time to go? Lunch / dinner time on the dot. It gets crowded on later hours.
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