If you haven’t tried Persian cuisine, we’ve got the perfect recommendation for you. Parisa has just opened at Al Messila Resort & Spa! The restaurant will take you on a culinary journey to ancient Persia, wherein you’ll be able to taste classic flavors and savor authentic aromas in a sophisticated setting.
Although not one of the famous cuisines, Persian cuisine is rich, colorful, and diverse. To show you why you need to try Persian food, the ILoveQatar.net team recently visited Parisa to give you a sneak peek! Scroll down to find out about our experience.
Noosh-e jan!
Starting from the pink carpet outside to the ornate wooden doors, you know you’ll be entering a world of wonder. Once inside, you’ll be mesmerized by the Persian-inspired colors and details sprinkled throughout the restaurant, all adding to its modern elegance.
There’s a separate section for families offering more privacy and an outdoor terrace that you can take advantage of during this time of the year.
To start the meal, we were served with a platter of bread and greens (Sabzi) with nuts, cheese, cucumber, tomato, and radish. The bread was crisp and tasted freshly made straight from their oven.
We then had the cold appetizers, which included Salad-e-Shirazi, a tangy mixture of finely diced cucumber, tomato, and onion. The mint and lime dressing made for a refreshing combination. It was also nice to be eaten along with the kababs that came later on in the meal.
The Mast-o-khiar (whipped yogurt) reminded us of Tzatziki, but the addition of walnuts, raisins, cucumber, and dried mint set it apart. We enjoyed this refreshing side by dipping the crispy bread on it and later on, the grilled meats too.
Although it differs in name, the Salad-e panir va hendevaneh is the classic watermelon and feta cheese salad. The contrast between the sweetness of the watermelon and the feta’s saltiness, along with the chopped walnuts and lime juice, makes for an exciting play of flavors and textures in the mouth. It reminds you of a warm summer day.
Moving on to the hot appetizers, the Ash-e-reshte (Persian noodle soup with chickpea, lentils, kidney beans, mint sauce, and sun-dried yogurt) will surprise you. It's comforting, hot, hearty, and felt like a hug in a bowl. It’s perfect for a cold winter night.
The Persian eggplant dip, Kashk-o bademjan, was beautifully presented, and we enjoyed the savoury mash of fried eggplant, sun-dried yoghurt, and mint paste.
How we wished there was more of the Kooftey-ye-anar. The lamb meatballs were packed not just with meat but also with flavors. The addition of the pomegranate sauce, herbs, and pistachio elevated the dish and added depth to the flavors.
Although already stuffed, we were ready for the main course. The chef graciously served us his favorite, the kababs, on a smoking hot tabletop grill, no less!
We had the chance to taste five kinds of kabab - lamb skewer infused with onion & golden saffron (Kabab koobideh), beef tenderloin marinated overnight in yoghurt, black pepper & shallots (Kabab-e tikke larry), boneless chicken marinated in lime juice, saffron & onion (Jooje kabab), lamb chops marinated in onion & black pepper (Kabab-e shashlik), and tiger prawns marinated in saffron, lime juice & olive oil. The mixed grill set is best paired with steaming hot saffron rice.
All of them were delectable, tender, and juicy, but if we had to choose a winner, we’d pick the lamb chops. It was succulent, mild-flavored, and wasn’t gamey at all.
Finally, it’s time for the dessert! We got a combination of two desserts - Persian sorbet topped with Persian Saffron ice cream in a bowl.
The Persian sorbet is made of frozen vermicelli, rose water, fresh lime, and homemade sour cherry sauce, while the saffron ice cream is topped with pistachio. The mixture of tartness and sweetness is an excellent way to refresh the palate and end the meal on a high note. It’s what sweet dreams are made of!
What do you think of Parisa restaurant? Which dish are you most excited to try? Let us know in the comments!
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