THE ORIGINS Café Arazu brings world cuisine with a neighborhood feel

BRINGING CUISINE TO TOWN WORLD

SUBMITTED: PENNY NEJAD

THE ORIGINS OF CAFÉ ARAZU

PHOTOS BY: LISA POLK PHOTOGRAPHY & DESIGN

Arazu means wish or desire in Persian and one of my goals in providing this fusion of world cuisines, was to provide a space where people of all ethnicities and backgrounds can gather and be offered “company food:” dishes, that householders in every corner of the world have squandered a day preparing in order to have special offerings for their guests.

The “wish” is to create the kind of atmosphere where everyone, from the kitchen staff, to the wait staff, to the guests, feels comfortable and appreciated.

One of our original and still current offerings butter chicken, was a recipe that my nephew — who lived for eight years in Dubai — got from their Indian maid. We just added a fresh Persian relish to add a bit of freshness, but it is the very definition of a humble comfort food fit for company.

Our newest menu includes a twist on a Bahn mi with a slightly spicy Korean treatment of gochujang applied to the grilled pork.

Another new dinner item: “Ponzu Mahi Mahi” features a Japanese take with Ponzu sauce, baby bok choy, sticky rice topped with pickled ginger relish and sautéed haricot coverts in orange ginger glaze.

Even a seemingly typical pairing: “Fillet Mignon and Shrimp Duet” represents world cuisine in the French treatment of the demi-glace on the fillet and the Spanish Romesco sauce paired with the shrimp.

Of course, with my husband being Persian, I’ve never been able to stray too far from the Persian grill offering of chicken, beef and lamb kebabs, as well as a crowd favorite among Iranians: Kubideh — seasoned minced beef, lamb, and onion grilled on a flat metal skewer.

Another favorite from my husband’s cuisine is Kashkeh Bademjan — which we call “Persian Eggplant Dip”. This version comes from a well-known Persian cookbook author and is a sort of casserole of roasted eggplant, ground beef, yellow lentils with plenty of carmelized onions and a creamy Whey topping.

But whether you are interested in branching out to other regions or staying with our good old American “J- Street Newburgher” named after our address and featuring our house pickled red onions and chipotle sauce, we try to have something to make every one feel at home. Our tag-line, World cuisine with a neighborhood feel, becomes real only when we operate as if we are a family home on the block in that neighborhood.