Sabzi Persian Chelow Kabab

Venturing off the beaten path to Arlington via the 77 bus, I can only recall having been to this town neighboring frequently visited cities of Cambridge and Somerville once before. The nature of my visit along with fellow Boston Food Bloggers - Rachel, Kathy, Kevin, Meesh and Jacki was to dine at a new restaurant called Sabzi specializing in upscale Persian fare known as Chelow Kabab. I confess to never having tried this variation of Middle Eastern cuisine, but I was definitely open to and intrigued by it.

In full disclosure, tonight's meal was comped, which is a welcome perk but definitely not any reason to sugar coat a review. As with most restaurants that organize an intimate blogger specific dinner, the experience is often favorable and highly regarded. Judging by the small one room dining room buzzing with tables of happy patrons, ours echoed the norm. Through a tiny vestibule lined with faded red curtains, the cozy space is heralded by an L shaped booth constructed of rustic wood panels accented with Middle East throw pillows. Potted green plants and an ad-hoc photo collage play into the homey feel while yellow and sea green hued glass lanterns envelope the space in a soft glow. The owner greets us warmly and takes our coats while simultaneously offering water and wine, returning with a bottle of Rioja to fill our non-traditional wine glasses. This unique detail stands out; it's simply delightful to drink wine out of a regular old glass. A bright start to the meal is a Salad Shirazi ($4.75) made simply with diced tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and mint tossed in fresh lime juice and olive oil. It serves as a palate cleanser, lending crisp clean bites and refreshing flavors. Thinly slice pita triangles accompany a thick yogurt and Persian shallot dip called Mast-O-Musir ($4.75). Soft and creamy with an added kick from the shallots, this is another straightforward classic to begin the meal. Next, we are introduced to more complex but still traditional flavors, beginning with a seasonal noodle soup called Ash-e Reshteh ($4.75). The long slippery Reshteh (Iranian noodles) proved a little challenging to consume, but were delicious bathing in a substantial blend of spinach, lentils and beans, amply flavored with parsley, saffron and mint. The soup is topped with a dollop of Kashk - which is a form of whey produced from strained yogurt. With similar elements of color and garnish the Kashk-e Bademjan ($6.25) is a sauteed eggplant and caramelized onion dip lending a smooth velvety texture. Spread it lavishly over pita bread and prepare to be comforted by the warm embrace of smokey meets tangy flavors. The Torshi ($3) is a medley of pickled vegetables delivering an extremely sour punch. My taste buds pucker at the site of this dish, it was wildly pungent but I kept going back for more. Particularly memorable and the ultimate crowd pleaser among us was the Seer Torshi ($3). Pickled cloves of garlic are radiant bathing in a pool of zesty balsamic vinegar, not to mention beautiful, producing the type of image you want to freeze in your memory for all time, or frame it in your kitchen as inspiration. After sufficient exposure to the appetizer menu, striking and colorful entrees platters of Chelow Kabab are served.
Perfectly plated arches of kabab meats and vegetables that have been grilled over an open flame surround fluffy, steamed basmatti saffron infused rice, finished at either end with a juicy roasted tomato and pickled cabbage.
This is explained to us as the type of food Persians specifically dine out for, as opposed to cooking in their own home due to the more complicated nature of the preparation methods and equipment.The menu is concise with five main dish offerings and three combination platters. All are thoughtfully well seasoned from the Kabab-e Kubideh ($10.25) which are squares of select ground beef with sumac, onion and a house spice blend to the medallions of tender chicken breasts marinated in saffron and citrus in the Kabab-e Jujeh Barg ($11.25).The texture of the ground beef wasn't all that appealing to me, for my Persian meat fix I much preferred the select cuts of marinated triangle steak in the Kabab-e Barg ($14.25).The marinated fresh vegetables in the Sabzi Kabab ($11.25) were a remarkably charred batch of onions, tomatoes, zucchini and squash.
Saving the best for last, the unanimous table favorite of Kabab-e Jujeh ($11.25) presented a saffron and citrus marinated Cornish hen. The delicate bone in morsels retain lots of flavor, proving far juicier than the chicken medallions which almost seemed dry in comparison. (Still I liked the chicken, but the hen blew it away!) The combo platters (mainly what we were served) jump slightly in price but still remain affordable, the Persepolis ($15.25) offers one Kubideh (ground beef) and one Jujeh Barg (chicken), the Soltani ($16.75) one Kubideh and one triangle steak and the Kermani ($15.25) one Kubideh and one vegetable skewer. We ended the meal with sweet, flaky and nutty bites of Baklava accompanied by soul warming Cardamom Tea served in a charming etched glass mug. Following suit after the red wine in a standard table glass, the tea mug proved just as enjoyable to drink from. A huge thank you to everyone at Sabzi for their generous hospitality this evening and especially for a memorable foray into Persian cuisine. With beautiful plates of traditional food served in a cozy and informal space, they make a welcome addition to East Arlington, in my case a worthwhile venture out of the city on the 77 bus.

Sofra we meet again & Summer Reading

I first visited the traditional Mediterranean bakery and cafe located in West Cambridge just a short distance from Harvard Square for lunch last summer. I raved about Sofra's Turkish and Lebanese inspired Sharbat drinks, Meze bar offerings and food in general. What I didn't rave about was the dessert because I was too "full" to sample some. What a shame that was. This time around, when my sister and I stopped in to grab some meze spreads to take home on Friday evening, I made sure not to omit the sweet course. But first, the appetizer spreads, which we paired with sesame crackers and a fresh loaf of bread. The Muhammarra is a fantastic combination of red pepper, walnut and molasses. The bright pink spread would be a heavenly Beat Tztatzki. Both alone are worth a visit to Sofra. They cost $4.25 each.For dessert, a crispy, flaky, buttery baklava. But not just any baklava, one loaded with rich dark chocolate and crunchy toasted hazelnuts. I was on the train ride home from my sisters apartment and couldn't resist digging in.I highly recommend the Chocolate Hazelnut Baklava if you ever find yourself faced with the tough choice of which confection to order at Sofra's bakery counter. And I'll say it again same as I did in my last review: I wish this place was located down the street from me, even in all my Italian pastry shop and cannoli filled glory!

On a completely unrelated note, the other day while running errands Downtown, I popped into Borders remembering I had a gift certificate! Given to me as a birthday present back in February, I happily put it towards the purchase of summer reading.The only questions remains - which one to read first?The book that is all the buzz because it was recently made in to a major motion picture starting Reese Witherspoon and Edward Pattinson? Water for Elephants is a movie I really want to see, but I think I'd rather read the book first. Or the book everyone already read last summer or the summer before that? I figure I might as well see what all the fuss over The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is about. Or the one that caught my eye at the last second, a memoir by Piper Kerman who spent a year in prison after she was busted delivering a suitcase full of drug money? Orange Is the New Black should prove an eye opening read.
Have you read any of these books? Which one should I read first?

Turkish Eats in Inman Square

Good morning friends! Has it been awhile since I've posted a restaurant review?! I recall the last time I went out to dinner was over a week ago and my wallet thanks me for that! Excitedly, I didn't have to reach too deep into my pockets this evening as the menu sampling at Bospherus was compliments of the house. I think you know me well enough to know by now I'm honest when it comes to my feelings about the food and experience, whether it be comped or I whether I paid top dollar. So with that little disclaimer, lets get this Turkish feast underway.Opened this past January in Inman Square, Cambridge is Bosphorus a Mediterranean restaurant featuring an executive chef who hails as President of the Istanbul Professional Cooks Association. Bosphorus serves authentic Turkish Cuisine in a setting defined by warm rust colored walls, dim lighting and striking cloth canopies. Rows of dark wooden booths with backs cushioned by red, beige and brown fabric appear uniform and cozy on one side and a long polished bar boasting illuminated arches fills the length of the space on the opposite. The stunning interior leaves a lasting first impression and the service and cuisine follow up in similar form. The hospitable General Manager named Hakan was on hand to explain the dishes served and to answer the questions of our inquiring party which included Elizabeth, Meghan, Michelle, Emily, Megan and myself. While I know very little about Turkish food, I was eager to learn by tasting. Heads up: lots of eggplant offerings, lamb dishes, grape leaves, kebobs, tangy yogurt sauces and whipped humus spreads jump out from the pages of the rather heavy and elegant looking menus.

What else jumped out on the menu was a decent selection of Turkish Wines. Our waitress was knowledgeable and helpful to recommend both reds and whites to satisfy our cravings. She described your standard Turkish red wine as dry and recommended the Yakut ($8 glass/$32 bottle) siting its similarities to a Rioja. I drank two glasses and felt this was a balanced red (indeed dry) that paired well with the bold flavors of the food.First, we were served a basket of soft chewy pita bread alongside a fresh tomato and red pepper based dip with a kick.It's the Turkish version of chips and salsa! I learned the brightly colored paste is called Ezme and in addition to a base of spicy tomato and red pepper it is made with onions, green peppers, walnuts, parsley, olive oil and spices.
There was a generous amount of pita in that basket and we continued to enjoy slices alongside dueling vegetarian platters prepared with the chefs selection of mezes and appetizers. Mezes included a thick yogurt dip made with strained yogurt, walnuts, garlic, olive oil and mint called Haydari and a classic Humus made with mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. Front and center is a meze bowl of Kisir which is fine ground bulgur (cracked wheat) mixed with parlsey, scallions and tomato paste. Missing in action (far right corner of the large photo) is an Artichoke Salad combining artichoke hearts and fresh vegetables tossed with olive oil & lemon juice.To the left we have Mercimek Kofte which is a thick paste of red lentils made with cracked wheat, green onion and parsley, wrapped in crisp lettuce. To the right is Patlican Ciftlick a whipped eggplant puree containing red and yellow peppers and lemon juice stuffed in a tomato. My favorite of the many offerings were the Zeytinyagla Sarma which are grape leaves stuffed with rice, bulgur, pine nuts, black currants, onions and herbs. I loved the way the savory rice meshed with the sweet bite of currants.
From Imam Bayildi which are baby eggplants stuffed with tomatoes to Zeytinyagla Dolma which are grilled green peppers stuffed with rice, pine nuts, currant, onions and herbs, I'm definitely getting a feel for the common ingredients of Turkish food; some of it more familiar than others. I like what I'm discovering.There is more good food where that platter came from. We shared three generously portioned entrees beginning with the Bosphorus Kebab ($23) a braised lamb shank wrapped in eggplant served with herbed vegetables in a flavorful tomato based sauce. The dark lamb meat was incredibly tender, falling off the bone into a cradle of soft eggplant. We've had a lot of eggplant at this point, however, the deep purple vegetable is something I can happily appreciate more of. Sebzeli Guvec ($18) proves a comforting casserole of mixed vegetables featuring potatoes, eggplants, mushrooms, carrots, celery and peppers. Bulger Pilaf and a tangy yogurt sauce accompanied.And finally, an incredibly satisfying plate of pan seared chicken breast stuffed with spinach and mushroom called Sultan's Chicken ($20). Almond slivers and dried apricots added welcome bites of texture and contrast to the juicy chicken and creamy potato puree.
After all that, we were treated to desserts! I was enamored with the unique offerings, especially this bowl of Asure a.k.a. Noah's Dessert ($8) a festive pudding of cereal grains, chickpeas, beans, dry fruits & nuts. Chickpeas in dessert? I know it sounds odd at face value, but those little chickpeas tasted like they were made for this this dish. "According to a legend, it was originally concocted in the galley of Noah's ark from whatever was left in the pantry." Fun, right? Next to this bowl of biblical legend sat Kunefe ($9) which is another strange on print but memorable on the palate combination of shredded phyllo dough filled with fresh mozzarella cheese, baked and topped with syrup and shredded coconut.Lending a delightfully soft and crumbly texture, Sekerpare ($7) is baked semolina and almond pastry soaked in sweet lemony syrup. A more widely known dessert of the region - Baklava ($7) layers finely ground pistachio within syrupy phyllo dough for a sticky sweet finale.

I adored both these traditional confections immensely. You'll definitely want to save some room for dessert here! I'm warning you in advance because if you couldn't tell from the photographs, those entrées are plentiful.

Dinner at Bosphorus was serene and calming, which I can attribute to the zen like glow of the polished atmosphere and most importantly the warm hospitable staff. The dishes served showcased exciting preparations with flavorful ingredients and proved this seemingly lesser known cuisine is not limited to only the adventurous eater, but to anyone who can appreciate traditional flavors of the Mediterranean. The menu has enough variety where you can play it safe with a good old Shish Kebab and some Baklava or hopefully be enticed by something new and unfamiliar.