Comparing Khoresh Bademjan across three restaurants — an honest verdict

I ate Khoresh Bademjan at three different restaurants in the same week to compare. The results were illuminating. The use of barberries varied significantly — only one got it right. The sweet-sour with pomegranate profile should be consistent but interpretation differs widely.

Iranian cuisine has a 3000-year recorded history with influences on Arab, Turkish, and Central Asian cooking. The best version came from a Tehran restaurant, which felt authentic. rose water sharbat was offered at all three but only one knew how to serve it properly. The gap between mediocre and excellent Khoresh Bademjan is larger than you'd think.