Fragrant food, flavors abound at Istalif

The space itself, most recently occupied by Sleeping Dog Tavern and the original home of the San Francisco Bar and Grill, has been decorated with tapestries and memorabilia from Afghanistan. It has been Istalif’s home since October. The day my friends and I enjoyed dinner here, we were the only customers. With more people, I think the room would seem even warmer, more inviting.

Among my guests was a man who had worked in Afghanistan and spoke Farsi and, it seemed to me, more than a few words of other dialects. The restaurant’s host, an Afghan, enjoyed sharing the language with him as he also provided information about the cuisine, described on the laminated green menu as Shishkabobs and Mediterranean.

	Istalif Cuisine LOCATION: 112 W. San Francisco St., Santa Fe, 505-982-0825 HOURS: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. daily NO ALCOHOL

We started with a pot of green tea poured from a silver pot into glass mugs. It was fresh, hot and perfect for a cool January evening. You may also have Persian black tea or a selection of caffeine-free herbal teas available by the cup. Soft drinks, American-style iced tea and fruit juice including pomegranate, also are served here.

Along with the tea, we received a complimentary dish of fresh hummus and a basket of soft pita bread triangles. The hummus was mild without the overwhelming garlic flavor that sometimes comes with this dish.

We shared a trio of appetizers, all of which were delicious. I had never tried anything like the Kashk o Bedenjan, a comforting spread of soft eggplant sautéed with fresh garlic and topped with a thick yogurt-like cream and a sauce of fresh mint and olive oil. The dish arrived warm from the kitchen, packed with flavor but not too rich. Very yummy ($6.25).

We also tried the Mast o Khiar served in a white bowl filled with tangy yogurt and minced fresh cucumber, topped with a pretty swirl of chopped dill ($3.99). From the salad and soup section, we picked the Shiraz salad, a simple creation which proves (again) that quality ingredients and a gentle touch lead to amazing results. The cook combined small bits of cucumber, chopped tomatoes that had flavor despite the season, fresh parsley, minced onion and chopped mint leaves in a light dressing of olive oil and lemon juice. The salad made me think of summer ($4.99).

Next time, I’ll sample the appetizers I didn’t have a chance to try: the yogurt with shallots, the fresh veggies with walnuts and feta cheese, and the two soups. I wish Istalif offered a sampler plate for those (like me) who didn’t grow up where this cuisine is commonly served.

As entrees, the menu features what it calls Special Persian rice with Meat available only Thursday or Friday and Saturday. Both the lamb kabob and lima beans, and the poached chicken, saffron and barberries ($14.99 each) sounded delicious and provide another reason to return. Since these two dishes were not available, we moved on to the vegetarian plates and the kabobs, selecting from among half a dozen choices in each category.

I enjoyed everything we ordered, but my favorite was the chicken breast kabob ($14). Boneless chicken breast can be overcooked in a heartbeat, but not here. The tender meat was juicy, perfectly grilled and seasoned with wonderful spices that gave it additional character, and a bit of heat. Nicely done.

We enjoyed two other kabobs, the boneless, gently marinated lamb ($16), tender and full of flavor, grilled medium rare, and the Chelaw Kabob Soltani ($22.99) which the host said was his favorite. The Soltani includes a skewer of tender filet mignon cut into thick strips and served medium rare as requested, and a skewer of ground beef seasoned like mild sausage. Both were delicious, and I liked the combination of flavors and textures on the plate.

All the kabobs came with a mountain of light, hot-from-the-kitchen basmati rice dusted with saffron and garnished with a piece of roasted green chile and half of a grilled tomato. These plates seem designed for sharing, which we did. The kitchen removed the meat from the skewer before serving, and each portion was about six pieces. With the appetizers and dessert, we probably could have shared two of these among the four of us. (But the leftovers were great!)

From the vegetarian section we ordered the falafels ($12.99), classic dense patties of ground chickpeas seasoned with cilantro, parsley and onion and fried to create a crisp outside. They were rich and meaty tasting, satisfying but not too heavy. Other non-meat options include a veggie skewer, dal and cooked spinach with kidney beans.

As we sampled dessert, my friend who had worked in Afghanistan said that the name Istalif referred to a once-pretty town north of Kabul that had been a center of traditional, blue ceramic production in Afghanistan in the days before the Taliban. We shared a bowl of rich, saffron-yellow Persian ice cream ($6.25), which included pistachios and rose water. I liked it, although the texture was coarser than American ice cream or gelato.

And, at the waiter’s urging, we tried the Fereni ($4.25), a custard from milk, rice and flour sweetened with sugar and cinnamon. It reminded me of a thin, ultra sweet rice pudding. My friend said he had eaten both of these in Afghanistan, but gladly helped finish them both.

A note about Joe’s Dining: In a recent review, I whined a little about being charged for toast. In an email, the owner apologized and said that the toast should have come as part of the breakfast without the added charge.