Best Fine Dining Pandemic Persian Pop-Up
Roya
Amir Hajimalecki is undeniably one of the best chefs around, and dishes at every single one of the restaurants he owns with his business partner/brother Ali deserve awards. But here we’re spotlighting Roya, their upcoming Iranian restaurant slated for 2022. The highly anticipated Nowruz celebration pop-up in early March boasted family-style meals with comforting but elevated Persian fare delicious enough to convince anyone of this underrepresented-in-Austin cuisine. We’re talking wonderful kuku sabzi with barberry and pomegranate caviar and garlic labneh; perfectly cooked and saffron-fragrant sabzi polo; ash reshteh (Persian noodle soup) with fall-apart braised lamb neck and masterful caramelized onions; and from pastry chef Dennis Van, a delightful nāranj panna cotta. Jealous you missed the pop-up? While you’re waiting for Roya (and their upcoming seafood spot, Keepers) to open, indulge at their other spots all over town: Oasthouse, District Kitchen, and the pandemic-born New England pizzeria and grinder shop, Shortie’s.
