Kashke bademjan is eggplant, slightly bitter and resonant with deep vegetal sweetness. (Christine House / For the Los Angeles Times)
Owner Abbas Mohammadi, seated, and son-in-law and restaurant manager Matthew Forutan. (Christine House / For the Los Angeles Times)
Clockwise from top left, zorba (stuffed grape leaves with rice and herbs), fesenjan (ground walnuts in pomegranate sauce, served with chicken), ghormeh sabzi (parsley, leek, spinach and herbs sauteed and stewed with beef), basmati rice topped with crispy crust of rice, and kashke bademjan (fried eggplant mixed with onion and garlic topped with kashk, mint and onion). (Christine House / For the Los Angeles Times)
Kelly Betpolice has lunch at the restaurant on Ventura Boulevard in Tarzana. (Christine House / For the Los Angeles Times)
A cook prepares barg kebab, made with filet mignon pounded, marinated and skewered. “We just make everything fresh, from scratch,” says manager Matthew Forutan. (Christine House / For the Los Angeles Times)
