Back when I was a little half-Persian kid, I would have rather died than bring my immigrant grandmother’s painstakingly prepared, Old Country meals to school. Persian food was weird looking and the names were even weirder — I would rather have had Lunchables and maintained some shred of playground respect.
It’s too bad, because maybe if I had, I could have helped turn the tide toward mainstream acceptance of Persian food in some small, butterfly-effect way — the fare has sadly floundered in this city. The last Persian restaurant in the Tristate, Persian Nights in West Chester, closed more than two years ago.
House of Grill stands to correct this cosmic mistake. After lunching with proprietor Jonathan Azami and returning a week later for more, I can say that Grandma’s got some competition, as do all the other ethnic hot spots.
Tucked in a strip on Fifth Street in Covington, House of Grill’s interior is unassuming and relaxed. The black contemporary furniture is slightly reminiscent of a Chinese buffet, but a few pieces of ethnic Persian artwork line the cream-colored walls, and a cluster of photographs of Azami’s relatives brighten it up. I was greeted with a complimentary glass of strong, loose-leafed black Persian tea upon arrival. (Lesson time: Tea in Farsi, the national language of Iran, is “chai,” pronounced cha-ee, so when you order a chai tea at Starbucks, you’re asking for a “tea tea.” The more you know.)
I ordered the eggplant stew ($11.99) on my first visit. The rich sauce hit the spot; the eggplant is simmered to draw out the flavor, along with melt-in-your-mouth beef. A rich sheen of oil glazed the top of the stew. When a stew has that sheen, you know it’s done right — Persian cooking prizes that gloss, as it indicates all flavors from the spices (saffron and sumac, typically) and the vegetables and meat have fully co-mingled.
After immigrating to America, Azami and his wife, Nazi, lived in San Diego for many years before moving to Cincinnati. His wife’s passion is cooking, and he has a background in horticulture and food, so the two decided to combine their skills and open a restaurant.
Azami is from the Ghashghai region in northern Iran, a culture of Turkish origin, and speaks proudly of his people’s expertise and “magic” with lamb kebabs, beef chenjeh and marinades, as well as a childhood spent learning how to cook. Azami also stresses the necessity of fresh ingredients.
On a second, solo dining trip, I indulged and ordered an extensive array of Persian favorites. The veggie gormeh stew ($10.99) — whose star ingredient is fenugreek, a pungent and flavorful herb — was rich and aromatic, comprised of cilantro, kidney beans and Persian limes simmered in a dark green sauce. The staple partner-in-crime for nearly every dish is Basmati rice, topped with golden saffron and served here with a pat of butter (atypical in my many years of Persian dining, but perhaps regionally specific).
The Shirazi salad ($3.99) featured the most finely diced tomatoes, cucumbers and onions I’ve ever seen, mixed with lemon and mint juice. Mast-o-khiar ($3.99) is a traditional appetizer of creamy yogurt, cucumber and mint served with pita, and the serving here was huge. Juicy cubes of lamb chenjeh ($7.99) were perfectly marinated and seasoned. I topped the meal off with a glass of doogh ($3.99) — a refreshing, foamy yogurt and mint beverage — and sholeh zard ($3.99), a saffron rice pudding studded with almond slivers and topped with cinnamon. There are plenty of vegetarian options — veggie kebabs and the eggplant stew, along with salads — and though it’s not on the menu, you can order a side of rice and craft an à la carte meal. Breakfast is also offered; the French toast, my very thorough waiter told me, is notable.
House of Grill offers an authentic taste of Iran. It’s worth noting that on my second trip, more than 10 Persians came in for a Tuesday night dinner. I saw three people get carryout. There were no offerings of non-Persian hummus or tabbouleh, as happens in so many other Mediterranean restaurants trying to appeal to a generic familiarity. House of Grill sticks by Azami’s assertion that Persian food is good in its own right and that if you try the right stuff, you’ll be hooked for life.
HOUSE OF GRILL is located at 14 E. Fifth St., Covington, Ky., kentuckyhouseofgrill.com.
This article appears in Sep 7-14, 2016.
