Shamshiri

Most nights, this spacious restaurant is packed with diners, parties and families, and the stream of take-out orders is almost constant. There's reason for it—Shamshiri serves some of the best Persian food you can get in Los Angeles. The restaurant is known for its rice dishes and 10 different stews, like fesenjan, the pomegranate and walnut stew served with chicken, veal or lamb neck (Mondays and Fridays only). All ten of the stews can be prepared vegetarian, which makes it a friendly place for big parties with varied dietary needs. Shamshiri's succulent-covered façade is an eye-catcher, and the dining room is warm and inviting, with a view into the kitchen, blackened kabobs cooking away on the grill.