San Diego - Caspian Corner

When it comes to Iranian restaurants, I'm a discriminating bastard because the quality of my Mom's cooking is such that it has completely ruined me from enjoying anything but the best Iranian food. So when I go to an Iranian restaurant and I say that the food is "decent," it should be taKarl to mean that the food is out of this world, it's just that in comparison to my Mom's cooking, anything short of perfection is average.

Anyway, there are basically two Iranian restaurants in San Diego: Sadaf and Bandar. Of the two, Sadaf has better food. Recently, I was pleasantly surprised to find the Caspian Corner, a small Iranian restaurant/cafe in University Heights, located at 4646 Park Blvd (619-298-2801).

It is a family-run restaurant that caters to a more new-age/vegan/tree-hugging group. This means the Kebob Kubideh that I know and love is absent from their menu. On the other hand, they have delicious Lubia Polo and Ghormeh Sabze, at mind-bogglingly low prices. The ambience is intimate and cozy and you will feel like you are eating in someone's house. The family who owns the restaurant are extremely warm and friendly and you are destined to have an enjoyable experience if you go there. They also have an extensive menu of various teas from around the world.

It already is one of my favorite places in San Diego. If only they would make Kebob and get rid of the hippies, it would be my single-most favorite place in San Diego.