Taste of Persia — Restaurant in Garden City

I finally got to visit Taste of Persia (Ustick). Everything, I ordered.... IS HUGE! I don't even know how to start eating the Mantu (dumplings). I'm not even sure if I can finish my beef kebab. They're that huge. I think this is my first time not being able to finish my kebab from any Persian restaurant. That meal alone can feed two people. The dumpling will also feed two people. I'm basically one person trying to feed something that can feed 4. Normally, Persian restaurants here in Idaho are not served supersized. Occasionally, they're even small. So when you see the kebab in the menu costing above $20, it's sized proportionately. The restaurant is not cheating on you. The beef kebab (is stated on the menu to be mixed with lamb meat) is what you expect it to taste like. Only that, it's the biggest one I've tried. And I've been having this meal since I was a kid in the Philippines. I actually came here for the Mantu. I ordered the Kebab just so that I can eat something that I'm familiar with in case the dumpling isn't my cup of tea. I have a lot of things to say about the dumpling. The Siu Mai wrapper that was used is what an ideal Sui Mai wrapper should be. That is, it needs to quickly soften when steamed. A lot of grocery store bought wrappers here in the US fail on this. I'd say more than half. It's a hit or miss. Usually miss. It can be frustrating for a lot of Asians to make dumplings at home because the wrappers are wrong to begin with. Not to mention we have to deal with ground pork with little fat. The beef filling that was used on the Mantu tasted pre-cooked. Usually, East Asian dumplings aren't like this. The ground meat is raw when steamed. So basically, I thought I was tasting an East Asian dumpling, then I realized the filling tasted closer to an empanada filling, then the sauce tasted Persian. It's a melting pot of taste that is its own thing. It will not replace your Chinese dumpling cravings because it's something else. But I do appreciate the in-house feel of the dumpling because if you ever do find a dumpling in a Chinese restaurant in Idaho, it may not even be in-house. It's an acquired taste but you can get used to it. The beef kebab (shami kebab), just for the sheer size of it, can easily be your favorite beef kebab. You'll just have to take home half of it. It's large, even for people with huge appetite. And I have a big appetite. Special mention: The Coke they use here is the best restaurant Coke I've ever tasted. I don't know what magic they just used here, but it made my grocery store-bought Coke taste so ordinary by comparison. If you're one of those persons getting OC about comparing sugar cane coke versus HFCS coke, you better try this one. It's something else. I posted a pic of the inside just so that you'll have a feel of the vibe of the place. The place looks like it's designed for a crowd who specifically wants to go to a place like this. This is in contrast with Zulee who looks like it wants to attract everyone. For the beef kebab, I'd say Taste of Persia may now be my new favorite. Mantu won't be my initial recommendation if you have little idea what it is, but I would still suggest that you...

I shared dinner with three other people. The cuisine is Afghani.

The ambiance of the restaurant is very nice. The dining room is large and well-appointed with large chandeliers and high backed chairs. The seating is very comfortable. The room is definitely set up for large events.

Our waitress was fairly attentive (there were only two occupied tables while we were there and that can be hard on a server). She was very soft spoken and hard to understand at times. But her service was generally good. And the staff was very friendly.

We started out with samosa's and borani banjan. The samosa's were filled with ground beef and very tasty. The borani banjan consists of stir fried eggplants and tomato sauce topped with Chaka (traditional yogurt sauce) and a side of naan. It was delicious! The "side of naan" is a gigantic square of tasty bread. This is a do not miss dish!

We ordered the dinner for four people described as, "Kabobs of your choice (Chicken, Shami, Chapli, and Tikka Kabobs), with basmati rice, fries, house salad and naan." We simply asked for a full assortment of kabobs. First, this meal is gigantic and could easily feed six people. The kabobs were all delicious. I wish I could review each but I have no idea which was which. The rice was really good as was the salad. The only disappointment were the fries. They were fine but I think that the dinner would be far better off with hummus rather than fries. I'd also ask for a side of Chaka for a nice dip.

We didn't have room for dessert so I can't make any comment.

They do not serve alcohol. And I'm not sure whether you can bring your own.

Overall this was an outstanding meal and a great value (about $35 per person). I'd highly recommend Taste of Persia to anyone. And I want the community to support this place so that it stays open. Please give it a try. You'll be happy...

This delicious, high quality restaurant shouldn't be missed! It hasn't yet been discovered; that is its only detractor in atmosphere. It deserves to be busy and full of people.

I met my friend at 5:30 pm. With the exception of one other couple, we were the only ones in the spacious and beautiful restaurant! Quick service happened, of course. Extra creamy and delicious lentil soup with a huge sheet of Naan bread that we shared started off the meal. My friend went for a full on dish of (Halal) ground beef and tomato/ onion stuffed into pasta pillows, with a creamy sauce that included mint on top. It was superb! Eggplant melted in my mouth. Although we were sufficiently stuffed, my friend was curious about desert. She went for baklava, which I didn't try. But there was a creamy "custard" that was absolute bliss, even after I was full. My only comparison that comes to mind was the rich creme Brule I once ate in Paris! Only this was Afghanistan style. I savored every small spoon, bite by bite! A yummy memory.

This is a gorgeous restaurant to treat yourself or a friend. Not cheap -- total bill was $50.00, but not bad, as decor and service, along with large delicious servings was a pleasant surprise. My only "complaint" is that the spacious atmosphere needed more customers! The restaurant sign is barely noticeable; it needs to be more eye catching, lit up. It also seems to be located on the corner of a residential street. Actually, it is next to a bank and other businesses. I drove right past it, thinking Google maps was wrong. It wasn't. This restaurant is definitely worth the find. Afghanistan food...