Some of the most memorable Persian flavors come from a surprising place: the spot where sweet meets sour. If you’ve only ever thought of Persian food as grilled kabobs, this side of our kitchen may surprise you. Fruit, nuts, and tangy ingredients show up in main dishes, and the result tastes balanced rather than heavy. Here are five dishes where that balance really shines, all from our menu here in Glendale.
1. Fesenjan
If you want to understand sweet-and-sour Persian flavors in a single bowl, start here. Fesenjan is a sweet-tart walnut puree in pomegranate sauce, served over baked chicken with basmati rice. It’s deep, rich, and a little tangy, and it tastes like nothing most first-timers have had before. We also make a vegetarian fesenjan, served with basmati rice and your choice of green or Shirazi salad.
2. Albalou Polo
Sour cherries cooked in our own special sweet and sour sauce, then mixed into basmati rice and served with baked chicken. The cherries give each forkful a bright, ruby-red tartness that cuts right through the savory chicken. It’s one of our daily specials, so ask your server whether it’s on the menu that day. A vegetarian version is available too.
3. Zereshk Polo
Zereshk are barberries, small, tart, and beautifully red, and on our vegetarian menu they’re combined with saffron and basmati rice and served with a vegetable kabob. If you like the idea of a plate that’s fragrant, tangy, and a little bit special, this is a lovely one to try.
4. Adas Polo
Here, the sweetness comes from sautéed raisins and dates, scattered over a mixture of lentils and basmati rice and served with baked chicken. The earthy lentils and the sweet fruit make a surprisingly comforting pair. It’s another daily special, and there’s a vegetarian version for guests who prefer it.
5. Khoresht Bademjan
This is a stew of sautéed eggplant in a saffron tomato sauce, cooked with sour grapes and chunks of beef, and served with basmati rice. The sour grapes give it a tang that lifts the whole dish. Daily specials come and go, so ask our team if it’s being served when you visit.
Why These Flavors Work
In Persian cooking, sweet and sour aren’t opposites. They’re partners. A little fruit lightens a rich dish, and a little tartness keeps it from feeling heavy. That’s a big part of why Persian flavors feel so different from the grill-and-sauce style of cooking many people know. If you’re curious about the traditions behind these pairings, Britannica’s overview of Persian cuisine offers some good background.
For a balanced meal, I like to start with a bright Shirazi salad and then choose one of these dishes as the main. You can see everything mentioned here, along with the rest of our offerings, on our menu page and our Persian food page.
Guests from Rossmoyne and the surrounding Glendale neighborhoods often tell me these are the dishes they bring friends to try first. If you’d like to learn more about our home base, visit our Glendale page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the sweet-and-sour dishes in Persian cuisine?
Fesenjan, with walnuts and pomegranate, and cherry rice (albalou polo) are two of the best-known examples, along with dishes using barberries, raisins, dates, or sour grapes.
Is fesenjan available vegetarian?
Yes, we offer a vegetarian fesenjan with basmati rice and your choice of green or Shirazi salad.
Are daily specials always available?
No. Daily specials change, so please ask your server or call us before you visit.
Are your dishes halal?
Our koobideh and lamb dishes are halal. Please ask our team about any specific dish.
Come Taste the Balance
Come try the flavors where sweet meets sour. We’d love to share them with you.
Shamshiri Persian Grill Glendale
122 W Stocker St, Glendale, CA 91202
📞 818-246-9541
📍 Get directions on Google Maps
