The Definitive Guide to Persian Square

Located next door and connected via a not-so-secret passageway, is the younger sibling restaurant, Attari Grill. Building on the success of the first, the owners expanded in 2010. Many of the offerings from the sandwich shop are duplicated here, but the menu contains dishes not usually available there, and is much more formal. But the real beauty of having the two places back to back is that customers can usually order from either menu at both places.

While the kukus are available at both, they are served as sandwiches at the shop, and as appetizers at the grill. The latter is better way to appreciate it for the first time, to really get a sense for what it’s all about without the distraction of the bread. Available in potato and sabzi forms, the sabzi is more distinctive. It’s basically a sponge-y, vegetal and herbal cross between a quiche and squishy soufflé. Yet it’s prepped in about half the time, and as the distinct green color suggests, chock full of spinach, cilantro and other herbs.

One dish only found at the grill is the grilled rack of lamb. It’s listed as a kebab, but is not served skewered on a stick. It is seasoned beautifully and tender to the bite. Pay the small up-charge for the specialty baghali polo rice with dill and lima beans. The pairing of it with the meat is perfect.

One last piece of advice: visit either location on Friday for the lamb shank stew known as ab-goosht. It takes three days to make, and the juice and meat are served separately. Demand far outweighs the supply, so it rarely lasts past lunchtime.