Rumi's Kitchen

Rumi's Kitchen Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: Chef/owner Ali Mesghali from Esfahan, Iran, founded Rumi’s Kitchen in 2007, then moved it in 2014 to a nearby new, larger and more elegant circumstance. During the day natural light streams in through a clerestory and curtained windows. Giant ficus trees thrive in clay pots and planters and contemporary art adorns the walls. The busy open kitchen is a hub of activity.

Food & Drinks: Appetizers work best, especially the smoked eggplant in tomato and garlic (mirza ghasemi) and the Shirazi salad (diced bits of Persian cucumber, onion, parsley and tomato bound in a lemon vinaigrette). The lamb shank needed more seasoning, as did the Persian vegetable stew; based on butternut squash and potato, it lacked veggie variety. Classic sumac, a spice blend, is offered to enhance flavors to taste, and grilled onion, pickled vegetables and Rumi's yogurt round out the plates. Desserts made in-house include saffron pistachio ice cream; sorbet with rice noodles, rosewater, lemon and tart cherry; and a top-flight baklava. The extensive wine list supports the menu; Scharffenberger Brut Rosé makes an ideal palate-refreshing pairing with the food. Among the selections are a couple of four-figure budget-busters, but on the whole they are attractively priced. Rumi’s also makes its own sodas.