Los Angeles, CA Restaurant Blog

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!