Persian

Los Angeles, September 9, 2016—

WE STOPPED OFF late in the afternoon to drop in on an old friend not seen for years. What a pleasure to find him virtually unchanged, healthy and happy, in a fine typical West L.A. bungalow filled with vintage photographs and comfortable furniture, with a cold bottle of Prosecco, bread and olive oil, and cheese and strawberries! That does not quite a dinner make, though, so we discussed the matter along with others, and then walked three-quarters of a mile to a favorite place of his on Westwood Boulevard, in what seems to be a middle-East enclave peppered with Persians and Lebanese. The menu was enticing, but I simply took Jim's advice: Fesenjan. This turned out to be a sort of mid-East mole, a stew rich with grated walnuts, pomegranate juice and pomegranate molasses, with a braised lamb shank drowning in it. I've never had anything like it, and would willingly have it again, perhaps on a cooler evening. The portions here are enormous; there was no way I could finish the plate, or the equally generous serving of Basmati rice, half of it richly colored with saffron. There was also a Shirazi salad: diced cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, parsley, dressed with a lemon vinaigrette. Not to mention flatbread, and a fine amuse-bouche of lemon and mint. Interesting and savory, this place…

Pinot noir, Beringer "Founders' Estate", 2014

•Shamshiri Grill, 1712 Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles; 310-474-1410

☛RESTAURANTS VISITED, with information and rating: 2016
(2015 restaurants)