Raffi’s Place is an iconic restaurant located in the heart of Glendale, California that has been serving up delicious Persian and Middle Eastern cuisine since 1993.
The restaurant has been featured as a top place to eat in the LA area by local magazines and even the Michelin guide.
Their dining space features covered outdoor seating, reminiscent of a Mediterranean courtyard and the atmosphere is warm and inviting.
Raffi’s Place is best known for their kabobs featuring meats that are hand-selected, hand seasoned and carefully grilled.
Some of their kabob entrees include filet mignon; lean ground beef; chicken; fish (like White Fish; Mahi Mahi; Fresh Scottish Salmon) and so forth.
The appetizer section of the menu features a variety of dips, such as hummus, Mast-o-Khiar (yogurt dip) and eggplant dips.
The salad section of the menu offers traditional Persian salads such as Shirazi salad, a mix of diced cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions in a lemon dressing. They also offer Greek salad and Caesar salad.
Their stews also popular inluding Gheimeh Bademjan (beef stew); Ghormesabzi (classic Persian stew with sautéed herbs and kidney beans); Fesenjoon (chicken stew made with walnuts and pomegranate molasses) and more).
Finish off with a dessert like a traditional Baklava (featuring filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup) or rose flavored ice cream, served plain or as an ice cream sandwich.
We tried the Soltani Kabob plate which had one Barg Kabob (thin sliced filet mignon) and one Koobideh (ground beef) – both were juicy and perfectly grilled. The basmati rice was tasty and buttery. The Mahi Mahi kabob was OK – a bit dry for my liking.
We also enjoyed the eggplant and hummus dips which were flavorful and smooth.
We also tried Tan – a savory yogurt drink made with yogurt, cucumber, water, salt, and fresh herbs.
It’s a very busy restaurant but service was efficient and good. The priced seemed reasonable considering the quality of the food and the ambiance of the restaurant.
Overall, I would recommend giving Raffi’s Place a try.
