Yashar Palace is Dubai’s newest, authentic Persian-Iranian restaurant. Sandwiched between TGI Friday’s and the Turkish Village near the Grand Mosque beside Spinneys in Jumeirah 1, it is also one of the largest. The front half of the restaurant has a skylight ceiling covered with (plastic) vine plant creepers giving the room a bright, natural look/feel…a bit like sitting under a traditional, Iranian nomadic Alachigh. The rest of the restaurant looks just like a typical Chelo-Kababi, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
For those who have visited Abshar Deira there’s good news, much of the Abshar team, including the second of the famous Nassiri chef brothers (the first went to Taste of Persia in City Walk), have moved to Yashar Palace. And Abshar DNA is evident from the minute their complementary bread basket is put on the table, because it includes Sangak flatbread. Surprisingly there’s also Barbary, a first for Dubai.
Although the restaurant is still in soft launch phase, the experienced kitchen is already knocking out a full range of kababs, stews and rice dishes, including our family favourite of the Abshar days – Ash-e Reshteh. Of their kababs, we found their Joojeh particularly good. But not so the Kabab Torsh, which I felt was not marinated enough, in addition to being overcooked. Note, Iranians tend to cook meat (including kababs) well-done. By default, I always ask for mine to be cooked juicy or, as they say in Persian, “Ab-dar”.
Breakfast NOT brunch: Starting from 08:00 every Friday and Saturday, and running till 11:00, Yashar serves a unique, all-you-can-eat Persian-Iranian breakfast buffet which includes classics such as Kaleh Patcheh, Haleem, Adasee, Ash-e Sabzi, Bandari Sausages, and a live egg station manned by one of their Iranian apprentices’ eager to cook you “tokhm-e morgh neemroo” or “omlet” (you gotta say it like an Iroonee though). They’ve also got pastries, hot from the tanoor-oven flatbreads (of course), fresh herbs, salty feta cheese and lots of strong tea. All this for only AED45 a head – super value.
Vegetarians, pescatarians and pesco-vegetarians rejoice! The Yashar menu includes many veggie delights such as Kashk-e Badenjan, Mirza Ghasemi, and Ash-e Reshteh, the hearty traditional potage I mentioned above. There are a number of superb rice dishes to choose from too. Try the Baghali Polo with Kashk-e Badenjan, and a side of Mast-o Moseer; I guarantee you won’t regret it.
The restaurant also has an impressive assortment of seafood, including that must-try, tangy South Iranian favourite, Ghalieh Mahi.
In the evenings Yashar has a live band to entertain its guests (upstairs). Thankfully, there is NO shisha. Service is friendly, accommodating and fast. Although there is plenty of (paid) parking in the front, free valet parking is available; just honk when you drive up to the entrance of the restaurant. Yashar Palace is a restaurant worth making a detour for, especially on Friday or Saturday morning for breakfast but also for their amazing a la carte menu which is available every day of the week.
Waste NOT. Want NOT.