Sofreh

"Was going to give this 5 stars but for the desert especially. Two of us shared a bottle of wine, 2 appetizers, one salad, a rice, a main, and a desert. Wine list was surprisingly weak - mostly relatively vanilla North American and European, and nothing Middle Eastern. We did the house red which was a basic Italian blend. The prices were fair so no major complaints. Appetizers, salad, main were excellent. 5 stars if this is all we had ordered. Mushrooms, eggplant, and date salad were truly unique / so flavorful. We ordered the beef stew for our main and it was similarly flavorful and healthy. We ordered the (butternut squash) halva and it was a massive letdown / left us with a poor taste. It honestly felt like leftover butternut squash had been softened and molded; it had almost no flavor, was an odd consistency, and was like no halva we've ever had. Would highly recommend - just don't order the halva..."

"Great and unique tastes. My favorites were the eggplant dip with the bread, steak kebab, sweet potato, and roasted pickled cauliflower (the appetizer). Pretty average / would not get again I thought were the salad, cauliflower steak main entree, and catch of the day. And, did not think that the saffron rice was worth the $8."

"Delicious, flavorful dishes in an ambient setting. The wait staff was very helpful guiding us in the appropriate rice to pair with the beef stew. The people are friendly and the food is unique. Can’t wait to come back here and make it a neighborhood spot."

"This wasn't just a meal. It was a whole adventure through one of the most incredible dining experiences I have had this year. I have dined at some exceptional restaurants this year in Philly, Fort Lauderdale, and NYC and I am having a tough time finding another restaurant that comes close to my experience at Sofreh. From the suggestions and guidance from our knowledgeable server to watching the executive chef finish performing last touches to the plates before offering them for service. What made the experience even better is that the staff, front of house and back of house, seemed like family which gave patrons an energy that matched the cuisine. But back to the kitchen as I was lucky enough to watch them work...I watched four people in the kitchen work in a tight space as if choreographed as they created magical dishes and flavors. The joy on the faces of the artists in the kitchen told me it was going to be a great experience because they were having a good time. It is rare to come across a place like this, with a front and back of house that made me want to put on an apron and go back to my days in a restaurant, Sofreh made me want to do just that. Today, most restaurants are chaotic without a sense of organization and the food suffers because of it - not at Sofreh. I will be back many times and intend to eat everything on the menu in the next few months. Also, the young crowd understands this is the spot and now I understand why it takes so long to get a reservation...we were some of the older people there but I stand undeterred. My generation needs to get out here and experience this amazing staff and this incomparable menu. Thank you all for a wonderful experience."

"Excellent service and dining environment. Must have reservation. The staff were attentive and noted our dietary restrictions. The restaurant is modern and has fun/quirky Iranian I assume film in the bathroom. Food wise was very disappointing to me. The only nice item was the eggplant dip which also wasn't that memorable. The zucchini fritter was also just ok. The disappointment was the ash stew and cauliflower steak. Both were super sour and acidic like other reviews noted. We asked what was used which was Persian lime. They definitely went too generous on that. Our gum was very sensitive trying to finish those dishes and didn't enjoy. Food wise I prefer Shiraz Kitchen in Chelsea for unique Iranian food. The same dishes tasted better there."