Shalizar (CLOSED)

The pearls-and-cufflinks crowd that chooses Shalizar’s neighbor, Brasserie Julien, over a dinner at this lovely Persian restaurant have no idea what they’re missing. On a recent Friday night, this top-notch eatery held fewer than ten customers (a real shame). For these lucky few, the rewards were plenty. Smoky eggplant mizra was a thick, garlicky puree served with hot bread and nutty tahini. We also savored shredded chicken in a pomegranate-and-walnut stew (called fesenjan) and a juicy lamb kebab, both served on ecstacy-inducing basmati rice with lentils, saffron and golden raisins. Get in here before the squares catch on.