Laylas Persian Food is probably the only persian restaurant in Madison. The place is decorated rustic and vibrant. It oozes a lot of character and a lot of it comes from the zest chef Layla who plays many roles here with panache. They don’t take reservations but you are always warmly greeted and choose your nook based on what you like. Layla many times cooks as well as takes orders and serves them as well displaying her multi-tasking talent. Her personality and ability to provide conversation and company while doing all this adds a lot of fun to the experience.

I have tried the tea when i have been there for lunch as i waited for the order. It comes in a lovely transparent glass tea cup with golden lining.

My favorite entree here has been the Jujeh Kabob. Layla cooks these perfectly tender and juicy. A good kabob cannot be taken for granted and here it has always worked for me as it is never overcooked where it dries out. The kabob has fluffy rice steamed perfectly for pairing alongside some seasonal accompaniment. The kabobs are mildly flavored with a hint of turmeric and the deliciously aromatic saffron. Every time i eat chicken cooked with saffron i feel it lends some sweet richness to the flavor. When i have asked Layla is always obliging to provide some pickles to go with it. She will also offer what she has going in the kitchen which she feels might go with the dish. This is how i ended up trying this fairly hot green pesto or chutney like accompaniment. Other times she has offered to serve a char grilled tomato on the side which i believe is very persian based on finding a similar pairing in other persian restaurant i have been to in Michigan and chicago. The side of creamy yogurt and slightly tangy dusting of what i believe is sumac makes this a perfect lunch.

When i first went here i had been eyeing this very set of kabob skewers on Amazon. After seeing these in action on my plate i picked this tip and ordered them for myself right away and they have seen a lot of use since. The flat and wide skewer is perfect as it stops the kabob from keeping on rotating with the skewer as well as the pointed angle tip makes it so easy to skewer.

Rice is taken quite seriously in Persian cuisine and one of the rice dishes i tried here was Tacheen. Its got some tarte tatin like action going on in the pan cooking and flip way but with the actors being a pilaf studded with raisins. The crust here is formed from the rice itself and when it is flipped in the pan you can see this caramelized crisp rice crust which you can’t wait to cut into. With some eggplant and yogurt on the side this disappears quickly from the plate.

The side salad is simple and delicious reminding a bit of the Mediterranean style with chunks of tomatoes and cucumbers.

We have never lucked out with our schedules yet for the poached eggs shakshuka which is featured sometimes on the weekends or the frequent specials she posts on the facebook page. We hope to visit back soon to make it for one of these specials and also try and check out her new restaurant named Noosh which is coming soon.