Heidar Baba in Pasadena, California - Restaurant Review

As you enter Heidar Baba, you are greeted by Middle Eastern music, the sound of a busy kitchen in high gear and the friendly faces of the staff, from the cooks to the servers.

Heidar Baba, the House of Halal, serves Persian kabob plates piled high with fragrant saffron basmati rice, your choice of chicken, steak, salmon or ground beef kabob, a green salad or soup and a whole grilled tomato, green chili and half an onion, with flat bread. They offer a wide variety of appetizers: hummus with flat bread, yogurt with cucumber and mint, yogurt with sliced shallots, tahidg (hard rice with choice of three stews; ghorme, cabze or giheimer), torshi (pickled vegetables) or fried slices of eggplant mixed with garlic, onion and topped with cooked yogurt.

There are plenty of choices for vegetarians, including vegetarian kabob (grilled onion, tomato, mushroom, carrot, squash and eggplant, served over basmati rice), most of the appetizers, a mushroom burger, garden salad, Greek salad, cheese or veggie pizza. For the less adventurous, they offer chicken sandwiches, hamburgers, chili fries, soup, salads and pizzas.

Their drink selection includes bottled water, sodas, pomegranate juice, fresh squeezed orange juice, doogh, Heidar Baba Tea, iced tea, coffee and non-alcoholic beer.

Their choices of exotic gelatos (hazelnut, vanilla, chocolate, raspberry, and lime), zoolbia bamia, falloodeh, baklava, rosewater ice cream and seasonal fruit plate are simply mouthwatering. With over 10 desserts to choose from, you can top off your meal with a savory sweet and Persian coffee or tea.

The servers are extremely polite and will explain any dish to you and the atmosphere is comfortable and welcoming. Heidar Baba is at 1511 East Colorado Blvd., right across from Pasadena City College. Call in orders are welcome at 626-844-7970.

I guarantee you won't leave this restaurant hungry!