Ghaza ye Iranii & Iranican Food
I've been here five days and have now eaten my fair share of traditional chelo kabab: saffron rice, semi-spicy broiled meat, a few carrots and beans, and a broiled tomato or two. At this point, "khoshmaze" (delicious) unconsciously rolls off my tongue every time I reach for a sip of dugh (yogurt drink) or refreshing tap water from the still snow-capped mountains. The best meals have been in people's homes (such as Babak's secret recipes), but Darband came in second with its elegant outdoor dining and soothing fountains on a hot afternoon.
There it is, exactly what you'd expect me to say regarding classic Iranian food - I can almost hear the background Persian setar music (which by the way, sounds amazing too).
Since I am away from home however, my radar goes up every time I cross paths with something that reminds me of it - and I have been reminded often. Hold on, here we go:
STARCUPS - one of these is in a mall near the Bazaar Tajrish.
This Iranian answer to Starbucks is a classy French bistro-style cafe with a menu offering "American Coffee" right next to "Turkish Coffee". Maybe they should serve this brew at the United Nations.
PALM PIZZA - on an upscale street in Northern Tehran.
The logo of a palm tree against a skewed yellow checkerboard square is an exact replica of California Pizza Kitchen. Just cut and paste the name - actually I like the name Palm Pizza better.
BASKIN ROBBINS - on Vale Asr Street, the Champs Elysees of Tehran.
Whoa. I thought this was a U.S. owned company, but after reviewing Wikipedia.com I learned it changed hands to the British awhile back. Baskin Robbins, Togos, and Dunkin' Donuts are now under the umbrella of Dunkin' Donuts, Inc. Baskin Robbins is a part of my American childhood and now it sits on one of the most trafficked streets in Iran. I wonder if I have "Pink Bubble Gum" flavor in common with any Iranians.
STAR BURGERS - near Vale Asr Street and Parqu
e Melat.
Is that a Carl's Junior taking up space on one of Tehran's most coveted pieces of real estate? The happy-faced star logo is flying through the sky with a lot more personality than Carl's stamped-on look. Still, I hope the fast-food trend slows down. In my experience so far, long lunches and dinners with family and friends are one of the things that make Persians who they are, and that means happy, content, and fed by more than just food.
BURGER MADAM & SIR - also on Vale Asr Street.
This one speaks for itself. They should've called it Burger Shah.
There it is, exactly what you'd expect me to say regarding classic Iranian food - I can almost hear the background Persian setar music (which by the way, sounds amazing too).
Since I am away from home however, my radar goes up every time I cross paths with something that reminds me of it - and I have been reminded often. Hold on, here we go:
STARCUPS - one of these is in a mall near the Bazaar Tajrish.This Iranian answer to Starbucks is a classy French bistro-style cafe with a menu offering "American Coffee" right next to "Turkish Coffee". Maybe they should serve this brew at the United Nations.
PALM PIZZA - on an upscale street in Northern Tehran.
The logo of a palm tree against a skewed yellow checkerboard square is an exact replica of California Pizza Kitchen. Just cut and paste the name - actually I like the name Palm Pizza better.
BASKIN ROBBINS - on Vale Asr Street, the Champs Elysees of Tehran.
Whoa. I thought this was a U.S. owned company, but after reviewing Wikipedia.com I learned it changed hands to the British awhile back. Baskin Robbins, Togos, and Dunkin' Donuts are now under the umbrella of Dunkin' Donuts, Inc. Baskin Robbins is a part of my American childhood and now it sits on one of the most trafficked streets in Iran. I wonder if I have "Pink Bubble Gum" flavor in common with any Iranians.
STAR BURGERS - near Vale Asr Street and Parqu
e Melat.Is that a Carl's Junior taking up space on one of Tehran's most coveted pieces of real estate? The happy-faced star logo is flying through the sky with a lot more personality than Carl's stamped-on look. Still, I hope the fast-food trend slows down. In my experience so far, long lunches and dinners with family and friends are one of the things that make Persians who they are, and that means happy, content, and fed by more than just food.
BURGER MADAM & SIR - also on Vale Asr Street.
This one speaks for itself. They should've called it Burger Shah.
posted by Sian Taylor Gowan at 4:11 PM
3 Comments:
I can certainly understand why you'd want to visit Iran, as it's a beautiful country.
And I understand about raising cultural awareness for kids.
But you said in one of your replies, that you weren't getting into religion or politics.
That's fine, if the children are young. Like maybe under the age of 9. But older than that and the children need to understand that the children of Iran live in a very different atmosphere than children in the U.S. (or children in any free society, for that matter) And the reason the Iranian children live in such a different atmosphere, is because of the religion and politics in Iran.
Private life in Iran is very different from public life, and that's because of the theocratic dictatorship there.
While it's nice to introduce young children to other children in foreign countries to let them know that in some ways, we aren't very different, it's inaccurate and a disservice to pretend that there isn't something very dark and different in the lives of kids growing up in Iran. Because those Iranian kids are exposed to the evil & darkness everyday that's imposed on them by the government and it affects them emotionally & psychologically and sometimes physically (as, for instance, in the case of being beaten for attending a mixed gender birthday party)
Maybe it would be an interesting study/survey for you to start asking children there, how many know a relative or friend or neighbor who has been arrested. 90%? More?
Iran is a beautiful country and I hope to get there soon myself.
I'm just hoping that it's a free and democratic Iran soon, where parents and children aren't worried about the gov't punishing their kids for playing pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey with boys and girls at a birthday party.
Of course I know where you're coming from, but I hope you understand where I'm coming from: Iran. I'm here on a tourist visa and would like their government to grant me visas again in future. Creating blogs with religious and political opinions could hinder that so I'll leave it to the journalists and many other existing sources to discuss those important angles.
Besides, there are few sources covering the fluff, so hopefully it fills a gap - but more importantly, I hope it draws Americans in to learn more about Iran who are otherwise turned off by the hard-core news items. Many Americans mistakenly envision camels, desert, and hookas when they think of Iran. These people vote for American leaders, and with so many issues going on in the Middle East, it's important that they are informed. If Americans discover the reality of Iranian culture maybe they will be more sympathetic to the points you've brought up.
When I exactly believe the same as c.h, I understand Sian's concerns too. She is right. For working in our part of the world, you have to be patient and cautious. Hastiness (and extreme frankness) always make troubles ending up to nothing benefiting nobody.
Good luck Sian!
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