Dinner at Pardis in Glendale turned out to be the perfect call for a casual but lovely night out on a recent Sunday with cousin Jessica in town for work.
The dining room, with wood-paneled walls, modern lighting fixtures, and framed art, was lively when we arrived on the early side. A cocktail to start would’ve made for a festive time, but alas Monday was only a few short hours away.
Dinner began with a basket of complimentary flatbread made in the restaurant’s tanour.
Also on the table was a lil’ sabzi khordan platter with lemon basil, raw red onion, and cold pats of butter.
To start, a duo of strong appetizers, including the kashk bademjan — fried eggplant with caramelized onions ($10).
And the crispy tahdig ($13), which is ladled with two stews: the ghormeh sabzi with beef, sautéed herbs, and kidney beans, and the gheymeh with beef and yellow split peas.
On the meat front, our party of four shared two ample entrees. First up was the very delightful soltani kebab ($31) with koobideh and barg (thinly sliced filet mignon).
While I was anticipating adoring the koobideh most, the lamb ribs ($31) were the table’s favorite. The tenderness of the lamb, charred and caramelized just so, had us floored. We opted for the dill rice with this one.
Note to self: return to Pardis on Monday or Wednesday for the chef’s special saffron rice-stuffed chicken (tahchin).
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Pardis Restaurant
738 N. Glendale Avenue
Glendale, CA 91206
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