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Ravagh Has Ethnic Flair
By The Foodies./ foodie@longislandernews.com
When Matt Tazari was asked why
he and his partners decided to bring a Persian grill to Huntington,
his answer was simple: “It’s what it needed.”
We are inclined to agree with him. Even with all the diversity
in restaurants Huntington village boasts, Ravagh Persian Grill,
open just over a month, brings something new to the table
– truly ethnic food no one else is serving (like kebobs
and stews) in a fine dining atmosphere.
Ravagh got its start in Manhattan about 15 years ago and steadily
expanded, opening another in Manhattan and then one in Roslyn
Heights. For its fourth restaurant, the group took over the
Main Street space formerly home to Blond and completely transformed
it into an exotic Persian haven. What used to be decorated
in blues pushing New American fare now pulls the diner in
with hues of oranges, golds, yellows and browns. On the walls,
bronze-colored plates depicting ancient tribal members convey
the region’s deep history while colorful rugs indicate
strong cultural roots.
Wine is just the ticket for the kind of food Ravagh has to
offer. Our waiter Z took good care of us, picking out the
perfect Syrah. Then came a quartet of appetizers, all meant
to be spread on warm pita bread. Our favorite was the Kashk-Bademjan
($6.50), cooked eggplant in homemade tomato sauce topped with
yogurt. It’s tummy-warming and delicious. The Salad Olovieh
($7) was unexpected but also ended up being at the top of
our recommendation list; made of chicken and potato with eggs,
green peas and carrots, it tastes like a fancy potato salad
that we couldn’t get enough of. If you’re a fan
of humus ($6), Ravagh has one of the best, an addicting blend
of crushed chic peas, tahini paste and house seasoning. Babaganoosh
($6.50) is also tasty, a chilled spread of baked eggplant
with tahini paste, garlic and seasoning.
An excellent way to cleanse the palate after all the flavor
of the spreads is with the Shirazi Salad ($6), made of diced
cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion and parsley. It’s cool
and refreshing, a perfect in-between-courses dish.
Our entrees centered around Ravagh’s main draw: kebobs.
Grilled to juicy perfection and de-skewered before they arrive
at your table, it seemed to us you couldn’t go wrong
with any one. A standout on the night of our visit was the
Jujeh Kebob ($15), bone-in Cornish hen in a lemon saffron
marinade. The hen was juicy and the outside char-grilled,
making it one of our favorite kebobs. Another excellent choice
is the Barg Kebob ($15), juicy strips of sirloin marinated
in a house recipe. The strips seemed like they were taken
from a tender filet mignon. We enjoyed the flavors in the
Chicken Koobideh Kebob ($12), chopped chicken flavored with
saffron, and Koobideh Kebob ($12), open-flamed barbecued chopped
beef. Both has similar consistencies to chicken/hamburgers
but spiced and herbs blended in added a flavorful punch.
Ravagh’s stews are truly unique – thick, hearty
and packed with flavor. Ghourmeh Sabzi ($12) is made by simmering
parsley and scallions with tender chunks of beef, red kidney
beans and dried lemon. It has a meaty taste to it, paired
wonderfully with rice. Khoresh Gheymeh ($12) is a bit lighter
with more of a tomato flavor to it, made with chunks of beef,
yellow peas and dried lemon in a tomato sauce.
There are plenty of types of rice to choose from, but we went
with the traditional Basmati rice and the Zereshk Polo ($6)
specialty rice, made slightly sweeter by barberries, currants
and saffron mixed in.
Dessert was a treat, with a few things we’ve never had
before. In one dish, we were given a bowl of skinny rice noodles
frozen in shaved ice. We then added the syrup of our choosing:
lemon flavored or sour cherry. We felt like we were making
our own Italian ices. Both were good, but we’d recommend
the lemon, which adds a tasty zest to the yummy frozen treat.
Persian ice cream with pistachio and saffron had an incredibly
unique taste, and was a great way to end our meal, along with
a tasty baklava pastry.
If you’re looking to add some culture to your dining
mix, this is the place. Head to Ravagh when you’re looking
for something different, and they will surely deliver.
Ravagh Persian Grill
335 Main St.
Huntington
631-923-2050
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