Persian restaurant in Ghent: Anar Resto

 2023-12-08 

Persian restaurant in Ghent: Anar Resto

Anar, a Persian restaurant located in the heart of Ghent, offers a culinary journey through Persian cuisine. The restaurant, whose name means pomegranate in Persian, serves traditional Persian dishes prepared with the subtle flavors of pomegranate, lime, and a blend of spices, all based on family recipes. The main course offers a selection of grilled, stewed, and rice dishes. The meal ends with a selection of delicious sweets or unique ice cream specialties. Vegetarians are also catered for, with many dishes being plant-based or offering a vegetarian alternative. The menu is available in six languages: Dutch, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian.

Jujeh kabab (جوجه‌ کباب)

Grilled chicken filet, marinated in lemon and saffron

Price: 23.0€

I'm sure there are no Koreans who don't like this. I fell in love with this food. 

I really want all Koreans to taste Jujeh kabab before they die🤣.

Baghali polo (باقلا پلو)

Persian green rice with dill, served with a slow-cooked tender lamb shank

Price: 24.0€

My friend said it was very delicious without any unpleasant smell of lamb.

Khoresh-e-Fesenjan (خورش فسنجون)

Stew with chicken in a rich, sweet and sour walnut and pomegranate sauce 

Price: 24.0€

Khoresh is a generic Iranian term for stew dishes in the Iranian cuisine, Afghan cuisine, Tajik cuisine and also Kurdish cuisine. These stews are generally served with pilaf (rice). Iranian cuisine offers a wide range of unique khoresh dishes, with many vegetarian alternatives available. Saffron is frequently used in these stews to impart a distinctive and aromatic flavor. The most well-known khoresh dishes in Iranian cuisine include gheimeh, ghormeh sabzi, and fesenjan.

This isn’t a flavor that Koreans are usually familiar with, so I think it will be polarizing. Personally, I consider the taste to be quite unique.

 

Tartufo Pistacchio

 Price: 7.5€

Bastani Sonnati (بستنی سنتی): Persian Ice Cream

A delicious fusion of saffron, rose water, and pistachios 

Price: 7.5€

One of my favorite Iranian foods! I ordered three times that day😍.

Chai Nabat (Persian tea with sugar stick) 

Price: 4.0€

Parsi Espahan

Grape: 100% Primitivo

Alcohol percentage: 14%

Tasting notes: Blackberries, strawberries, vanilla

Produced from the Primitivo grape, this wine features a pronounced but nicely balanced flavor with a long-lasting finish. This exceptional spicy and fruity wine is an excellent accompaniment to starters, white and red meats, grilled items, and mature cheeses.

Espahan, presently known as Isfahan in Iran, was historically the capital of Persia and the world’s largest city. The city is not only known for its historical buildings and their stunning architecture but also for its production of various handicrafts, from Persian rugs to hand-painted tiles and intricate mosaics. The city is often referred to as the “half of the world” in Persian.

For the ancient Persians, lees were a critical part of wine. They believed that a wine without dregs was a lifeless wine, as they thought the soul of the grape was in the dregs. In other words, to capture the grape’s soul in the bottle, these wines are left unfiltered. Therefore, you don’t have to be surprised if you discover a bit of sediment in your glass.

Due to the prohibition of alcohol, wine cannot be legally produced in Iran (Islamic Republic of) today. Before the Islamic Revolution occurred in 1979, Iran (Pahlavi Iran, officially the Imperial State of Persia) had up to 300 wineries. The wine producer, Rumi Beverages, states that Persians have considered wine as a lost beauty of their heritage. So, Rumi Beverages has produced Persian wine to revive and preserve this overlooked tradition.

My friend and I enjoyed the clear and refreshing scent, which was not too strong and did not interfere with the taste of the food.

Parsi Espahan with Bastani Sonnati