We were continuing on with our guided foodie tour along West 4th, and Delara was our second stop. Having already finished a full 6 course dinner before, we were now preparing to embark on another multi-course feast, but this time Persian cuisine.
Delara is a 3 time Michelin recommended restaurant and I was surprised that this was the first time I had heard of them, let alone dining in.
Our large group was seated right by the window, onlooking the sidewalk and subsequent world passing by us. The bones of the place remained the same from the Old Burgoo restaurant that it once was, but now all white, bright, and open.
Here, we would enjoy three course across several share plates, starting with our own individual drinks. I gravitated towards the one with apple cider, hoping to help with digestion and opening up my stomach for more food to come. The vinegar was partnered with a honey mint mix that made for a very refreshing way to add levity to such a bold meal to come.
Our first course started with Grilled Sourdough Flatbread and Seasonal Dips as our appetizer. The bread was on the tough side with all the seeds adding to its dryness. The dip was needed just to help soften the chew. I failed to capture what was in the mix, but between the two I enjoyed the carrot and squash puree in a golden yellow more. It was bright and bold whereas the sandy eggplant was more dull, but fragrant with herbs, with a crunch from all the nuts.
The table really enjoyed the Roasted Cauliflower and Yogurt small plate. This was cauliflower roasted with spices, and served on a bed of spicy yogurt; topped with hazelnut, sesame seeds, and mint. I would have liked the florets more crispy, but these were boiled soft and meant to soak up flavour like the refreshing mint. I was also not a fan of the crunchy nuts, as their shards got stuck between my teeth.
The Koofteh was a meatball moulded from beef, rice, split peas, herbs, walnut, and plums. Each was giant, and having one was plenty. They had the ashy texture of a lentil patty, so I appreciated the chunks embedded throughout making things less dense. Plain as is, you really had to coat it within the pool to earn some flavour.
Our main course was all proteins. The Duck Fesenjoon was a sweet and tangy stew of walnut and pomegranate molasses, served with pan roasted duck breast. Admittedly this wasn’t much to look at as log of brown in a pool of browner. Although I was impressed that it was such a large portion. I never had duck like this before, this was an interesting sauce that was salty, sweet, and tangy from molasses. I didn’t understand why there was so much of it, as I scraped it off to be able to enjoy the natural flavour of duck meat. The sauce was almost a little too sweet to be paired with meat and therefore needed rice for cover. Luckily we had 2 different rice options to choose from.
The Tahdeeg was two types of rice layered. The top a crispy solid that I found too dry and hard. I bypassed this for the plain, long grain white rice that made for a good base with all the dominating sauce above.
Although between the 2 ride options I preferred the Herbed Rice. This was speckled with dill over both yellow and white grains, and it had an almost floral note to it. It had a brightening flavour alone and was a lovely compliment for the lamb below.
The Lamb Shank was braised with a pomegranate molasses and rosemary. It had a similar sweetness like the duck, but curbed with the herb. The meat was cooked softened, but its flavour one toned. Here, the yogurt side dip helped to add some acid and breaths of fresh air into each bite.
But failing that we could have also leaned on the Summer Salad. This was a collection of greens and vegetables tossed with a barberry and orange dressing, topped with nuts, seeds and feta cheese. Nothing outstanding, just some needed fresh vegetables in an otherwise meat and gravy heavy course.
And lastly for dessert we had Walnut, Date and Honey Baklava. This was crispy baklava pieces filled with walnuts and dates and drenched in a cardamom and honey syrup.
Overall, this was a lovely meal and I wish I had more appetite to give it the full attention in deserves. I will have to come back when I am hungry and not have force myself to over indulge.
Delara Restaurant
2272 W 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6K 1S4
(604) 730-4325
delararestaurant.ca
