DINING REVIEW

Stephen Santacroce

Ever since some Iranian friends of mine took me to a Persian

restaurant several years ago, I have been fascinated and delighted by the

subtle flavors and intricate history of Persian cuisine. The Persian

empire was one of the world’s first great empires, and the cuisine that

developed from the courts of Cyrus the Great and other such rulers bear

the influence of its exotic lands.

Since the late 1980s, Darya restaurant has been serving Orange County

diners fine Persian cooking; first at its original location on MacArthur

Boulevard and Bristol Street, and more recently, at its current spot in

South Coast Village, next to Antonello’s.

Appearances can be deceiving. Diners with a 1940s filmimagination

picturing a colorful silk tapestried interior will be surprised to find

that Darya’s decor more closely resembles an elegant 1920s New York hot

spot than something from Ali Baba’s court.

The large, two-story restaurant sports crystal chandeliers and crisp

white linen tablecloths in an unassumingly graceful setting punctuated by

sparkling beveled-glass windows. The staff is attentive for the most

part, although our waiter on the day after Thanksgiving seemed a bit

overwhelmed. Nevertheless, the waiters are particularly helpful in

explaining the myriad dishes to Western diners unfamiliar with the exotic

offerings.

Soon after being seated at Darya, a complimentary basket of lavash, a

soft unleavened flat bread, and a dish of butter arrive. Darya used to

serve the traditional condiment of raw onion along with the bread, but

now you have to ask for it. It’s customary to wrap a few pieces of onion

in the bread to munch on while perusing the rest of the menu. A fine way

to stimulate the taste buds, but perhaps not the best choice for a first

date.

Appetizers include a variety of dips to go along with lavash,

including maust’khair ($4.95), a creamy yogurt flavored with mint and

chopped cucumber, or the similar maust’moosier ($4.95), yogurt mixed with

chopped shallots. The yogurt is refreshingly cool, especially if you’ve

been sampling some of the raw onion.

Another refreshingly different starter is the panir sabzi ($5.95). A

large plate is divided in sections with feta cheese, walnuts, radishes

and an assortment of fresh herbs, such as mint, basil, watercress and

tarragon. The idea here is to wrap some of the cheese in a piece of bread

along with some of the herbs, radish and nuts. It’s a great combination,

with a variety of flavors and texture.

Rice is a staple of Persian cooking, and the method of cooking Persian

rice is a complicated, multistage process. The end result leaves a crispy

crust at the bottom of the cooking pan, known as tadig. Far from being

something to toss in the trash, the tadig is a delicacy, served

separately as a savory appetizer. Darya serves tadig ($3.95 with one

sauce, $5.95 for two) with a variety of sauces that accent the nutty

flavor of the rice. On a recent visit, we ordered two sauces -- a sharp

tomato lentil mixture and a sharper sauce made with a variety of fresh

herbs. Both were delicious.

I should warn you now, it’s easy to fill up on appetizers here. Even

if you don’t, you’ll probably be bringing home leftovers, as all of the

portions at Darya are generous, to say the least.

Persian cuisine seems to me to fall into two basic categories: simple

dishes of grilled marinated meats that are cooked on skewers, and more

complex stew-type dishes. Both are offered at Darya, although the

majority of the menu falls in the first category.

Grilled dishes feature a variety of poultry choices, including a shish

kabob ($14.95) of boneless chunks of marinated chicken breast with

alternating slices of green pepper, onion and tomato. The marinade,

although kept a closely guarded secret, has hints of lemon juice and

yogurt, and keeps the meat moist and tender.

Chicken barg ($13.95) has the breast meat pounded thin and grilled in

strips for a result that seemed a bit drier to me. All of the grilled

dishes are served with fluffy basmati rice and a grilled whole tomato.

Red meat lovers will find plenty of choices on Darya’s menu. On a

recent visit, we tried the lamb kabob ($16.95), which was easily the

favorite of the table. There was nothing fancy about the dish, chunks of

tender lamb were served alongside rice and grilled tomato, but the lamb

was juicy and flavorful, with no muttony aftertaste. It simply melted in

our mouths.

Vegetable lovers take note: While there are a few vegetarian entrees

on the menu, the grilled tomato is all you get if you order just about

anything else.

Anyone who thinks ground beef is suitable for an occasional Big Mac

but doesn’t have a place in fine dining should try the chelo kebob

($8.95). In this dish, seasoned ground sirloin is formed into long, cigar

shaped patties and grilled over an open flame. I like to wrap pieces of

the meat in some lavash along with some fresh herbs and yogurt.

Several rice dishes are featured on the entree list, including albalo

polo ($10.95), a tasty combination of fluffy basmati rice, tender boiled

chicken and tangy black cherries (watch out for pits). I love this

combination and often ask to have the rice and cherry mixture substituted

for plain rice on other dishes (they’ll do this for no charge if you

ask).

Another of the rice dishes, baghali polo ($10.95), combines rice with

dill, lima beans and tender chunks of marinated lamb shank.

Desserts at Darya include a traditional selection of such Western

sweets as tiramisu and cheesecakes, as well as several varieties of

Persian pastries served with a sweet rose watersauce.

Darya is an elegant introduction into the exotic offerings of Persian

cuisine. The setting is relaxing, especially with the live music offered

in the evenings, and the staff is attentive and eager to help explain

unfamiliar dishes. The portions are generous, and as evening meals are

served family style, it’s the perfect gathering place for a large group

looking for an out of the ordinary and fun experience.

* STEPHEN SANTACROCE’S restaurant reviews appear every other Thursday.

Send him your comments at [email protected].

FYI

* WHAT: Darya

* WHERE: 1611 Sunflower Drive, in South Coast Village

* WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday,

11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, and noon to 10 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday

* HOW MUCH: Moderately expensive

* CALL: (714) 557-6600