In a nutshell, this place is great! The ambiance, staff, food & people watching (Persian grandma from table 12 staring at you because she knows your mother) is worth it, every time.
Name: Karen
Occupation: Media Marketing Professional
Location: San Francisco
Favorite Restaurant: The Little Chihuahua Mexican Restaurant
Reviewed Maykadeh Restaurant: Wednesday, December 11, 2013
There aren't that many Persian restaurants in the city, so if you're craving a new take on Middle Eastern food, you should try Maykadeh! It's been around since 1982, and it looks like it hasn't updated the decor since it opened.
Before we even ordered, our server put a plate of radishes and onion and basil on the table, then a warm pile of delicious bread. We finally asked what to do with the other plate of food, and our server told us to make little sandwiches. There were a lot of appetizers to choose from. The Kashke Bademjan was my favorite- a warm eggplant dip that was delicious. I also enjoyed the Shirazi salad, which was light and crunchy. The other appetizers were just okay.
Our main courses arrived way too fast. First our servers put down enormous plates of rice in front of each of us, and then our main courses were served next to them. The portions were really big and we almost couldn’t fit all of the food at the table! We could have shared a few instead of ordering our own. My favorite dish was the Maykadeh Kebab, which were thin slices of filet mignon marinated in lemon juice- very tasty.
The desserts were- in a word- odd. Well, the Baklava was an expected choice but it was too soggy. The ice cream was a typical Persian flavor- saffron, rose water and pistachio- and after a few bites, my friends and I couldn’t eat any more. The weirdest dessert was something called Faloodeh which is a frozen rice noodle hockey puck-looking thing which comes with cherry/rose syrup to pour over it. The texture was odd, the taste was odd, and I think it might have been one of the most unusual and disappointing desserts I have ever eaten.
There are quite a few vegetarian options, so I’d go with my veggie friends again, but I’d probably stick to a few main dishes and maybe another Persian Lady!
Name: Jody
Occupation: Lifestyle Blogger/Journalist
Location: Oakland
Favorite Restaurant: Picán
Reviewed Maykadeh Restaurant: Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Maykadeh is in a steep, quiet residential street, next to a lit-up tree, feels very festive. Inside, the restaurant was medium-sized, quiet, with only one other table occupied. White linen and napkins were on the tables. At least three staff was hovering, with jazz and traditional Persian music playing and on the walls: black and white photos of Iran and traditional gold leaf illustrations. Chairs were well padded. Great cocktail list, pretty and comfortable and wide views to the street where residents walk their dogs.
Our greeter was friendly and the waitress very solicitous, especially when we ordered the Lamb Tongue. The lamb tongue has a soft, tender consistency - the portion was huge! The saffron kept it nicely subdued, but the sour cream made it so rich I could only eat a third. The eggplant with the mint garlic sauce was delicious and the fried onions on top were a nice crunchy contrast. Perfect scooped into the bread with basil leaves. You have to love garlic for this one.
The Khoresht Ghaymeh, the lamb with yellow spilt peas, tomatoes, saffron, sun-dried limes, with basmati rice, had little fries on top, like pick-up sticks. Great mix of tart, meaty and nutty tastes. The rice was fluffy and buttery—real heaven. The Poussin aby chicken with all the bones was marinated in an onion saffron with lime juice, also with basmati rice. Tasty, but chicken could have been a little more tender.
The desserts were stellar; the Poached Pear in Shiraz reduction sauce and ice cream was gorgeous, the freshness of the pear and richness of the sauce was perfect with the pistachios in the ice cream. The freshly-made Baklava was airy and sweet without being too cloying.
I would not make a special trip to this restaurant from our home in Oakland but I would definitely return if I was in the area and recommend to my friends if they are in the area. Great place to have an easy conversation, with staff who care about your experience.
