A meal comprising of basmati rice, chelow gosh (curried lamb stew) and coban salad at Persian Land, Iranian and Turkish food restaurant in Itaewon

By John Redmond
Contributing writer

To say that the Korean palate is expanding to foods one never thought would take off in the land of the morning calm, would be a gross understatement. From regional dishes popular in neighboring nations to exotic European delicacies, Korean's are embracing a much broader variety of taste sensations, and the most recent addition to this trend is food from the Middle East.

What started with a Turkish street vendor in Itaewon, offering sliced grilled chicken on a spit, hummus (chick pea paste) and salad wrapped in pita bread, rapidly gained in popularity, enough to warrant opening up a restaurant. The word spread and before long demand was such that more restaurants began to open.

The latest addition to this growing phenomenon is Persian Land, an Iranian and Turkish food restaurant located in the busy restaurant alley between Itaewon subway station and the fire station.

Comfortably seating 30 people inside, with room for couples and small groups on the patio, Persian Land offers a mix of good food, pleasant decor and authentic culture.

With peach colored wallpaper adorned with posters of famous Iranian sites such as Khajoo bridge, the sound of traditional music in the background and the aroma of grilled kofte filling the spring air, Persian Land is a comfortable setting to sample traditional Persian food at an affordable price.

Apart from a selection of kebabs and salads, the chelow gosh (curried lamb stew with vegetables) is a personal favorite. At 7,000 won the traditional Iranian dish comprising of tender lamb is cooked in a mild curry sauce and is served with a plate of basmati rice, an extra 1,000 won. Basmati rice tends to be more popular in South East Asian countries and is less glutinous than the rice eaten in North Eastern Asia. It is an excellent accompaniment to the lamb.

The choices of salad vary with each dish but the coban salad is recommended for those familiar with Middle Eastern cuisine.

Heavy on the vinegar and mint with an abundance of cucumber, the coban salad is definitely for those used to tangy salads as it tends to leave a rather bitter after taste.

Other dishes on the menu include beef, chicken and lamb koftas (meat dumplings) served with a selection of salads, rice and bread and averaging in price at 7,000 won, and chicken and beef kebabs (meat cooked and served on a skewer) ranging in price from 3,000 won to 7,000 won.

As Korea has a long history of engaging in business with countries such as Iran, it comes as no surprise to find a fairly large number of Iranian's in Korea are already fluent in Korean, hence the waiters speak Farsi, English and Korean.

The choice of drinks is limited to beer, juice, soft drink, tea and coffee. The addition to the menu this scribe recommends would be to get rid of the instant coffee and replace it with traditional Turkish coffee. It would be the perfect way to complete a good meal.

To get there, leave Itaewon station, line 6, at exit #3 and walk towards Bogwang-dong. Turn left at the first lane. Persian Land is about 20 meters up the hill on the right. For more information phone (02) 797-7109.

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