Celebrate Nowruz with a traditional feast
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One of the best things about Toronto is that you can get any type of cuisine in the world right in the city. Every day you can learn so much about other cultures just by simply stopping by a restaurant. I have personally never tried Persian food so I was thrilled when I was invited to try the food at Tabriz.
This Persian Cookhouse serves traditional Persian food and is run by Pegah Ziaei and her father. The restaurant was named after a city in Iran and has recently been opened just in time for Nowruz (New Year) which is on March 20th and continues for 13 days. There is a beautiful Haft-Seen display on their counter that includes seven symbolic items that each represent an important concept in Persian culture.
Tabriz is a small and elegant spot with amazing service and unique decor. There is a beautiful wall near the back of the restaurant that makes you forget where you are.
If you are curious about Persian food, take a look at some of the dishes I tried.
Kashkeh Bademjoon ($14)
Charred eggplant dip topped with Persian whey paste, garlic, walnuts and crispy fried onions
This was my favorite appetizer. This can be shared amongst a few people and is eaten with the flat bread. This dish looks like a little grid on your plate with each square being a different ingredient. I couldn’t always tell what I was eating but it was very yummy.
Bademjoon Kabab ($12)
Sauteed baby eggplant stuffed with pomegranate & walnut paste
Tahchin ($12)
Baked saffron basmati rice bar, infused with chicken & barberries
Koofteh Tabrizi ($24)
Authentic Tabriz meat loaf, infused with fresh herbs, barberries, verjuice, prunes, served with rice or pickled vegetables and taftoon bread (Irania Flatbread).
The portion size for this was huge. This meat loaf is served in a delicious broth that you can pour over rice. I had this with the flatbread and it was amazing.
Zereshk Polo ($20)
Saffron chicken with barberries, pistachio & almond bits, served with saffron basmati rice
Salad Shirazi ($8)
This new salmon dish is a special just for the Persian New year.
Faloodeh ($9)
Iced thin vermicelli noodles served with rose water, lime or pomegranate juice with pistachio ice cream.
