I could've wrote this review straight after my first visit as I was instantly smitten with this place. On the strength of the Yelp reviews I chose to visit Paradise after I was hankering for some quality Persian food. Having only quite recently discovered Persian cuisine (on a visit to Newcastle) I was very keen to try another Persian restaurant, this time in good old Glasgow.
So I booked a meal on a Saturday evening and I was glad I booked as it is not a very large restaurant & on this particular evening it got very busy/full quickly. 'Obviously popular' I thought to myself, noticing people also popping in for take-away orders. Good sign.
The decor of the place won't be to everyone's taste as it is very OTT and almost kitsch; with Persian rugs everywhere, two indoor ponds (complete with fish!) & waterfall feature. S'nice indeed.
Upon perusing the menu panic did set in as I noticed a distinct lack of non-lamb dishes (I didn't eat lamb/hadn't eaten lamb for many years at this point), myself & my boyfriend looked at each other in slight panic & gulped...him not being as strict on the 'No lamb' thang decided to order the Special Chicken (off the bone) which comprised of a skewer of marinated chicken & a skewer of minced lamb. I went for the Jojeh Kebab (off the bone), again a skewer of just marinated chicken. Both came with a choice of rice or chips. I also ordered a side of Bamieh dip which is okra in a tomato sauce with green peppers. For starters we ordered Dolmeh (which I love), Homous & some Nan bread.
They don't serve alcohol here which I wasn't aware of but it wasn't a problem at all as my boyfriend doesn't drink & I can go one meal without alcohol! If you so wish to have alcohol they do allow you to bring-your-own and just charge you a corkage fee. With The Cave being so close it's very handy to pop in before your meal to pick up some beer or wine (as I did on my second visit). Sorted.
Starters came & everything was really good ~ the Homous was some of the nicest I've ever had & my boyfriend agreed (not being a big Homous fan normally). The Dolmeh were just divine & the Nan bread was pretty huge so we managed to save some to have with our main courses.
When they brought us our main courses our faces must've been so funny ~ the plate of food was HUGE! They almost separate the plates into 3 ~ one side being your rice (served with butter Persian stylee, if you so wish) or chips, next your kebabs, then a huge amount of fresh salad, a big grilled tomato & lovely grilled green pepper too. Wow. I was salivating just looking at it! Now I think, nae, I KNOW my boyfriend was a bit worried about eating here & liking the food but if you could've seen his wee surprised & happy face...! I was so relieved. But, hey, we hadn't tried the food yet, so stuck in we got...the meat was so delicious and tender & marinated beautifully. Yum. So so good. The rice was lovely too and the salad/grilled tomato & pepper were also very tasty. They give you chilli sauce & salad dressing with your meal also which is good if you're a saucy person (oo-err!) but I was very happy with our Bamieh dip ~ so delicious.
Now, I said I didn't eat lamb right? Well, my boyfriend was that pleased with his lamb that he urged to try some...it did smell lovely...so I took a deep breath and tasted it (for the first time in nearly 18 years!)...and I have to say it was REALLY good! Ooft. So good that I asked if I could have some more later! Naughty me. So aye, Paradise made me want to eat lamb again! Haha! Ever since this first visit I have always had the Special Chicken (With the lamb, off the bone) again and again.
I think it really says something about a restaurant if you can't wait to return. We actually booked to go again after this first visit only two weeks later! Ever since then we have been going fairly regularly and every time I am delighted & never disappointed with my food. I have also recommended the place to friends and since they have also visited & are now fans too. So if you're looking for some Persian action then I can thoroughly recommend Paradise. 100% yum. read more