660364 Sat Oct 17 17:28:03 -0700 2009 0 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 5111143 This newly opened restaurant on Clayton Road in Concord is very nice. Our family went friday night for a birrthday dinner, and we enjoyed both the food and the service. The location is the former Korea Palace, which died a slow sad death over the last few years, and the new owners have done an amazing job renovating and updating the restaurant. The decor is simple, but elegant, and I would not be surprized to see weddings held here. They have a traditional seating section, and a small dance floor. It's always exciting to have another good restaurant open in the burbs. For appetizers, we had Kask Bademjan, a roasted eggplant, onion and garlic spread, Mast-o-Moosir, a thick yogurt mixed with shallots, and Tah-Dig, and crispy rice patty with lamb and lentil stew over it. All of this was served with hot pita bread and a plate of radishes, feta cheese, and plenty of whole fresh mint and basil leaves. The Eggplant dip was thick, garlicky, and next time I'll try the version with eggs, tomato and herbs added. The yogurt dip was like your fantasy french onion dip, so rich and flavorful. The Tah-Dig was good, and teh stew over it has cinnamon and maybe clove in it. I shared the 2 person dinner special, so I had a plate of very good saffron basmati rice, a tomato split and grilled, and shared skewers of Kabob Koobideh (ground seasoned beef), Kabob Barg (filet mignon slices), and Joojeh Kabob (chicken breast). The Koobideh was very well seasoned, the filet was sliced thin and cooked to medium-well, and the chicken was seasoned with turmeric and garlic and very yummy. All of these are cooked over an open fire in the kitchen, and arrive sizzling at the table. I also tried some of the lamb filet kabob, which was great. They have kabobs of prawns, salmon, and many combination plates. Most appetizers run $4-7, and entrees are $12 -22. They have several vegetarian options available, a dinner portion salad with the chicken kabob, and a variety of lunch specials for $7 to $10. Desserts are amazing. Bakhlava, Rose Water ice cream with pistachios were both excellent. The Zoolbia, a crispy and sticky sweet fried treat described as a pretzel is like a crisp funnel cake soaked in honey and rosewater, and one of my favorite sweets ever. They have a few other desserts, all were enjoyed at our table. Overall, a fun place for Persian food, nice welcoming family atmosphere, and a welcome addition to the Claycord area. Didar Persian Cuisine 36 Clayton Road Concord, CA 94521 925-689-3432 www.didarrestaurant.com Sat Oct 17 17:28:03 -0700 2009 115971 goddess.girl