Sumac Cafe

She said:

So, we decided to give Persian cuisine a try. If we didn’t know about the Sumac Café, it would have been easy to pass right by it. The exterior is nondescript, but the dining room boasts a fireplace, amber-colored walls, stained glass, and brass goblets, teapots, and urns. One thing that caught my attention was the jewel-toned, tasseled pillows that served as wall hangings. We sat underneath a beautiful painting of two flower-filled vases on a table. Light jazz music played quietly in the background. We dined on a snowy day, and I wish the interior had been a touch warmer.

Now, about the food: I don’t know much about Persian cuisine and the photos in the menu were small and hard to discern, so I was glad that Brian asked the waitress to explain our options. I settled on the Shish Kabob plate and was pleasantly surprised by the fluffiness of the basmati rice, and the nicely seasoned filet mignon morsels. A grilled pepper, onion, and tomato provided a satisfying finish to my lunch. I’m glad we gave Sumac Café a chance.

He said:

The Sumac Café nestles unassumingly in a suburban, residential neighborhood. As Kathy suggests, it would be easy to drive right past it without noticing. Inside, we were greeted with a “Welcome” sign, held by a statue of a hound dog wearing traditional Fox hunting “pinks”—essentially a red tuxedo—and a top hat. Other than that solitary figure, the remaining décor was decidedly Middle Eastern. Or Persian, I guess.

Unaccustomed to Middle Eastern cuisine, we asked the waitress to explain the menu. The Sumac Café primarily focuses on two types of entrées, stews, and kabobs, each served with basmati rice. For an appetizer, I had my eye on the Noon, Paneer & Sabzee, a plate of mixed herbs with walnuts and feta cheese. However, the waitress said they were out of it. It didn’t even appear in Kathy’s menu, so maybe they’ve discontinued it entirely. Instead, we accepted the waitress’s recommendation and ordered the Kashk Bademjoon, which consists of sauteed eggplant mixed with yogurt and topped with fried garlic and onions, sauteed mint, and creamed whey. I’ve only had eggplant a few times in my life, and to be honest, I never enjoyed it much. However, I did enjoy this Kashk Bademjoon, even though I didn’t recognize any of its flavors. It was earthy and occasionally had crunchy bits of fried garlic that seemed almost nutty. I ate it with flat bread that may have been the flattest I’ve ever seen.

The various kabob selections revolved around chicken, Koobideh (ground beef), and filet mignon. I selected the Vaziri, which included a chicken kabob and a Koobideh kabob. They came with a too-large portion of basmati rice, topped with a splash of Chelow, a steamed rice infused with saffron, which gave the dish a stunning yellow pop! My chicken kabob was unexpectedly—but pleasantly—moist and delightfully seasoned. The Koobideh kabob had a great texture that held together quite well. My plate, like Kathy’s, came with a grilled sweet pepper, onion, and tomato.

Conclusion:

We enjoyed exploring an unfamiliar—but tasty—cuisine of the unpretentious Sumac Café. In season, patio season may be available. Sumac Café is closed on Mondays.