Vancouver is home to a vibrant Iranian population, which means that the delicious, meticulously prepared cuisine of the Iranian people is never far off. Cue Cazba: the restaurant that cooks traditional Iranian cuisine with a modern flare.

The Restaurant

Cazba opened 30 years ago in North Vancouver. The owner’s inspiration to open Cazba was due partly to his father, who was also in the restaurant business. Growing up, he was able to witness, first-hand, the happiness brought on by eating delicious food. For him, there was no greater satisfaction than bringing people of different ethnicities and ages together through the act of breaking bread. Today, Cazba has locations across the Vancouver area: two dine in restaurants (one on Davie Street and the other in North Vancouver), a food truck, a supermarket, and a food court location (with 3 additional food court locations and 2 dine in restaurants in the works). The owner wants to bring awareness to Persian food, which is making its mark in Vancouver. He wants to help facilitate a legacy of Iranian food not just in Vancouver, but all of North America.

The Food

Persian food is rich with both flavor and history. In an effort to keep the historic nature of Persian food intact, Cazba cooks all their kebabs on an open flame, much like they did thousands of years ago. They lay the tender meat on a heaping bed of soft white rice drizzled with saffron, and garnish the plate with sabzi (parsley and other fresh herbs), and a tomato straight from the grill. Customers have their choice of barg (tenderized beef steak), jujeh (boneless chicken breast), or koobideh (ground beef).

While kebabs are delicious, they are certainly not the only option. Persian food is also known for its variety of stews, which are meticulously prepared and take hours to cook. Ghormeh Sabzi is a favorite among lovers of Persian food; the special herbs and spices are mixed with pieces of beef, kidney beans, and, of course, served over a hot plate of rice. Fesenjan is another mentionable dish—infused with walnut, pomegranate sauce, and served with pieces of chicken and rice, this dish takes hours to prepare in the kitchen. Feeling like something sweet? Cazba serves traditional Persian ice cream, which is made with pistachio, saffron, and a hint of rose water.

The food at Cazba isn’t just thrown into a deep fryer and laid on a plate; each dish is prepared with care, using fresh herbs and spices. The rice isn’t minute-made either, it’s actually steamed using a special Persian technique called dam, which is what makes it so cloud-like and fluffy. And the skewers of meat are never fried but are cooked over an open flame to ensure that all the flavors and juices are conserved.

Persian culture is built on sharing tasty, carefully prepared meals with loved ones, and Cazba’s menu is a perfect avenue to doing just that. The food reflects authentic Iranian cuisine and leaves no taste bud behind.

Order from Cazba today!