Soltan Banoo

Soltan Banoo Restaurant Review:

Owner-chef Mahin Mofazeli and her daughters, Sanam and Roxanne, formerly owned the tiny Café Caspian. But when its popularity proved too great, they opened the larger Soltan Banoo. Dining al fresco is particularly enjoyable, as is the authentic cuisine where you'll discover tradition and exotic dishes. Middle Eastern standards such as hummus, tabbouleh and baba ghanouj are all done competently, but we go straight for the famous ash anar, pomegranate soup with lentils, beans, wheat, spinach and herbs. Those with more delicate palates will enjoy the chicken or mahi mahi kebab plates, both served with fragrant basmati rice and the shirazi salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and cilantro in lemon and olive oil. More adventurous sorts will try the fesenjoon (served only on Wednesdays), a rich, sweet stew with chicken, walnuts and pomegranate juice. Don't miss the wide selection of teas and bite-size desserts, including Turkish delight and the cardamom-laced baghlava, pleasantly more subtle than the sometimes-cloying and differently spelled Greek version. For the less daring but devoted sweet tooth, there is also a raspberry chocolate truffle ice cream covered in chocolate with hot berries and pomegranate sauce.