Persian eatery Zeitoon is well known on the North Shore for its delicious koobideh kebab. It’s a mixture of minced beef and spices hand-squeezed onto skewers (note the ridges) and broiled until perfectly juicy and tender. Sandwiched between fragrant flatbread with a light dusting of sumac and fresh basil, it makes for an especially flavourful series of bites. Besides this signature classic, you should also look out for the fesenjoon, a laboriously prepared stew of tart pomegranate and chicken, and the addictive tahdig. The latter is a rice dish that’s flavoured with saffron and toasted to a crisp (it literally means “bottom-of-the-pot”). It’s so good that I could easily see it snapping the Persian social etiquette of t’aarof (the repetitious cycle of hospitality involving a host’s offer and a guest’s rejection based on politeness). Once its on the table, all bets are off! Bonus: there’s a location 1795 Pendrell Street in the West End.

1615 Lonsdale Avenue | North Vancouver BC | zeitoonrestaurant.ca

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