Rumi, Parnell (NZ) by Bilby Blue

Persian food – not a cuisine that we were familiar with, but on our recent short break in Auckland, we spotted an opportunity to try something new. Just one of the many restaurants along Parnell Road, the compact Rumi is richly decorated in deep red tones. We had arrived quite early in the evening, so had no problems in getting a prime table for dinner.

As total newbies, we engaged in a deep discussion with our friendly server, with the aim of getting a good introduction to the cuisine. Our final decision: a mezze platter for two, followed by two mains to share.

The mezze platter was a very generous helping of several appetisers – Kashk Bademjan, Kuku Sabzi and two Dollma. The Dollma – stuffed vine leaves – were excellent. We also loved the Kashk Bademjan – sautéed eggplant, mixed with garlic, mint, onion and whey –  which we scooped up with pieces of fresh flat bread that came with the platter. The Kuku Sabzi was a dark green slab of Persian-style frittata – the eggs mixed with leafy vegetables, parsley, chives, coriander and spinach. The platter also included tomato, cucumber and olives, providing a fresh contrast to the other items. Our friendly server offered to replenish the bread if we wanted more, but our initial serve was plenty (plus we didn’t want to fill up too much on bread).

Our first main was the Rumi Special, which was three different types of skewered meat: marinated lamb eye fillet (Shishlik), marinated chicken breast (Joojeh) and ground lamb (Koobideh). Our favourite was the Shishlik – beautifully tender – and the Koobideh was also very good, however we found the Joojeh to be just a touch dry. The dish also included some wonderful charbroiled tomatoes, Persian saffron rice and a fresh seasonal salad (mixed lettuce, tomato, olives and beetroot, with a vinaigrette dressing).

Our other main was Fesenjoon, described in the menu as pieces of sweet and sour chicken breast cooked in a pomegranate sauce with ground walnuts. As can be seen in the photograph, not a glamorous-looking dish, and it had a very unusual sweet flavour, quite unlike anything I had ever eaten. This was also served with saffron rice and another salad (see pic below).

Seasonal salad and rice

Serving sizes were extremely generous, so unfortunately dessert – despite some rather tempting choices – was definitely not an option for us.

A special mention should go to the friendly staff, who made us feel like honoured guests in a family home. Note that the menu caters for various dietary requirements, including gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian.

Verdict

We really liked it.

Mid value.

Overall

Rumi delivered a most enjoyable introduction to Persian food. Ideal for hearty appetites, and with excellent service, Rumi also caters for vegetarians and those with other dietary requirements.

Find it at

Rumi
251 Parnell Road
Parnell
New Zealand
Telephone: +64 9 307 0090