Nov 16th, 2002
Darband
This past month has involved a lot of eating out. First and foremost, I’ve got to mention this Iranian place on 5th Avenue, on the outskirts of the downtown area - Darband.
Darband is located at 1556 Fifth Avenue. I was a bit skeptical at first because it advertises itself as an “Iranian Deli,” which is a bizarre concept to me, but as soon as I smelled the fragrant aroma of sumac and saffron I knew that the place was authentic. So far, I’ve tried the Zereshk Polo, Jujeh Kebob, and the Kebob Kubideh and they approach my Mother’s dishes which is the same thing as saying that they are close to perfect. Every day, they offer a different special from a selection that includes well known Iranian dishes such as Lubia Polo and Ghorme Sabseh. Unlike Bandar and Sadaf, the restaurant is more about the food than the ambience and any true aficionado of Persian food will quickly see the place for the hidden gem that it is.
