Shiraz

Anyone been here yet?
Looks nice from outside, located in very weird spot just off x-way at Montrose. (SE side)
http://www.shirazrestaurante.com/menu.html
SHIRAZ RESTAURANT
4425 W. MONTROSE AVENUE
CHICAGO, IL 60641
773-777-7275

I also can't wait to try Buckaroo Viognier:

Aussie steaks, chops, and salads for the ladeez

edit: wow...my snark makes little sense in light of the menu for Shiraz: middle eastern?

I was a little confused by your reply.
It's middle eastern.
I live by Montrose & Pulaski & always feel bad about not being more adventurous in my own N'hood. Salam & Susie's & the little Mex. place on the corner by the house(name unknown)...
There are just so many places near me, & am never too sure, so I lurk here to see if any are mentioned.

Shiraz, among other things, is a city in Iran.

Well, thankfully it's not the heralding of a trend bearing Australian wine-themed restaurants.

LEY take note: "Buckaroo Viognier" is for sale....cheap.

A nice middle eastern restaurant on Montrose, near the Kennedy. Anyone have any thoughts, reviews?

I stopped in yesterday just to check it out. The place is absolutely gorgeous. They did an amazing job combining beautiful Persian fabrics with an urban lofty feel. The menu looks great, with mostly traditional Persian items. Entree prices average about 12 bucks. Liquor license has been applied for, and NO byob until it arrives. Hope to eat there soon, or to hear a review from someone who beats me to it.

Shiraz
4425 W. Montrose
773-777-7275

butter674 wrote:A nice middle eastern restaurant on Montrose, near the Kennedy. Anyone have any thoughts, reviews?

Butter,

I've heard from a few people Shiraz is quite good, Jesse at Chuy's Chicken for one. It's fairly high on my list of places to try.

Shiraz On-line menu

Enjoy,
Gary

Shiraz
4425 W. Montrose
Chicago, IL 60641
773-777-7275

Chuy's Chicken
3652 W Lawrence Ave
Chicago, IL

I passed by this place driving around picking up 'supplies' during my last week in Chicago. Filed it under – another interesting looking place I won't get to. I can't offer any more info I'm afraid.
Shiraz


Further down that road I also saw Malabar (which I know by reputation (good) only)
(click for larger)

We tried Shiraz Sunday afternoon and enjoyed it quite a bit. As earlier posters have described, its really quite gorgeous in there.

The Persian restuarants I've been to here have fairly similar menus, heavy on the kababs, shiraz's was no different, though with a couple slight differences.

One thing I liked was that they seemed more willing to allow non-persians the chance to taste some of the more sour end of the taste spectrum, a complimentary tomato soup was much better than anticipated mainly because of this sour aspect, like a good indian rasam. Another vegetarian "green soup" was I think the standout dish, with noodles, mint and the taste of dried limes. Also nice was the option of ordering "tadig" as a side dish topped by a stew of choice. Tadiq is the crusty rice that develops at the bottom of a rice pan, as a kid my sister and I would always fight over this delicacy (in hindi its called krade). I thought Shiraz's version a little too crusty, but it was great the next day when the gormeh sabzi had soaked in. Another thing I liked with the gormeh sabzi was the inclusion of a whole dried lime, I enjoyed eating it immensely, it reminded of indian lime pickles.

the lamb chops were very good, the kababs good, surprisingly the shrimp and scallop combination much better than expected, much more highly seasoned. It's been a long while since I've been to noon-o-kabab (pre expansion and check please) so I can not compare to them, but it compares IMO favorably to Cafe Suron.

Afterwards, we stopped by Malabar to see if they had anything we could take home, we walked in as they were preparing chicken biryani for 2500, luckily however there were a number of small containers of a quite a few other things to take home, incluing beef fry, a lamb curry, and a green bean thoran (we got a few more dishes but I don't remember them offhand). I haven't tried all of these yet, but one taste of the beef fry indicated that they are still as good as ever.

they indicated that the best time to stop by for non ordered in advance food is Saturday morning.

I have since dined at Shirazz and was very pleased. The staff was overly friendly and the meals we chose all were plentiful and a great deal for the low prices. All 3 of us had lunch the next day. Great food, with a lot of flavor. I will return and definitely recommend Shirazz

We went a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it a great deal. It was a nice night so we sat outside and never actually saw the inside (we had biked over and forgot to bring bike locks).

They brought over a complimentary relish-type tray which was sort of like a mild giardinaire. It was too recently in the refrigerator, but it still tasted good with the feta. The best part of this was the flat bread they served. It wasn't pita or naan or as thin as you typically find, but it had more texture and flavor. For the meal, we had shrimp and what they described as a bone-in chicken. They warned us that the shrimp was spicy, but it was still pretty mild. It was grilled perfectly and tasted great, paricularly with the yogurt that we ordered. The chicken was also charred just right.

There are very few decent restaurants over around Montrose and Kostner so we were quite pleased and hope they succeed. They claimed that the liquor license should be in any day, so that will be a nice addition as well.

After reading the post for Shiraz, I thought I would venture out and try it for myself. I can't rave enough about the interior. Shiraz has a very cozy setting and is a great place for a date or dinner with friends. The food is standard persian/middle eastern with a few of their own personal touches. We started with the dolmeh and for the entree I had the chicken soltani and my friend had the lamb shank. The portions were enormous, my plate had to weigh at least six pounds. Overall I was happy with Shiraz, good food and service. Wish them a very prosperous future.

zim wrote:We tried Shiraz Sunday afternoon and enjoyed it quite a bit. As earlier posters have described, its really quite gorgeous in there.

The Persian restuarants I've been to here have fairly similar menus, heavy on the kababs, shiraz's was no different, though with a couple slight differences.

zim,

I stopped by there tonight and had the green soup and tadig on your rec -- both outstandingly good. The tadig in particular was an excellently chewy and "tough" (in a good way) bunch o' rice, and with one of the soupy Shiraz stews on top, killer.

My favorite dish was the gormeh sabzi -- for those who don't know, a rich mess of ground herb, lime and kidney bean that was so fine over the rice (and, yes, I will try it tomorrow for comparison).

The fessenjen was fascinating -- what seemed like pounded chicken in a pomegranate-walnut sauce that was sweet and sour and really good over a side order of barberry rice.

I dug the facsimile art on the walls (familiar to any fans of the Oriental Institute) -- overall, this place is way worth a visit.

Oh, and we had some doogh, which I believe is a Klingon beverage: yogurt, soda, and lots of salt -- I love to eat strange and new things, but this drink was a major challenge. I still have a bottle in the refrigerator, if anyone would like to try it...

Hammond

FWIW, Shiraz was listed under "Save this Restaurant" section in a recent issue TOC...

TonyC wrote:FWIW, Shiraz was listed under "Save this Restaurant" section in a recent issue TOC...

I was there on a Saturday night, and they seemed busy enough...almost too busy (the servers seemed borderline frantic). They are expanding -- the room in back will become a hookah parlor/belly dancing parlor -- so apparently they're somewhat confident about their future.

Is it still BYO? I was thinking about going this week. My husband has been wanting to try it and we can walk there...

kafein wrote:Is it still BYO? I was thinking about going this week. My husband has been wanting to try it and we can walk there...

It is BYOB, but they also have a bar. I asked the host if, with the bar, they were stopping the practice of letting people bring bottles, but he assured me that you could still bring your own. Not sure if there's a corkage fee.

I think I dreamt about the gormeh sabzi yesterday.

Hammond

David Hammond wrote:
I think I dreamt about the gormeh sabzi yesterday.

Hammond

Dave, glad you liked the recs and glad to Shiraz is doing well - so what'd you think: tadig & gormeh sabzi better at restaurant or the next day?

zim wrote:

David Hammond wrote:
I think I dreamt about the gormeh sabzi yesterday.

Hammond

Dave, glad you liked the recs and glad to Shiraz is doing well - so what'd you think: tadig & gormeh sabzi better at restaurant or the next day?

Zim, the gormeh sabzi and the stews seemed a little better on day 2 (though they were excellent to begin with). The tadig, however, may actually have lost some crispness (though that didn't stop me from wolfing down a large quantity for lunch).

Shiraz is just a fine place -- try the doogh! (I dare you).

Hammond

David Hammond wrote:
Shiraz is just a fine place -- try the doogh! (I dare you).

Hammond

Dave, how does the doogh campare in funkiness to a salty lassi?

Doogh is carbonated -- bubbles in a milk-based beverage is a whole new drinking experience. The salt doesn't help. I hope I don't come across as closed-minded, but this stuff was very tough to get down, and I cannot imagine ever ordering it again.

David "I'll drink almost anything" Hammond

Does Shiraz serve homemade doogh? (Some places will have both the super-carbonated, bottled kind and the homemade.) The carbonated water makes the bottled doogh a bit harsh. Homemade doogh typically is not mixed with carbonated water and therefore will be a little bit easier to enjoy for doogh newbies. The homemade version is fermented (and therefore slightly carbonated), slightly diluted yogurt with mint and salt added and is something like a salty lassi.

I am a non-Persian married into a Persian family, and my in-laws marvel over my love for doogh. I hated it the first time I tried it, but over time it really grew on me. My husband and I will often drink it on hot afternoons instead of a beer. It's really quite refreshing! My suggestion is to try it a few times before you decide that you really can't stomach it. (That is, if one of your life goals is to be able to drink doogh!)

chicagoexpat wrote:Does Shiraz serve homemade doogh?

House-made doogh is on the menu at Shiraz, but they didn't have any when I was there.

Guess I'd be willing to give it one more shot...

David

David Hammond wrote:It is BYOB, but they also have a bar. I asked the host if, with the bar, they were stopping the practice of letting people bring bottles, but he assured me that you could still bring your own. Not sure if there's a corkage fee.

Hammond,

We were there a few nights ago, no problem with bringing in wine, not sure if there was a corkage fee, though we bought beer from them.

In keeping with the general trend of this thread we very much enjoyed Shiraz, quality and attention to detail were good and the grilled food reminded me of a pre check please Noon O Kabob, in particular the Soltani, a combo of Barg and Koobideh. Slightly pink center, good flavor, large portion, perfect with a shake of table sumac.

Soltani


As Zim mentioned the scallop and shrimp combo was surprisingly good, mildly spicy and perfectly grilled, not always an easy task with scallops or shrimp.

Seafood Combo


Fessenjan, breast meat chicken in a pomegranate walnut sauce was nicely done as well. Breast meat moist, tender, pomegranate providing front note, walnuts back.

Fessenjan


Gormeh Sabzi was interesting, and I mean that in a good way. Flavor wise nothing I was really familiar with, though I thought there was a slight taste similarity to mole negro, as odd as that might sound.

Gormeh Sabzi


Dried lime, is one of the more interesting components of Gormeh Sabzi


Tadig is right up my alley, crusty rice, lots of chew, well developed flavor. We had it topped with Cheymeh Bademjon. (Eggplant stew w/diced beef, yellow split peas, saffron, onion, tomato sauce)

Tadig w/Cheymeh Bademjon (This is an appetizer portion for $4, one stew of your choice included)


Far as the infamous Doogh goes, I am not among it's admirers, to put it mildly. Mike G equivocated and Ellen was smart enough to gauge our reactions then take a pass.

I think Peter D's reaction shot speaks volumes, and he liked it much (much) more than me.

Doogh, where's my car?



Desserts were fine, though not memorable, the Penguin, which is in the general area, for Argentinean gelato would be my choice.

Steliana w/dessert tray.


Overall I have nothing but good things to say about Shiraz, attractively decorated room, well prepared interesting food, good service and very reasonable pricing. I will be back soon.

Enjoy,
Gary

Didn't we have another appetizer? I think we did. The tomato-cuke salad with dill in it.

My feeling about Shiraz is that it's a very good restaurant for a slightly boring cuisine. Having done my time at the likes of Reza's, Noon-O-Kebab, etc., I feel there's nothing wrong with the simple grilled meat, enormous mound of dilled rice, standard grilled tomato and onion quarters, etc. that are Persian food in the US, but there's not that much to be thrilled by either, and it mainly works (much like the Brazilian meat-on-swords joints) as a steakhouse with a veneer of foreignness.

The best thing I ever had at Noon-O-Kebab was a warm spinach-cheese dip the owner's father made one time, never on the menu again; my hope, partly realized, was that there would be some things like that on the menu at Shiraz that went beyond meat-on-skewers and suggested what else Iranians eat. Although the texture of the dried out rice in the Tadiq was not very interesting (closer to last night's Chinese food microwaved for lunch than the charred delights of Korean dolsot), I liked the simple, tomato-based stew on top of it. The sauce on the chicken fessenjen was bright and interesting, though fanned slices of chicken breast was less intriguing than the way Cafe Suron prepares a dish (obviously somewhat different) they call by the same name:



The Gormeh Sabzi reminded me not of a mole but of Indian spinach dishes, but less clearly spiced; interesting to try, but I wouldn't order it again. The standouts for me were, in the end, the more conventional dishes. The seafood was piquantly spiced and prepared extremely well, and maybe it was because for once I was asked how I wanted a beef and lamb skewer cooked and I said medium rare, but the pink-centered meat was certainly the best beef of that sort I've ever had in one of these kinds of places, tender, flavorful and, as you can see from Gary's pic, served in a portion of Flintstonian dimensions, much of which went home with me.

I don't mean to damn Shiraz with faint praise, it is very good of its type, has a fun, slightly cartoonish Middle Eastern atmosphere the kids will enjoy, and the price was very reasonable. And if you mainly know the cuisine from Reza's, Shiraz will expand your horizons a bit, particularly on the appetizer side. But I don't think Persian food will ever replace, say, Indian food in my heart, or convince me it has comparable range and complexity.

Mike,

are you sure that's a pic of fessenjan at cafe suron? what I've had there is almost exactly the same as the pic at shiraz. I remember thinking (and maybe even posting) why boneless chicken breast? at the time.

Maybe not, the picture is over a year old and no notes attached to it, so memory could be wrong.

Mike G wrote:Maybe not, the picture is over a year old and no notes attached to it, so memory could be wrong.

It looks exactly like I remebered the same dish from Suron.

Mike G wrote:Maybe not, the picture is over a year old and no notes attached to it, so memory could be wrong.

I think those are quail, Mike.

here's a pic of fessenjan from cafe suron's site:


here's the description of fessenjan from their site:

"Grilled chicken breast in a traditional pomegranate and ground walnut sauce."