Shalizaar Persian Cuisine of Belmont, California
Most of those who know me understand that one of my favorite pastimes is dining at great restaurants. This is the inaugural post for restaurants... a topic that I know will be revisited often.
Shalizaar, a Persian restaurant on the San Francisco Peninsula, can only be described as adventurous. Although not a connoisseur of Persian food by any sense of the imagination, I can confidently recommend Shalizaar because of their great food, friendly staff and great ambiance.
Having told my waiter that my fiance and I were new to Persian food, he quickly recommended a few dishes that were good for "beginners." We quickly ordered up a few appetizers, the Kashk-e-Bademjan (pureed eggplant with mint) and Mast-o-Khiar (Persian yogurt with diced cucumbers.) The Kashk-e-Bademjan mixed with sauteed mint went well with the taftoon (Persian flat bread.)
While slowly devouring our appetizers, we scanned the menu and decided to order some kabobs. I played it safe by ordering a shish kabob. My fiance ordered the Joojeh (marinated chicken). I have not had a juicier steak in all my life! The Joojeh was just as succulent.
We finished the meal with another must have Shalizaar dish; Bastani. What makes Bastani so great is that they mix Saffron right into the ice cream! For ice cream lovers, this is a must have! The ice cream alone would have made my day.
The owners of Shalizaar give their guests a wonderful experience. Best of luck to them and their continued success!
