20/03/2013 - Shiraz Restaurant
You may not have known it was Persian New Years yesterday, an event that I am sad to say has passed me by every year until now, but it was the perfect excuse to go out for something a little different.
Persian food is something new to me and I was intrigued to see what would come of it. The restaurant was sited in what could have once been an unassuming terraced house, complete with entrance foyer and garden, and had a standard family-run feel with a dining-room-table-and-chairs set up.
First impressions were not good, we had to squeeze past the party sat next to the door and were greeted by a rather brusk server who may never have heard of the concept of customer service. After establishing where we were to be sat we seated ourselves and waited the 15 minutes or so it took for someone to acknowledge us and bring us a menu.
The restaurant was running a special set-menu, something we were not made aware of when booking and we were somewhat disappointed that we had no choice in starter or dessert and only three options were available for the main: lamb casserole, mixed shish kebab and grilled salmon. That's where the disappointment ended however.
The starter was a humongous offering of mixed mezes and freshly baked flat bread. There were several dishes:
- delicious vine leaf parcels wrapped around a flavoured rice mix,
- shredded roast chicken with creamy yoghurt and peas that had more than a passing resemblance to deli-sandwich chicken mayonnaise,
- a warm spicy tomato salsa with perhaps a touch too much garlic and what appeared to be a soft feta-like cheese mixed through,
- grilled chicken wings,
- a fresh and thick yoghurt with a similar taste to tzatziki without the "bits", and
- a tasty mix of diced red onion, tomato, herbs and oil.
[Apologies for lack of decent photos but the only one I took is of the starters - (I know its awful but I didn't have my camera!)]
For the main I opted for the lamb casserole. Served in an authentic metal pot with a mountain of saffron rice it was incredibly delicious. Thanks to the chilli and split peas the casserole was very hearty and warming, the tang of the tomatoes balanced perfectly with the smooth texture and rich flavour of the aubergine, which appeared to have been skinned and cooked whole in the casserole. And the lamb, oh the lamb, tender just does not describe it.
The wine we drank was a Shiraz from Chile - ordered in honor of the restaurant - and, apart from going down very easily, complemented the meal perfectly.
By this time the service had warmed considerably and we enjoyed a very enthusiastic explanation of the tradition of fire-jumping on Nouruz, something which apparently burns away the previous year's negativity and cleanses the soul ready for the year ahead.
By the time dessert came, a selection of sticky, sweet Baklava packed with nuts and oozing honey, we were very very full.... nevertheless we plowed through and boy were they good. Although I am not usually a fan of Baklava, as they can be a tad too rich, I thoroughly enjoyed these.
The three course meal was £24.50, very reasonable for the quality (and amount) of food received and completely made up for the lack of choice.
Now for the scores:
Food: 9/10
Lots of it and most of it was delicious, some of the starter dishes could have been a bit more balanced and perhaps were not as interesting as they could have been. The main and dessert were both excellent.
Atmosphere: 6/10
The restaurant felt like there were too many tables crammed in and was perhaps a touch cold as there was only one electric fire and almost everyone had coats on. Been to better places, been to worst.
Service: 6/10
What started out as a potential nightmare with an awful waitress turned out to be a delightful dining experience. I would have appreciated it if we'd have been told about set-menu however the serving staff were good natured and eventually quite engaging, even if they could have been more attentive.
Value for money: 9/10
This was not the cheapest dining experience but I felt that the price reflected the quality of the food. Next time I might order less of the pricey wine though...
Overall I would recommend going to Shiraz, although I suggest you go with an open mind with regards to the standard "restaurant experience".
If you want good quality, authentic middle eastern food you could would be hard pressed to find better elsewhere.
If you want good quality, authentic middle eastern food you could would be hard pressed to find better elsewhere.
Over and out
- The Enfoodiast
