JOONIPER Middle Eastern, Indian & Persian Restaurant — Restaurant in San Fernando

This used to be our go-to place whenever we craved beef biryani. For a long time, we could rely on it to be flavorful, aromatic, and satisfying. Sadly, today’s visit has left us extremely disappointed, and it feels like the quality has dropped so much that it no longer feels like the same restaurant we once loved.

We normally order the beef biryani with mild spiciness, and it used to be perfect. But today, the biryani was unexpectedly very spicy. Spiciness alone wouldn’t have been such a problem, but what really bothered us was the lack of flavor. Instead of a rich, layered, and fragrant biryani, it tasted flat and unbalanced.

As we were about to leave and request a takeout instead, the owner kindly offered to redo the dish without spice. While we appreciated the gesture, the end result was even worse. When we got home and tried it, the biryani tasted like nothing more than plain salted rice and as far as i remember there were few beefs on my plate, but the one that we had for take out, only 2 sliced of beef. So it's not enough that it is like a normal rice cooked with knorr cubes they lessen the meat that i was supposed to have. No aroma, no seasoning, no spices—nothing that even resembled the biryani we used to enjoy here.

It’s honestly heartbreaking because this was one of our favorite places, a restaurant we recommended to others and visited regularly. But after today, we feel completely let down. It’s not worth paying for food if this is the quality we can expect going forward. Sadly, we won’t be coming...

If you’re craving authentic Mediterranean cuisine, this place is a must-try! The ambiance is warm and inviting — perfect for a relaxing meal with friends or family.

Their menu offers a wide selection of dishes, from Arabian to Persian specialties, giving you plenty of delicious options to explore.

If you’re a fan of bold flavors, go for the “hot” version of their Beef Biryani — it’s packed with spice and flavor! And if you’re not into raisins, you can always ask the staff to leave them out.

Their Buttered Chicken is another standout — rich, flavorful, and best enjoyed while it’s still hot.

Overall, a wonderful dining experience! I’ll definitely be coming...

Food and ambiance is good. Price is ok. Update 08/2023 The place feels cozier than before, great for dinner dates with friends or loved ones. We ordered the budget combo for 2 persons and it was enough, the serving sizes are satisfactory as well as the taste. I liked the shirazi salad the most, it's refreshing. The persian tea is relaxing still, though there's a little bit more mint leaves compared to before and some small bits of it are floating so it's a bit overwhelming if you accidentally drink those bits since they taste overpowering. Overall great experience for a middle eastern and...