Looks like a Pakistani sweet shop. I’m sure it’s similar, with some regional differences.
(I found and ordered a canned version - imagine - during the pandemic, and it scratched the itch.)
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Key2Persia is the name of the company that sorted it all out; my guide has an IG page @rezahosseini0090.
Although visas take longer to process for folks from the U.S. (& the UK/Canada), ultimately it’s not difficult to visit. The tricky part is having enough dough to cover your time, since it’s impossible to withdraw money without a local card.
In spite of having a youtube food channel, I’ve never really watched anything, regardless of genre.
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As a avgeek (aviation) to some extent, I was looking forward to my one domestic flight.
I specifically inquired about flying Iran Air, or Mahan Air; alas they had no available flights at the time.
Ultimately, the carrier that took us from Tehran Mehrabad to Shiraz was Iran Aseman Airlines. (if you’re a fellow avgeek, you can read my brief trip report here)
For that one hour, fifteen minute hop southward, FAs provided a meal.
Whereas the sandwich contents were indescribable at best, the saccharine apple drink and chocolate bar made up for it.
Nevertheless, all of it was food:
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Oh, I grew up eating Greek versions of halva, then discovered the chocolate-covered one, then decided that it was a gratuitous layer.
Right now, I’m slowly plowing through an Iranian sesame halwa sphere, replete with pistachios studded on the exterior. I don’t see this – or sohan, of course – as an ingredient at ice cream/frozen yogurt places ever, but IIRC there was a place in Manhattan years ago with an eastern Mediterranean bent. Victory Garden, I think that was the name. Their goat milk-based froyo would’ve been a swell match.
Don’t expect to readily find liquor anywhere in Iran.
Yes, it’s available…but I wasn’t looking.
Instead, let caffeine do the talking. Although tea is the standard drink after a meal, coffee has clearly established a foothold, too.
For instance, we have our jocular “Starbucks Coffee”-branded cup holding my masala tea, and an herbal tisane alongside it. Of course there are no Sbucks anywhere in the country, and that’s a good thing.
But my favorite discovery in the cafes was the fresh-squeezed ginger juice, diluted with lemon juice. That was a pick-me-up.
Accompanying the ginger juice are sharbat (a sweet, sugary, fruit-backward drink popular during Ramadan), and espresso.
Small sweets are commonly found adjoining any order of coffee.
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Popular all the time!
Sharbat kicks soda’s behind.
I don’t think people have any idea the range of sharbat that exists. Many of them are highly seasonal.
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Superb tachin (تهچین), wherein the fun stuff is found inside of the crispy saffron rice (which yes, is also fun). This one had chicken & egg, and yogurt. The tomato-based sauce helped temper the monotony of eating the carbs.
The condiment on the right is called mast musir, or shallot yogurt. The sour orange – which is squeezed over just about anything on the plate – is a Shiraz specialty.
As for the soda, the brand is “Zam Zam.” If you want to learn more about why the bottlers chose that name, you can read about it here.
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Well, now I want Persian food for dinner.
I’ve finally made a video about many of the Iran eats (there are a few repeats as above, but this time, there are local guides helping out.)
Please enjoy:
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