Life of Wry

..I love you so.

There are other urban, multicultural, progressive, student ghettos in the world, but none as close and as warm (today) as Berkeley. And a window seat, no less, to watch it all go by.

Had a slow and luxurious two-hour lunch at Alborz, a Persian restaurant near the corner of Oxford and Central.  Discovered it a couple months ago with Jim and Dror the night we went to hear Monica sing at Freight and Salvage, and have been dying to go back. Parto was game and what’s more, she knew her way around the menu and did some fine ordering. All of the staff and most of the clientele was Iranian, which is a pretty good indication of authenticity. Parto gave it a pretty decent review.

This is the neighborhood (Alborz is the red awning):

We had a couple of appetizers mast-o-musir (yogurt with crushed dried garlic) and shirazi (diced tomato, cucumber, onions in lemon and olive oil). They both went well with the flatbread, but we also added them to our entrees. We shared joogeh kabab (chicken breast marinated in lime, saffron and olive oil) and khoresht bodemjan (lamb shank with eggplant and sour grapes). Both came with a mountain of basmati w/ saffron.  And we had them bring a sliced white onlon. The lamb was the better of the two entrees, but I loved both.  Parto had a coke, but talked me into a drink I’d never had: doogh, which is a yogurt-based, savory beverage, carbonated and seasoned a bit with mint. I liked it!  For dessert we had persian tea with hard sugar cubes you’re supposed to put in your mouth while you drink the tea, and these: faloodeh (frozen rice noodles with rose water, to which you could add a squirt of lemon juice) and a rice pudding with almonds (i think) and I’m not sure what else on top.  I actually preferred the frozen rice noodles, but Parto said it wasn’t the best implementation.

Inspired to return. So many restaurants to try.

After lunch we went for a walk down by the marina.  Warm, breezy air.  Spectacular, as always.