Teeny-tiny and in pure box form, Parseh Shiraz House is small but mighty. Its bold colors and lingering scents are enough to remind passer-byers that they are open and ready to serve, and who am I to resist. Everything here seems to be of the "old family recipe" merit, and I'm fairly certain that this is actually a family run business. Food is rich, delicious and super spicy... not for everyone, but for everyone sometimes. I picked up a kashk-e-bademjan (eggplant puree with whey) to go, and the feast at home was superb. Not a bite left from this generous serving, this was a dish with its own flavor. I wouldn't suggest dining in at Parseh, just because its so small. A browse through the menu and pick-up is a great idea, as this is quality food and like nothing I've had before. Yum! read more

"So I had lunch at Shiraz today." "Where?" "Shiraz, the Persian place on Hollis." "...." If you've eaten here and told anyone about it, you've had some sort of variation on the above conversation, as I have several times now. Shiraz has been around for a while, and I've been meaning to try it. Finally one day I thought of it at work and a co-worker and I went there to pick up a quick lunch. Shiraz would count as a hole in the wall, if it wasn't also the wall. It's small, and painted a funky colour, yellow or green; I just remember my eyes being assaulted a little bit. We happened to have a menu at the office so we were able to go in there knowing what we wanted. At first glance, the first thing that strikes you is the prices - the first kebob plate listed is a hefty $18.99 for two kebobs and rice. Mind you, it is veal and lamb, but for the sake of avoiding sticker shock, they might want to re-design the menu to ease people into the pricey stuff. Being somewhat mindful of my budget, I settle on a dish that's more easy on the pocket but looks like it will be quite filling, the zereshk polo. Described as a chicken stew that comes with saffron basmati rice and barberries. After a short wait at one of the few tables inside the restaurant, we're sent on our way with our food to have back at the office. Interestingly, a quarter chicken is served on top of the rice, but what appears to be the actual stew is served separately in a bowl. The chicken is moist and has a good chicken flavour, but is oddly lacking much else. The stew has a hearty flavour of tomato and onion, although it's quite oily, whether from the chicken or added oil. In retrospect, I should have poured it over the chicken and rice, although my desk may not have been the best location for that, so this oversight may have been for the best. I haven't had saffron rice or much of anything flavoured with the most expensive spice in the world, and I must say I wasn't particularly impressed. The only way I could describe it is...musty. Yeah....not too flattering. Shiraz has some potential and I'd definitely give them another try, especially the samosas which seem to be quite popular with other posters, but as things stand now, it was just a little lacking. read more

What a fabulous little place. The food is incredible, full of flavours I'd never experienced before. The staff is friendly and funny. I've only had takeout so far, but I think eating there would just be lovely. There are only four tables, but most people seem to get takeout, so I don't think it would be difficult grabbing a spot. This place is easily missed, but well worth checking out. The prices are very reasonable, and they make your order very quickly. read more

I've walked past Shiraz for quite some time now and foolishly never went in. I'm kicking myself for only discovering the delicious flavours now. So much time that could have been spent savouring their delicate combinations of herbs and spices wasted on pizza and burgers. From simple side dishes of hummus and pita to full on meals that make one's mouth water at the thought of it, Shiraz delivers on all counts. If you're looking for authentic, delicious, aromatic joy in food form, look no further than Hollis street. Vegetarian or meat filled options await you in this small but delightful spot. read more

Shiraz, you are as tiny as your are hard on the eyes, but my oh my are your Samosas delicious. This is the thought that rolls through my mind every time I turn the corner onto Hollis street. Shiraz is really tiny, really bright and very tasty. There is a little space for sitting, but generally speaking this is not the kind of place you want to sit down and eat in. Definitely take away! All I have had are the samosas and the sauce, which is a problem, but every time I go here it's all I want. I can't convince myself that anything will be tastier. While that does limit my knowledge of their other options, the fact that I have literally walked across the entire peninsula to eat here should be enough of a testament to what they have to offer. Definitely a place to check out, but don't blink or you'll miss it! read more

This little place that is painted so bright it is hard to miss, has some great Samosas. We took Adam's advice at got take out. This little place is well worth the trip if you are downtown. read more

Very authentic and delicious I had shirazi combo, eggplant appetizer and baqlawa and were very tasty Great service Highly recommended read more

Pros: Authentic food Take out available Helpful, friendly owners Located conveniently - atleast for me. Cons: Not good value for money. Too small to sit and enjoy The sauces are pre-made and re heated on demand, rendering it bland I tried a lamb shank that was exquisite, but the sauce/curry it came with and the rice supporting it were awful! That particular dish, which came to a tad over $17 was a little too expensive for my taste. 6/10 will visit again.. read more

Blink and you'll miss it. This is an old review from the winter, I'm STILL catching up on reviews! This place is the textbook definition of a hole in the wall... Except normally i like holes in the wall. I have to say the only positive about this review was that I felt like I was in a house in Iran when I came to pick my food up. That was cool. I ordered a plate with 2 kebabs, rice and a tomato. My dad ordered a chicken wrap, with hummus on the side. My food was expensive, I can't remember how much but I suspect it was like $30. But I was confident i'd be getting some good home-style Persian cuisine so I was alright with that. I came home and opened my container to see 2 kebabs, a roasted tomato and some yellow rice. I tried the rice and found it to be bland, I thought "ok wait, there must be some type of sauce to put over it." There was no sauce, the rice is just really bland. The chicken was tender but that was about it, also pretty bland despite being marinated. The best part of the meal was the tomato. My dad said his meal was equally bad. I honestly would like to try some of the stews they sell here so I don't want to rule out coming back here all together, but I definitely wouldn't recommend the chicken skewers and rice. read more

A bit on the pricey side but fantastic food Haven't tried anything there that wasn't awesome read more

The food was amazing, so much flavour. The best meal we've had in a long time. My niece has decided that Persian is better than Japanese her previously favourite cuisine. read more

Parseh Shiraz House - a plate of chicken wings and rice - Middle Eastern Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

I would give 4.5 if I could. Stopped in here while in town from Seattle for a conference. I have a deep love for Persian cuisine and have had enough to appreciate when it's done well versus when it's not. I had the koobideh kabob, yogurt with cucumber, and torshi (pickled vegetables) at lunch time. Service was quick and the kabob was grilled fresh and out to me within 10 minutes. All three were executed well and super tasty. The owners were very personable, and as a couple of reviewers have commented, because of the "cozy" interior, you feel almost as if you're in their home enjoying a meal. A couple of commenters remarked about "bland" rice. Just want to point out 1) it is rice after all, and rice by definition is bland, and 2) it's not meant to be enjoyed alone - it's there to complement the kabobs or stews. And particularly when eaten with kabobs, it's customary to mix in the grilled tomato it's served with, along with a Persian spice called Sumac (made from crushed/dried Sumac berries), which gives it a bit of a tart flavor and really brings out the flavors in the meat. So, just take that into account when reading reviews about the blandness of the rice. :) read more

I came here twice for takeout after spending a week stuck in a hotel. The Shiraz House has delicious food at reasonable prices which is hard to find in Halifax. I tried the chicken wrap with a side of hummus. The chicken wrap was good but there was not enough sauce for me. I came back to try their chicken samosas ($3.50 plus tax - AMAZING deal). Wow. Really flavorful and filling and completely satisfying. I recommend getting a dipping sauce - I tried the cucumber sauce which was less than $3. I definitely want to return here to try their entrees. The lady that owns the place is quite nice as well. read more

The owners have really perfected this tiny place! Delicious!

My fiancee and I were visiting Halifax for the weekend and were looking for a place for lunch. We found Shiraz and absolutely LOVED IT!! The food was authentic, delicious, and very well present!! The service was absolutely incredible as well, such nice people!! I highly recommend this place for some fantastic food!! Will be back when we're in town again!! read more

If you are looking for a great resturant where you can sit and have a great view, then this is not the place for you. Instead, if you are looking for a great place to eat or have some food to go, for a affordable price with a lovely service and the most important: with a lot of food in your dish, then this is the place. The food is really good, the lamb is cooked so perfectly, with a lot of flavours going from mint to cumin. Rice looks perfect and tastes perfect. Hummus is a must! Just a tip, if you are looking for a good hummus, then Parseh Shiraz House and Cafe Istanbul are the places for you. This is a 4.5 stars place, but the people working there make it deserve 5 and even more. Lovely people and great food. read more

Mom-and-pop shop in an old taxicab stand near the Halifax seaport. It is a tiny but homey place with basic Iranian cuisine. Since we were the only ones there, the "mom" took her time to make our food. We got the lamb wrap that was cooked nicely, the vegetable samosa that was bigger than I would have liked but tasty nevertheless, and the kashk-e-bademjan (eggplant puree with whey) that was different than any other eggplant dish that I have ever tasted. The eggplant was ok for me, but that is simply a personal preference. read more

I really enjoy this quint mom and pop operation. The floor size is literal 4 tables and is usually empty creating a comfortable atmosphere. The portion size for the plates is good and you will be full. I have been on several occasions and experimented with many dishes. all of which i liked. I would recommend Shiraz as a delicious persian eatery. read more

Me and my wide came here and shared a barg kebob plate with a side of chicken samosa. Excellent food..kebob and rice was amazing and would definitely return. read more

this place is great. we need more authentic ethnic food in halifax. the owners are super nice people cooking some seriously tasty things. its in a tiny location but if you take the time to eat in, you may get some special attention from the owner. our first visit my husband ordered the fesenjoon which is a chicken stew with rice the stew is unique with flavors of pomegranate, walnuts and other goodies that make it very different from your everyday steak and potatoes meal. the owner brought over some fried pita to go with the dish and it was a great addition. i ordered the soup with vermecelli noodles, kidney beans, cilantro, spinach, herbs, and other things (called ash-reshteh) and loved it. i love soup and this was a mix of new flavors i hadnt experienced before. i also got a chicken dish with rice. it was very plain and might be good for people very non-adventurous. i cant remember the name though. i also really want to go back and try thier kebobs...the meat smells SOOOOOO yummy. one day soon... also of note, the baklava is GREAT and the owner also gave us a sample of the dates they carry. yummmmm. overall, they are very nice and attentive and it shows that they love to share their cuisine with people, so go visit. dont be shy. you wont regret it. read more