ANAR PERSIAN GRILL: A Culinary Adventure Awaits Story by Sarah Gordon
Photos by Sandra Steier and submitted
High on the list of things that people are missing during the COVID-19 pandemic is the opportunity to explore other parts of the world. While it will likely be some time before we can set off on adventures, we are fortunate to have excellent restaurants in Steveston to help transport our taste buds to exotic destinations. Tila Akhavan and her brother David Akhavan are the owners of Anar Persian Grill, a relative newcomer to the village. The restaurant is housed in Steveston’s historic courthouse, which was constructed in the 1920s.
After many walks along Third Avenue, Tila fell in love with the charming little building. Anar 26
was
previously
located
in
central
Richmond, however, in 2019, Tila discovered the old courthouse was for lease and her dream came true to operate Anar in Steveston where she resides. Originally from Tehran, the huge capital city of Iran, Tila found her way to laid-back Steveston after an interesting series of moves to Nova Scotia, then she recrossed the Atlantic to live in Ireland, and finally arrived in B.C. in 2014. She and her brother have a fine-tuned partnership. Tila says, “We do everything together from A to Z.” David brings years of culinary experience from his time spent working as a chef in Germany. Tila contributes her financial expertise and also assists in the kitchen. Grilling over an open fire is a cooking method frequently used in Persian cooking, and extensive renovations were necessary to transform the kitchen.
StevestonInsider.com
June - July 2021
