First Look: Taste of Persia on South Grand

Taste of Persia opened in mid-April at 3189 S. Grand Blvd., offering Iranian cuisine with Afghan influences.

The restaurant features family recipes passed down from owner Mohammad Abdolrezagh's mother. Mohammad's wife, Sofya Abdolrazagh, serves as head chef, while their daughter, Ghazaleh Abdolrazagh, manages the eatery.

“My dad wants to bring Iran to St. Louis through food and open them up to new cuisines,” Ghazaleh Abdolrazagh said. “My mom is Afghan and my dad is Iranian, so we have the best of both worlds.”

Appetizers include items like falafel, hummus with naan, aash (a soup made with noodles, beans and yogurt) and pakowra, a variety of battered and fried vegetables. Entrees range from kebabs and tikka masala to biryani and curry chicken. There’s also a selection of vegetarian dishes, a few desserts like baklava, along with traditional yogurt-based Persian beverages like doogh, a yogurt drink with mint, and a mango lassi.

“Most of it is healthy,” Abdolrazagh said. “Hardly anything is fried; most things are grilled or steamed. We also have a lot of gluten-free and dairy-free options.”

The 1,000-square-foot space that once housed Baida Moroccan Cuisine seats 40. “It’s very cozy,” Abdolrazagh said. “I've had a lot of people that came up and said they don’t even feel like they’re at a restaurant. Persian music is playing and the lights are dim.”

Taste of Persia is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Lauren Healey is associate editor at Sauce Magazine.

Editor's Note: This article originally said Taste of Persia was located in the former Baida space. Baida is located next door and is still in business. The article was updated to correct the error.