Sofreh

"Perfect For: Date Night, Dinner With Parents What It Is: A Persian Restaurant In Prospect Heights If we made a Hit List for every neighborhood, Sofreh would probably make the one for Prospect Heights. It’s a new Persian place, and when we stopped by the other night, it was pretty busy. We waited about 10 minutes for a table - then we ate some roasted eggplant, little meatballs with sour cherries, and a big lamb shank. And while everything showed promise, it all could have used a little more flavor. There was no one thing that made us want to rush back, but we’ll check back in once they’ve been open a little longer. The Verdict: A solid new option in the neighborhood, but not something you need to travel for at the moment." - hannah albertine, bryan kim, katherine lewin, hillary reinsberg, chris stang, matt tervooren

"Sofreh is a Persian restaurant a few blocks south of the Barclays Center that’s perfect for when you need something on the nicer side that isn’t unnecessarily fancy. It’s an attractive space with a black-and-white color scheme and sleek wooden furniture, and it’s exactly the kind of place where you’d eat with a set of parents who consider themselves cool. The food is reliably delicious - especially the big tender lamb shank and the various dips that come with housemade bread. Just be sure to book a table in advance (this place gets busy)." - hannah albertine, bryan kim, matt tervooren

"This Prospect Heights restaurant does Persian food with panache, turning out beautiful plates of smoky roasted eggplant, black sea bass in tamarind stew, and big platters of saffron rice that go with everything. The breezy, white-brick dining room is chic but comfortable, and their chef can usually be seen chatting with customers like they’re guests in her own home. We typically reserve Sofreh for special date nights, or a catch-up meal with friends visiting from out of town—just keep in mind it’s a popular spot, so make a reservation in advance. They also have a daytime bakery, Sofreh Cafe, one block away. " - neha talreja

"Sofreh feels chic and comfortable simultaneously (an ideal balance in all facets of life), and it’s one of the best Persian restaurants in the city. Come here for smoky roasted eggplant with flesh that falls apart in the middle, a hulking lamb shank in a dill and dried lime broth, and a side of saffron rice that goes with everything. We typically reserve Sofreh for special date nights or a catch-up meal with a friend visiting from out of town, but you could happily have a solo dinner at the bar, too. " - bryan kim, hannah albertine, nikko duren, willa moore

"Sofreh does Persian food with style. At this Prospect Heights restaurant, the food is painted with housemade yogurt, covered in finely chopped herbs, and bejeweled with pomegranate seeds that sparkle like small rubies. Forgoing the big kebab platters or bowls of stew that you’ll find in the city’s (very few) older Persian restaurants, Sofreh focuses instead on smaller, beautiful plates of food that are more suited for a chic date night, or impressing an out-of-towner. photo credit: Kate Previte Pretty as this food is, nothing is just for decoration. At Sofreh, the concept of a garnish might as well not exist. Do a close reading of the menu, and you’ll notice that those herbs, fruits, and nuts get main billing, right alongside things like lamb shank and striped bass. Each ingredient is vital—as chef Nasim Alikhani will confirm, when she inevitably stops by your table for a short tête à tête, like she’s hosting guests in her own home. The day’s haul is a frequent topic of conversation: Maybe the right cucumbers have been hard to come by this week, but the yogurt, made in-house, is especially good today. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte Take your server’s suggestions for the perfect combination of dips, rice dishes and larger entrees that best showcase every facet of this cuisine. Tucked into a side street off Flatbush Ave., Sofreh fits easily into the date night rotation of people in the neighborhood who usually alternate between Faun and Fausto on the same street. But it’s also an excellent education in Persian food, which makes it worth seeking out no matter where you’re coming from. Food Rundown photo credit: Kate Previte Eggplant and Whey Dip The whey in this dish (kashk, which is made out of strained yogurt and a common Persian ingredient), brings an immense amount of tart, umami flavor. Underneath, there’s smoky roasted eggplant with flesh that falls apart in the middle. photo credit: Kate Previte Maitake Mushrooms You can always count on maitake mushrooms to bring plenty of meaty flavor (and mass) to the table, but again, the whey gives it that extra oomph that makes the dish. photo credit: Kate Previte Tahini & Date Salad Petite heads of red baby gem lettuce, barely visible under a puddle of tahini, are topped with dates, pink radishes, and a heavy dusting of sesame seeds. Dried fruit in a salad is nothing revelatory, but the combination of sweet dates, sharp radishes and a tahini that’s surprisingly spicy really show off the unexpected, but balanced, combinations Sofreh does best. The toasted sesame seeds on top aren’t just there to enhance the tahini, but provide a sweeter, nuttier version of the flavor altogether. photo credit: Kate Previte Catch of the Day The catch of the day is usually a wild-caught striped bass, or wild-caught black sea bass. It comes in a spicy and herbaceous tamarind stew, which overpowers the fish a bit, but it’s a very good, herbaceous and sour sauce, so still worth the order. It helps that the filet also has super crispy skin and edges. photo credit: Kate Previte Lamb Shank The lamb here is thoroughly seasoned and falls apart into the dried lime and dill stew, just as soon as you tickle it with your fork." - Neha Talreja