Last week I asked Vancouver “Where are all the Middle Eastern Restaurants?” It’s a cuisine often overlooked in our multicultural city and with our limited options, it’s worth a closer look. I set out on a mission to breakdown this hodgepodge of “Middle Eastern cuisine” and learn more about it – starting with Persian cuisine.
When I think of Persian cuisine I think of the days chef Hamid Samilian was taking a modernist approach to his Persian inspired menu at The Apron and later at Diva at the Met. It was something relatively new and exotic to the majority, but sadly that criteria is often a tough sell for Vancouverites.
Unfortunately Chef Samilian is taking a break from the restaurant scene teaching future chefs at Vancouver Community College, but fortunately it’s not over for Persian cuisine. The fine dining version of Persian cuisine may be on temporary hold until he’s back on the scene, but the traditional family-style version is the root and typically where to start.
Most of the city’s Persian restaurants are in West Vancouver and North Vancouver, so when the craving hits I aim in that direction. It’s arguably where “the best” ones are too.
The “go-to” tends to be Cazba, which has a location in downtown and North Vancouver, as well as a food truck called Cazba Express. It’s a good standard according to those experienced with Persian cuisine, but another option is Zeitoon with a location in North Vancouver and downtown.
The Kashke Bademjan (deep fried eggplant, mashed and topped with kashk (whey); flavored with sautéed onions, garlic and fresh mint) is one of my favourites. It’s not my first time trying it either. I could eat it by itself, but it is supposed to be enjoyed with warm lavash flatbread. In Arab culture it is known as baba ghanoush, but Persians refer to it as Kashke Bademjan. It has a savoury and tangy flavour, which is partially from the kashk – a drained yogurt or a type of cheese that tastes like sour cream.
Another one of my favourites is the koobideh kabab (a Persian signature – two skewers of premium ground beef, seasoned with onions and spices, broiled to perfection). It’s apparently the favourite for those unfamiliar with Persian food as well.
It’s a kabab made from ground meat instead of pieces of meat. Typically it’s made with 80 per cent lean meat and 20 per cent fatty meat to give flavour and it’s surprisingly not dry with that ratio. Sometimes an egg or breadcrumbs are added as a binder, similar to making meatballs, but with the right composition of meats and execution, they’re not needed. It’s very mildly spiced without being spicy and it’s a solid “beginner’s dish” for all ages. I’ve tried other dishes from their menu, but I’m fond of these two.
While there are other Persian restaurants, Zeitoon was the one I tried and would return to. I haven’t tried enough to put it in context of other Persian restaurants of same caliber, but after talking to reliable palates who have, it’s a reliable restaurant serving traditional Persian cuisine.
To suggest Middle Eastern restaurants tweet her at @followmefoodie. Also, follow Mijune’s culinary exploration of Los Cabos Dec. 3-6 #FMFinLosCabos and Las Vegas Dec. 13-15 #FMFinVegas.
Find out more about Mijune at FollowMeFoodie.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @followmefoodie.
