Saturday at Sabzy

On Saturday, I had supper at Sabzy. I wanted something to drink without alcohol and was reflective of Persian culture. My answer came in a cup of doogh, which is carbonated, plain yogurt with herbs. The taste was salty and sour, and the carbonation added an interesting texture. It is definitely not something to chug down when thirsty, but to sip and experience. I could see myself acquiring a taste for this.

The lamb shank with barberry rice was ordered on the other side of the table, but I just had to try it. The lamb was cooked for 18 hours and the seasonings had totally permeated it. It literally fell off the bone. It tasted different than any other lamb I had ever tried before.

I had the barberry rice mix with marinated chicken. The chicken was also very tender, with flavour through and through. The rice was plentiful and had an interesting assortment of flavours. At its base was saffron, topped with almonds, pistachios, and barberry, which were dried. They look like pieces of pomegranate, but have a slightly bitter flavour. This dominated, and I could not really taste the nuts.

Overall, we both enjoyed our meals. I am going to have to come back for the doogh and the lamb shank.

Persian Pleasure: Sabzy

Queen beef and chicken kebabs #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Saturday was spent at several event on Whyte Avenue and included lunch at Sabzy Persian Grill.

I had a Queen Kabob platter. It was a long kebob of beef and chicken served with saffron rice and grilled tomatoes. The chicken and beef were done to perfection.

Although the portion was deceptively huge, I opted for a double kebob portion - the second kebob was a choice of chicken, ground beef and lamb, or vegetable. I had the chicken, which was the equivalent of a thick breast in chunks, juicy and seasoned. There was a symphony in my mouth.

I also tried the Lamb Stew, which was tender and aromatic. The bowl was filled with meat, herbs, and kidney beans.