rumi with a view
Opulent new Persian restaurant cooks up sophisticated fare in posh Post Oak development
An elegant new Persian restaurant is coming to Houston in 2022. Rumi's Kitchen will open in Post Oak Place, the Galleria-area building that's home to the recently opened Zadok Jewelers.
Chef/Owner Ali Mesghali and co-owner Stephen Kaplan created Rumi's Kitchen to offer a sophisticated take on Persian cuisine. The 5,200-square-foot Houston location will join outposts in Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
Known for its inventive mix of shareable plates, kebabs, flatbreads, and specialty rice dishes, Rumi's Kitchen has earned wide acclaim. In a review, Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema hailed a number of Mesghali's dishes, including kashk badenjoon (fried eggplant), stuffed grape leaves, and grilled shrimp served with a sauce made from feta, olive oil, and jalapeños.
"I’ve saved one of my best recollections for last," Sietsema writes. "Ghormeh sabzi — mounds of parsley, cilantro and scallions steamed down to a mash and sautéed in oil, then dressed with soft bites of beef and kidney beans — is a world-class stew. The herbaceous bog, seasoned with fenugreek and halved Persian limes, is dark green and wonderful."
In addition to Zadok Jewelers, Post Oak Place will also be home to Uchiko, the more casual sibling to Japanese fine dining restaurant Uchi. That restaurant is expected to open later this year.
“As one of the first upscale Persian restaurants to join Houston’s culinary scene, Rumi’s Kitchen represents an exciting addition to our robust and dynamic roster of tenants at Post Oak Place,” said Zadok Jewelers principal, Jonathan Zadok, in a statement. “By the growing mix of international restaurants that are helping to usher in a new chapter for the Uptown District following recent improvements to the area, Post Oak Boulevard continues to blossom into a compelling and exciting destination for both locals and tourists alike to visit, dine, shop, and explore.”
