The Lunch Blog
Mmmmm. Tasty Persian today.
What: Joojeh (chicken kabob) with basmati rice, hummous, pita,roasted veggies, a drink, and baklava.
Where: Shiraz Mediterranean Grill
So this new place opened down the street from my office a few months ago. I've been a coupla times, not too often, but the wife had never been, and as we are now inseparable due to only having one family vehicle (my poor slothful groaning old Corolla, blessed be her name...it's Sophie, BTW) and being big fans of Persian food (remind me to tell you about Saffron's some time...) we decided to go there. (*whew* Ellipses now at an end.)
The atmosphere, while "short order" style (you order at a counter, they give youy a number, and bring it to you) and somewhat cafeteria like, is bright, clean, colourful, and relaxing. It lives in a small strip mall, but they have art on the walls (actual art...oil paintings...for SALE even), there's a BIG chalkboard with all the menu items in colourful chalk, and the decor is primary colour. They've even gone to the trouble of disguising their modern cooking equipment inside faux wood ovens. Pretty classy really.
Service is excellent and cheerful, and the food is delish. There's PLENTY of food. My kabob was tender, buttery, yet roasty brown chicken, grilled onion and tomato, tasty hummous, and really nice tangy tadziki.
Pros:
1. The food is EXCELLENT
2. The chicken was perfect.
3. The Basmati was perfect. Don't let anyone fool you...not everyone can cook rice well.
4. Decor, parking, classy and tasteful bathrooms, interior space....
5. Great service.
6. Everything is obviously FRESH.
Cons:
1. It's a little pricey. We got two combos which included drinks, an order of baklava, and a special order of grilled onions for a buck. It was almost $26. LOTS of onions though.
2. They don't brew their iced tea. They had one of those Lipton things that LOOKS like a brewer but is not. No excuse for a quality restaurant, much less a Persian one, where tea is important.
3. The damn door kept opening....great for business, but sucks if it's blowing 50mph 20 degree winds.
4. Their pita was some poor excuse for flat bread- perfectly rectangular, perfectly flat as if it had been rolled from a mill, and perfectly insipid.
The baklava, while not one of my fav desserts (don't care much for Phylo dough...I know, silly to get it if I don't like it...*sigh*) was ...different. In a good way. Not nearly as sweet as some, but much more floral and delicately flavoured. Tasty.
Overall, 9 of 10. Good food, at a nice clean place, served by nice clean people. Just a little pricey.
What: Joojeh (chicken kabob) with basmati rice, hummous, pita,roasted veggies, a drink, and baklava.
Where: Shiraz Mediterranean Grill
So this new place opened down the street from my office a few months ago. I've been a coupla times, not too often, but the wife had never been, and as we are now inseparable due to only having one family vehicle (my poor slothful groaning old Corolla, blessed be her name...it's Sophie, BTW) and being big fans of Persian food (remind me to tell you about Saffron's some time...) we decided to go there. (*whew* Ellipses now at an end.)
The atmosphere, while "short order" style (you order at a counter, they give youy a number, and bring it to you) and somewhat cafeteria like, is bright, clean, colourful, and relaxing. It lives in a small strip mall, but they have art on the walls (actual art...oil paintings...for SALE even), there's a BIG chalkboard with all the menu items in colourful chalk, and the decor is primary colour. They've even gone to the trouble of disguising their modern cooking equipment inside faux wood ovens. Pretty classy really.
Service is excellent and cheerful, and the food is delish. There's PLENTY of food. My kabob was tender, buttery, yet roasty brown chicken, grilled onion and tomato, tasty hummous, and really nice tangy tadziki.
Pros:
1. The food is EXCELLENT
2. The chicken was perfect.
3. The Basmati was perfect. Don't let anyone fool you...not everyone can cook rice well.
4. Decor, parking, classy and tasteful bathrooms, interior space....
5. Great service.
6. Everything is obviously FRESH.
Cons:
1. It's a little pricey. We got two combos which included drinks, an order of baklava, and a special order of grilled onions for a buck. It was almost $26. LOTS of onions though.
2. They don't brew their iced tea. They had one of those Lipton things that LOOKS like a brewer but is not. No excuse for a quality restaurant, much less a Persian one, where tea is important.
3. The damn door kept opening....great for business, but sucks if it's blowing 50mph 20 degree winds.
4. Their pita was some poor excuse for flat bread- perfectly rectangular, perfectly flat as if it had been rolled from a mill, and perfectly insipid.
The baklava, while not one of my fav desserts (don't care much for Phylo dough...I know, silly to get it if I don't like it...*sigh*) was ...different. In a good way. Not nearly as sweet as some, but much more floral and delicately flavoured. Tasty.
Overall, 9 of 10. Good food, at a nice clean place, served by nice clean people. Just a little pricey.