Mirza ghasemi, my favorite of all Persian dips, combines eggplant, tomato, and egg. The yogurt is made in-house and then hung in a bag to drain, allowing it to thicken to an ideal richness before beets, dried shallots, or cucumber and mint are added. Make sure to order one of the yogurt-based dips. At just $22, it includes a choice of three starters. It’s best to start with the appetizer combo platter. Seated in a room dominated by browns and turquoises, diners can sip on drinks like the Earl Grey sidecar, which bolsters cognac with a tea-scented lavender-and-rose syrup.
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Kowkabi and Shan choose servers for their good attitudes and train them in old-fashioned mores (you will certainly not be packing up your own leftovers at Divan) as well as the long menu, full of pan-Persian dishes, many of which you won’t see elsewhere in the DMV. Think of it as a homecoming for him and a return to fine dining done right for many guests made blasé by so-so service and food that fails to impress. From the moment Kowkabi and general manager David Shan, looking sharp in a bow tie, welcome diners into the restaurant, it’s clear that this is a carefully cultivated experience.ĭivan is the first eatery opened by the restaurateur, a native of Tehran known for DC restaurants including Ristorante Piccolo and Catch 15, since he declared bankruptcy in 2017. The restaurant is named for the 14th-century poet Hafez’s famous collection, a compendium of romantic poems that often reference wining and feasting. (Photo by Rey Lopez)Īnd that is exactly what happens at Divan at every opportunity. Poultry, from duck breast to chicken legs, is treated with proper respect. “It costs a little bit more for us, but we want to make sure that customers get what they want,” says Kowkabi.
But Divan is not most Persian restaurants. Most Persian restaurants charge extra to top their rice with tangy barberries, dill and fava beans, or a mix of herbs. After 15 to 18 minutes, they flip it over for a perfect individual tahdig that crackles with every bite. Chefs Vahab Shoar and Vicente Torres cook each portion of the basmati rice in nonstick pots with saffron, butter, and oil. “It’s a brand-new style of making the rice,” explains owner Tony Kowkabi. At Divan in McLean, every dish comes with a mound of rice topped with a layer of crunch. Called tahdig, it’s Iran’s contribution to the world’s crispy rice pantheon that includes dishes like paella in Spain and nam khao in Thailand.īut it’s rare to see tahdig in a restaurant. There, the cook seeks to prepare the basmati grains so they form a crunchy crust on the bottom of the pot. In an Iranian home, it may be even more important. At any good Persian restaurant, it’s all about the rice.