Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
revolution and is the most convenient place in the south to find a decent curry, though if
you want it hot, ask. There are a few vegetarian dishes for about US$7.
TEAHOUSE
Sofreh Khane Ayyaran$$
( 6676 0376; Enqelab Ave, off Ferdosi Sq; meals from US$8; noon-midnight)
This
subterranean
chaykhaneh
(teahouse) makes an appealing escape from the fumes of Fer-
dosi Sq. The large Iranian menu has some hard-to-find dishes and a couple that you might
not expect in your standard Tehran basement, such as 'Submissive'. Apparently it's egg-
plant, master.
Istanbul-No Restaurant$
(off Jomhuri-ye Eslami Ave; meals US$2-4; noon-4pm)
Tucked away 20m down a
lane near Hotel Naderi, this tiny, unpretentious lunchtime place serves a surprising range
of Iranian dishes with Turkish fare thrown in. Kababs share space with huge pots of
khoresht
,
ghorme sabzi
(stewed beans, greens and mince) and
mirza ghasemi
(mashed
eggplant, squash, garlic, tomato and egg).
IRANIAN
Tarighat Restaurant$
(Amir Kabir St; meals US$3-5; noon-4pm Sat-Thu; Mellat)
Handy to the budget
accommodation, this lunchtime place serves reliably good interpretations of the standard
kababs,
khoresht
and
zereshk polo ba morgh
(roast chicken served with rice and barberry).
IRANIAN
Armenian Club$$$
( 6670 0521-2; 68 Khark St, cnr France Ave; meals US$6-17; 7.30-11.30pm daily,
noon-3pm Fri; Valiasr)
The Armenian Club is almost a one-off in Tehran. Because it's
a Christian establishment, women can legally eat or just hang out sans hejab (clothes that
cover hair, arms and legs and disguise your body shape). Which is more of a reason to
come than for the food and cheesy one-man-band (think
All of Me
) alone; the barbecued
sturgeon (US$17), chicken kiev (US$7) and beef stroganoff (US$11) are expensive given
the quality. There's nothing here that's Armenian. The club doesn't advertise its existence
- look for a yellow awning and a tiny buzzer - but welcomes guests as long as you're not
Muslim (by government order).
IRANIAN
