The Restaurant Game - we play it when figuring out where we would prefer to dine on a particular evening. We run down the list: Italian, Mexican, Indian, Thai, Chinese, Sushi, Burgers, Pizza. . . There is so much to choose from within a 10-mile radius. Now there is new one to add to the list, Persian.
Perhaps you have driven by or stopped in for lunch or dinner. Located at 100 Marketplace (25 Mountain View Blvd.), Narenj Persian Grill is a relative newcomer to Basking Ridge and specializes in authentic Persian Cuisine.
But what exactly is Persian cuisine? What should one expect or need to know prior to dining there? Sometimes it is intimidating to experiment with a new cuisine.
Persian food is both Mediterranean and Middle Eastern. As Zoe Singer from Chow.com succinctly stated, it is "both exotic and familiar, many Persian dishes overlap with Greek, Turkish and Indian foods: naan-like flatbreads, kebabs, and stuffed vegetables."
Considering the history and geography of the area, this makes perfect sense. Thousands of years ago the Persian empire spanned the Middle East, extending to Greece, Egypt and beyond. In later years neighboring countries invaded Persia, taking Persian foods and spices back to their native countries and incorporating them into the cuisines of North Africa, India and Western Europe.
As is so often the case with food, it is the spices and seasonings which differentiate one cuisine from another. Persian cooking relies on fresh mint, parsley, saffron and dried lime to give its food a freshness and tanginess. Grilled meat, poultry and fish kabobs are first marinated in saffron, lemon and olive oil and then served with basmati rice or a salad shirazi (chopped tomatoes, cucumber, onion and parsley with lemon juice and olive oil). Again - think "fresh."
Yogurt, in various forms, is a mainstay in Persian cuisine and adds to the tang and freshness. At Narenj, each day Chef Vaziri prepares an enormous bowl of homemade yogurt that will be used in appetizers (as a dip mixed with cucumber, "Mast -O- Khiar") as a topping for a hearty vegetable soup (seasoned with fresh mint, garlic and onion, "Ash Resteh"), or in several of the traditional and refreshing Persian beverages: "Doogh," made with yogurt, club soda and mint, or "Mango Lassi," a sweet yogurt drink made with mango juice.
Rose water is used as a flavoring agent for many of the desserts. At Narenj, Chef Vaziri prepares all the desserts including her Persian Ice Cream, which is homemade ice cream flavored with rose water, saffron and sprinkled with pistachios and her Cream Puff. A more familiar Baklava is also on the menu and according to Chef Vaziri, "it is so popular, people come in to buy trays of it to take home."
Understanding that diners may be new to Persian food, Narenj owner and head Chef Mohsen Ahan has created a menu that thoroughly explains all the dishes. A traditional meal at Narenj would start with freshly baked pita bread and a complimentary plate of fresh mint, parsley, scallion, radish and feta cheese. Incorporate a bit of each all on a piece of pita for a "taste sensation" which will set the tone for your meal of freshness and tang.
The menu is extensive with an array of appetizers (many such as Hummus, Dolmeh, and Sambosa will be familiar, while others, such as the Borani and the Tahdig, are truly Persian. From there, select from the various kabobs or one of the hearty stews. Then finish the evening with a sweet dessert and either a Persian Tea (flavored with cardamon and served with a traditional sugar cube) or a Turkish Coffee.
If you are there at lunch, sandwiches and platters are added to the menu. Falafel, gyros and kabobs can be enjoyed in the Middle-Eastern themed ambience or ordered for take-out. The chefs use organic lamb, chicken and halal meats, and vegetarian dishes are also available.
