THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Shiraz

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Shiraz Restaurant Review:

Seductive Shiraz stands out for its exotic Persian cuisine and also for the intriguing connections with Spain and Mexico that seem to occur with fesenjan, a dish with chicken, pomegranate and walnuts, which suggests family ties to Mexican mole---minus the chocolate, of course. Of the strictly Persian dishes, we are not fond of the knee-jerk hummus, but the pleasantly earthy and herbal ghormeh sabzi, lamb in a parsley-cilantro sauce, is subtly satisfying. In Shiraz's serene environment, Persian music settles over you like so many diaphanous veils. Traditional dishes, such as the crunchy-creamy tachin, a kind of layered casserole of rice and chicken with saffron-yogurt sauce, are especially successful. And if the chef is experimenting with fusion foods, such as South Texas antelope in a roasted pepper sauce, allow him that indulgence. On special occasions, such as the first day of spring or Persian New Year, he takes a different approach, turning out dishes like the walnut herb cakes and fruit-stuffed Cornish hens. Given the traditional culture, belly dancers occasionally appear, and there’s a surprisingly sophisticated wine list. A Persian cheesecake is appealing with its scents of orange, cardamom and saffron.