I Ran to Rumi's Kitchen

Houston has a new Persian restaurant, Rumi's Kitchen, which opened almost a year ago. My wife and I ate there last night with another couple and really enjoyed it.

While it's new to Houston, Rumi's has been around for a while. The restaurant operates in five cities. In fact, my wife ate there with our daughter and some friends in Atlanta last year. They have three restaurants there and one in Washington, DC too. Next summer, they expect to open another one in Los Angeles.

Chef Ali Mesghali, who was born in Iran, is the owner. He moved to Los Angeles in his teens and worked as a dishwasher in a Persian restaurant. He opened his first restaurant in Atlanta in 2006.

The food menu was on just one page. This is something I really appreciate! Here it is:

Everything we ordered, which included Chicken Barg, Chermoula Eggplant, Roasted Cremini and Mushroom Hummus, Falafel and Adas, was delightful. We all liked the look and feel of the restaurant, which has a fantastic location near the Galleria. The service was excellent too.

We drank a wonderful wine, Ixsir Grande Reserve Red 2017. I had never had a Lebanese wine, but the server recommended it based on feedback she had received from others who had ordered it. All four of us enjoyed the blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.

I am a big fan of Mediterranean food. Rumi's Kitchen calls itself Persian, but Persia is what the world now calls Iran, where more than half of the country identifies as Persian. I am very sad about what is going on there and around there, and I am hopeful that we will soon get peace there.

Houston has some very good Middle Eastern restaurants, and Rumi's Kitchen is an excellent addition.