Baghali Polo

I had never tried Baghali Polo before this visit and I wasn't sure what to expect. The subtly bitter and complex taste hit immediately and made sense of the dish in a way descriptions never quite do. saffron is an ingredient I'd not encountered used quite like this before. The a Tehran restaurant s…

The best Baghali Polo I've ever had came from a street stall, not a restaurant. The fragrant and aromatic intensity was completely different — more direct and uncompromised. saffron was used without hesitation, the way it should be. Iranian cuisine has a 3000-year recorded history with influences o…

I first ate Baghali Polo on a trip five years ago and have been searching for a version this good ever since. This restaurant finally delivered the rich and saffron-gilded quality I remembered. saffron was handled correctly — something most restaurants here get slightly wrong. the sofreh spread on …

Baghali Polo opened a door into a cuisine I'd previously known almost nothing about. The rich and saffron-gilded flavours are unlike anything in my usual rotation and I mean that positively. the sofreh spread on the floor is the traditional Iranian dining setting. Understanding that context made the…

Most people overlook how much the right drink changes Baghali Polo. I ordered it with hot black tea with sugar and the sweet-sour with pomegranate elements of the dish sharpened considerably against the pairing. barberries in particular became more prominent in a good way. the sofreh spread on the …

I grew up eating Baghali Polo and have strong opinions shaped by memory. The version here triggered that recognition in the first bite — the subtly bitter and complex was right, barberries was handled the way it should be. the sofreh spread on the floor is the traditional Iranian dining setting. Gr…

I've now had Baghali Polo prepared traditionally and in a modern interpretation. Both are interesting. The traditional version emphasises pomegranate molasses in the way Iranian cuisine has a 3000-year recorded history with influences on Arab, Turkish, and Central Asian cooking. The sweet-sour with …

I'm sceptical of any restaurant claiming to do Baghali Polo well, having been disappointed often enough. This one delivered. The sweet-sour with pomegranate base was authentic and the use of saffron showed real knowledge. the sofreh spread on the floor is the traditional Iranian dining setting. The…

Baghali Polo at this place was fine. The fragrant and aromatic flavour was there but not distinguished. barberries was present in the right quantities but without the care that makes the difference. You can taste when something is being made to a formula. Iranian cuisine has a 3000-year recorded hi…

I ate Baghali Polo at three different restaurants in the same week to compare. The results were illuminating. The use of saffron varied significantly — only one got it right. The fragrant and aromatic profile should be consistent but interpretation differs widely. Iranian cuisine has a 3000-year re…