Alborz

 
In the mood for scrumptious Persian food? Well, head to Alborz at North Sohrevardy Ave. The food is delicious and the kabobs are to die for. The only problem is this Alborz is located in the Iranian capitol city of Tehran.

The good news is we have an Alborz in Austin as well. At Anderson Lane and Mopac across from Grapevine Market. The food is wonderful and you can save a bundle on air fare.

Mohammed Kosari has crafted a delightful Persian restaurant at his Alborz that reflects the cuisine of his country. I love Persian appetizers. And Alborz has some delicious ones. I have said this before and I will say it again: Albroz’s Tabouli is the very best in the city. This lovely concoction of diced tomatoes, onion, parsley, and miniscule grains of cracked wheat mixed in olive oil and lemon juice is terrific. It’s not overloaded with parsley either, as is often the case at other restaurants. The Hummus is also quite good. This ethereal blend of tahini (a paste made of ground sesame seeds) and garbanzo beans along with garlic, lemon juice and olive oil goes perfectly with their homemade bread. Another favorite is the Must-o-Khiar. Unrequited cucumber fan that I am, this is a no brainer for me. But I suspect you’ll enjoy these chopped cucumbers in a mix of herbs and yogurt. And do try the Baba Ghannooj. If you enjoy eggplant, this dish is for you. If features a lovely puree of them with tahini, olive oil, garlic, onions and lemon juice. The uninitiated sometimes confuse this dish with Hummus, but they are miles apart and Mohammed’s Baba Ghannooj is the bomb.

There are a number of engaging entrees at Alborz that are also very reasonable price wise. The Chelo Kabob-E Barg is a really tasty beef steak that has been marinated, then flame broiled, skewered and served on a mound of ethereal basmati rice. Simple, but with dynamic flavors. Likewise the Chicken Breast Kabob and Zereshk Polo. This is one of the engaging Persian rice (polo) dishes that I so much admire. The chicken is boneless on a kabob and served with an irresistible mix of sour barberries, basmati and saffron. And at the top of my flavor list lie two more incredible dishes. I’ll deal with the one at a time. The Alborz Lamb Kabob is a dish laden with astonishingly tender flame-broiled lamb that is served on a skewer over lima bean and dill rice. Man, this is good! As is the Sabzi Polo Mahi (Salmon with herb rice). The marinated salmon is baked and served on a luscious bed of baba ghannooj, tabouli and feta cheese along with basmati. The flavors here are immediate and compelling at first bite, and then at mid-palate, a subtle, more luxurious taste settles in. Try this dish.

Alborz is at 3300 W. Anderson Lane, across the street from Grapevine Market. They have lunch buffets daily which incorporate many of the foods mentioned above. And make sure to try some of their richly textured homemade bread. In short, there is much to like here at Alborz.