Layla's Persian Food

In a word: Makin' it.

The specs: #00941   
141 S. Butler St., 53703
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JM ate the lamb kebab.
Nichole ate the fesenjoon with a soup.
The bill was $25, or $12.50/person, plus tip.
JM gave Layla's Persian Food a B; Nichole gave Layla's Persian Food an A- (see our grading rubric).

Layla's Persian Food sits in the drafty basement formerly occupied by Café Costa Rica.  There's room for maybe six tables, yet the one bathroom is larger than both combined at Irish Pub. The front door doesn't really close all the way, and in January this can make a bit of a difference. 

Though the cold air made it feel like a tiny Kollege Klub, the similarities ended there. The meal itself was the opposite of bleak. The server/chef/owner was friendly. Indeed, perhaps too much so. Certain that she'd seen us before, she engaged us to find out where she may have known us from. We don't think it was from here. Along with the food and a free pot of tea on account of the frigid temperature, she provided us with small handfuls of her life story, which led us to consider if this wasn't all meant to be part of the experience in a place this size. Intimate space leads to intimate sharing, even from the owner whose 'dining room' we were sitting in.  That said, she was affable and friendly and we were never uncomfortable, just a little agog.

Down to the food itself, Nichole started with a dark green vegetable and lentil soup in a teacup. Very tasty! She also loved the fesenjoon - chicken, walnut and pomegranate stew - which was such a hot commodity that another, later-arriving table could not get enough orders to go around. The chicken was tender yet kept together, and the yellow rice, while cool-ish, was good too.

JM's lamb kebab was tasty with nicely prepared vegetables and tender meat, but was served over some of the coldest rice he'd ever eaten. It was especially difficult given how cold the room was, but it is probably served that way intentionally, so he's stuck just thinking it is not his favorite. His plate was garnished with a dusting of sumac and some pickled carrots and beets, which Nichole stole. His loss!

For dessert, we picked up some baklava for JM's dad, who enjoyed it.

Layla's also participated in "MACN Week," which was a big deal. With the warmth of spring around the corner, we'd probably recommend Layla's just because it is so singular an experience.