by GENEVIEVE PAIEMENT

Though every supermarket stocks plastic tubs of hummus, baba ganoush and tabouli, and this city’s streets are lined with fast food falafel joints, to limit oneself to these meagre Middle Eastern offerings would be like sticking to La Belle Province and claiming to know what Quebecois food is all about.

Persian cuisine in particular, one of the most ancient culinary traditions in the world, offers a treasure trove of Middle Eastern delights. It’s known for its complex yet subtle combinations of sweet, sour and savoury, ethereal saffron-scented rice, masterful stews and its orange blossom water and rose water deserts, to name just a few delicacies.

Being already familiar with a few of this city’s Persian, or Iranian, restos (the lovely Byblos, Tehran), my friends and I thought we’d add a new one to our repertoire: Quartier Perse on Decarie, right next to Villa Maria metro. The cold and windy night we visited, a group of more than 20 was gathered for an end-of-Ramadan feast—a good omen, we thought. The place itself is pretty sparse, with white walls broken up by the occasional wood panel or small display case of Iranian crafts.

To start, we ordered the makhloote trio of dips ($10): mast-o-khiar (yogurt, cucumber, mint & raisins), mirza ghassemi (eggplant, tomato and garlic dip) zaitun parvardeh (green olives, pomegranate juice and walnut dip), which came with a basket of pita triangles. Each was outstanding. The yogurt dip was thick, creamy and refreshing (it was served quite cold), and the eggplant-tomato was luscious, tangy and almost silky in texture, with just the right amount of saltiness.

The zaitun parvardeh “dip” was not so dip-like, as it consisted of whole green olives coated in a pomegranate-walnut concoction that tasted like heaven. My dining companions and I literally moaned with pleasure as the intermingling briny, sweet and nutty flavours competed for attention from our taste buds.

The dips so enchanted us that we expected great things from the rest of our meal. All mains come with either salad or soup and, seeking warmth, the three of us chose soup over the cold and humdrum-sounding salad of lettuce and tomato. Our choice, however, was pretty average. A bit of barley in a tomato base reminiscent of something from a can. Still, it was hot, and that was good.

Things got back on track with the mains. The brochettes sounded very tasty but, again, the late fall temperatures had us seeking comfort foods, so we opted for stew: one fessenjan (chicken stewed in walnut and pomegranate sauce, $12.50), one zershk polow (chicken stewed with saffron, $14) and one baghala polow (stewed lamb shank, $15). Each stew came accompanied by a large plate of basmati rice.

The Persian berry rice accompanying the saffron chicken was dotted with dried currants and saffron-infused rice, while the lamb’s side of rice was topped with sliced beans, sweetened orange peel and almonds. My rice was left plain, according to our waiter, “because the sauce is so intense.” I had to agree with this line of reasoning. Craving a little veggie action, we also ordered a side of Shiraz salad, a very simple Persian tomato and cucumber salad.

The meat in each dish was—just as the menu predicted it would be —“stewed to perfection,” melt-in-your-mouth tender and infused with flavour. My chicken’s walnut and pomegranate sauce looked like mud, so deep and earthy was its shade of brown. Spooned over the accompanying perfectly cooked basmati, the sauce tasted dense and nutty, yet understated, and less sweet than the olive dip version. The other chicken dish and the lamb tasted similarly of saffron, lemon and tomato—again the effect was subtle and satisfying.

Dessert, sadly, was a bit of a letdown: a trio of lacklustre baklava ($5.25) tasted day-old, and bland, the phyllo wilted and soggy. But the complimentary cardamom-scented tea was a nice touch.

Overall, Quartier Perse offers good, hearty Persian eats. So next time you have a craving for Middle Eastern fare, skip the microwaved falafel and let the more restrained flavours of Persia seduce your palate.

Quartier Perse
ADDRESS: 4241 Decarie
PHONE: (514) 488-6367
HOURS: 5–11 p.m. every day
BEST FEATURES: Hearty, delicious Iranian dips and stews
ALCOHOL: Yes
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: Yes
CREDIT CARDS: Yes
PRICE: $15–$25 per person, before taxes and wine
RATING: ** and a half out of ****