Authentic dining at popular Persian resto

WHERE’S THE BEEF? Our reviewer finds there is plenty of meat in the authentic Persian dishes at North Restaurant on Steeles Avenue West. So much so, in fact, it is not an easy place for a vegetarian to find a meal.

I think I know why there are such long lineups at the door at North Restaurant. It took the waiter at least 20 minutes to bring the bill. And it was at least 20 minutes before that before he offered us dessert. On the other hand, the hot meal came fairly swiftly. And after all, that’s the most important part.

Just to confuse you, this spot has two names. It’s also called Shomal, which means North in Farsi. So my guests and I are prepared for an authentic Persian dining experience and, according to our waiter, it’s specifically the food of the North of Iran—hence the name.

It starts with an incomprehensible menu, but thankfully, each dish is carefully explained in English. It rapidly becomes apparent that two ingredients predominate in this cuisine: pomegranate and walnuts. So it’s healthy!

While we study the menu, the waiter places on the table a plate of parsley, radishes and a peeled onion, cut in half, along with a basket of pita bread wedges. This is a first for me and strikes me as an odd way to start a meal—sending one’s palate into overdrive before you even start. However, this is traditional.

We begin with two appetizers. Badenjan Kebab ($9.99) proves to be two small eggplants stuffed with a blend of ground pomegranates, walnuts and onion. This is a small piece of heaven. It’s so good that my guests and I literally say, “Mmmmm,” almost in unison.

The second appetizer, Kashke Badenjan ($8.99), is more eggplant, this time mashed and topped with fried mint, crispy fried onion and garlic, and whey. It comes with pita bread pieces. This too proves a hit—the varying textures and flavours blend beautifully. Indeed, there’s a lot of it and one guest keeps eating this long after her main course arrives: “It’s so good!”

We select three different meats for our mains: lamb, chicken and veal. From the stew menu, one guest chooses Baghali Polo el Mahicheh, described as a traditional stew of lamb shank and beans served with herbed rice ($13.99). The broth is too mild and doesn’t offer much punch, but the lamb is tender and tasty. There are no beans. The rice has a mild herbiness we couldn’t identify—apparently it’s composed of dried dill and coriander.

Also from the stew menu, my second guest selects Fesenjan, chicken breast in a rich sauce of walnuts and pomegranate, served with rice ($14.99). Little effort has been expended on presentation—one large chicken breast sits unadorned in a bowl of dark sauce. A plate of plain rice accompanies this. Even a sprig of parsley would not go amiss. My guest isn’t enthusiastic about the sauce which is a little overpoweringly sweet.

I select from the Beef menu, which consists mainly of kebabs (chicken and lamb in this category as well). Following the waiter’s recommendation, I choose Kebab Torsh, char-broiled veal with—you guessed it!—pomegranate, walnuts and onion ($18.99). It comes with a plate of plain basmati rice and a lone grilled tomato which has the merit of adding some colour to the plate. The meat is tender and flavourful but the rice could use a little help.

For dessert, the waiter brings us a sample selection from which to choose. We opt for the plate of bamia and zulbia ($3.99). Both are really sugary but delicious, the bamia with a distinct rosewater essence. The second dessert we choose is unnamed by the waiter: “It’s just a cake,” he tells us. It’s an apt description, a plain pinwheel of cake and cream, though on the bill it has a grand name: Napoleon ($4.50).

Don’t let the menu befuddle you with names, the wait staff is very helpful. But this cuisine apparently isn’t veggie conscious. To North Americans, stew indicates some sort of vegetable content so it can be misleading. There are vegetarian dishes on the menu but note that these often contain both eggs and “salty fish.” Perhaps the onion and radish are intended to serve as the vegetables?

North Restaurant, 100 Steeles Ave. W. 416-881-7704. Reservations are strongly recommended.