by Richard Foss
When it comes to cooking, some simple things are very difficult. One of the best examples is sushi, which in its classic form consists of just fish, vinegared rice, and perhaps the barest hint of wasabi or soy. The texture of the seafood is front and center, so a wise chef who has edible but less than excellent fish will use it in a cooked and seasoned item instead. If a dish has just a few flavors, you taste them all, so the quality of ingredients and deftness of preparation are vital.
Persia is an odd place for a cuisine that uses a limited palate of mild seasonings. For centuries it was a major stop on the Silk Road, the artery for spices and luxuries going from Asia to the Mediterranean, and one might reasonably expect that some of that fragrant and flavorful bounty would have become integral to their cuisine. Instead, while other countries along that route developed intense sauces and preparations, Persian cuisine remained simple, based on rice, grilled meats and seafood, vegetable salads, and a few stews. The seeming lack of variety is partly an illusion, though, because there is considerable variety based on family traditions.
The newest and most interesting place to experience is Aria’s Grill, which opened just over two months ago in a somewhat worn strip mall on Sepulveda Boulevard in Torrance. The small restaurant is nicely decorated with murals and images from Persian culture, of which the most interesting is an image of a dancer that is also a masterpiece of calligraphy. It’s a cozy environment though not all booths are comfortable – some have very close spacing between the tables, so those who show the physical effects of enjoying their meals will find them a bit cramped. Leave those to the skinny folks and try the next one.
We were greeted by a co-owner named Farhad, a friendly fellow who came to America when he was 14 years old. He told us his family had been in the food business for generations, and he was an effective and hospitable guide to the menu. Chat with him or one of the other staff members before ordering, because that’s the best way to find out about off-menu items that are available. The restaurant is fairly new and they’re still adding things.
After consultation, we started the meal with stuffed grape leaves, Shirazi salad, and the roasted eggplant, garlic, whey, and onion dip called kashk-e-bademjan. The kashk had a creamy texture and rich flavor of roasted eggplant and onion with garlic and dried mint. Olive oil and chopped walnuts finish the dish, and this is as good a place as any to mention that you should tell the staff about any allergies before you order. The menu does not list all ingredients, and a few items that appear vegetarian contain meat. Oddly, the online menu is more detailed, so you might have your phone handy when winnowing down your choices. The kashk and other yoghurt-based dips are served with pita bread, which is Arabic, but the whole wheat Persian sesame bread called sangak is available if you ask, and much better.
Stuffed grape leaves are a staple of many cuisines from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean, and it’s obvious why – wrapping leftover rice and vegetables in the big pickled leaves creates a tasty snack from inexpensive ingredients. The Persian version is vegan and includes peas and a little onion. The flavor is fresh and tangy. As for the Shirazi salad, it’s just cucumber, onion, and tomato with a little mint and lemon juice. As with other items in this cuisine, the flavors of the fresh vegetables are magnified by the dressing rather than covered by it.
Aria’s doesn’t serve alcohol, but offers tea and a few fruit concoctions. One of our party had a glass of sharbat, cherry syrup mixed with water, which has a name similar to the iced confection. If that sounds similar to a frozen dessert called sherbet, it’s no accident — both come from the root word that means “refreshing.” I preferred the homemade lemonade with a dash of rose water, which had a delicate floral scent and sweet and sour tang.
We noticed that on every table there was a shaker of sumac, the slightly citrusy condiment rare in American cooking. When we commented on it, Farhad said that Persians put sumac on almost everything, and he brought out a secret sauce that is one of his specialties. It’s just butter, purée, roasted tomato, and sumac, simple but effective.
Grills are at the center of this cuisine, and we tried filet mignon kebabs, grilled whitefish, and Cornish game hen. None were heavily seasoned – unlike Turkish kebabs that are heavily laced with garlic, pepper, and herbs, Persians prefer a bit of turmeric, garlic, and mild seasonings. The grilling left a light, tasty char at the edges of each kebab, with the interiors of all just done to medium rare. I was particularly impressed by the Cornish game hen, which has pieces of different sizes. Farhad told me the smallest chunks are at the end of the skewer. When they are done they’re moved off the edge of the grill so the larger pieces can finish cooking, a nifty idea.
Almost all meals come with a small mountain of rice, fluffy basmati topped with saffron rice by default, but with other varieties available. The variations include additions of dill with fava beans, green beans with chopped beef, whole sour cherries, and tart little barberries, which are not exactly like cranberries but not totally different. The dill with fava beans is very heavy on dill, which I like but which others at our table found too strongly herbal. The sour cherry rice was popular with everyone, though the cherries were a bit sweeter than the name led me to expect. Persians enjoy fruits and savories mixed together, and having this rice alongside hearty meat dishes is a delight. I was less delighted by the green beans in tomato sauce with beef and overtones of fenugreek. It wasn’t bad, but neither was it as interesting as the others.
Another rice option is tahdig, which wasn’t listed on either the online or paper menu. This is one of those culinary items that almost certainly came about as a kitchen accident but was replicated because people liked it. It’s what happens when you leave some rice in the bottom of a pot over the fire – you get a crunchy base with moist rice over it, which you can use as a base for a stew or stir-fry. In Korean cuisine this is called bibimpap, in Persia it’s tahdig, and a few other cultures in Senegal and elsewhere serve it by different names. It is sometimes made crispy, sometimes slightly leathery, and at Aria they serve the softer version. It’s a polarizing dish that accents the flavor of the rice, but some people can’t get past the unusual texture.
We also tried orders of stewed lamb shanks and a chicken, pomegranate, and walnut stew called fesenjon. As with the kebabs and grills, portions were almost hilariously huge. The two small shanks had enough meat that one came home untouched, despite the fact that the meat was appealingly tender and aromatic. As for the fesenjon, it’s a dish I order with some wariness, because it’s often overly sweet. Here the balance was perfect, so that fruity, nutty, and savory flavors all combined. If you’ve never had this, or never liked it before, try it here.
All meals are served with grilled red onion, broiled tomato, and oddly, a grilled jalapeño or serrano pepper. Persians notoriously don’t like spicy foods, but in America, the clientele seems to expect it. I found the pepper unpleasantly hot, and quit after one bite.
Persians like to finish a meal with tea and sweets, and that evening Aria’s offered baklava, a stuffed cookie called sabra mamool, and a syrup and rosewater-soaked pastry called bamieh. Baklava is Turkish and widely available, and I find bamieh too sweet, so we ordered the sabra mamool. This date-stuffed pastry originated in Lebanon but is widely popular across the region, and it’s something like shortbread stuffed with fig paste. It’s OK, but I hope they aren’t out of the custard called sahlab next time, because I prefer that.
Meals at Aria’s are very moderately priced, with almost every entree below $20 for a very generous portion. This is the best Persian food I’ve had this side of Westwood, and I’ll be back for more as soon as I have finished the leftovers from the previous visit, which I expect will take a day or two of steady eating.
Aria’s Grill is at 1555 Sepulveda Blvd., Unit G, near the corner of Lockness Avenue. Open 11 am daily. Closes 9 p.m. Mo.-Sat, 8 pm Sun. Parking lot or street parking, wheelchair access okay Some vegan items. No alcohol served. Noise level low. (424) 263-5189. AriasGrill.com. ER
