Yummmm. I loved the atmosphere here. This is a great place to try some authentic Persian food!
The (free) appetizer they serve before you order was so interesting! Some flatbread, cheese and mint leaves. The flavors work so well together when you put all three into one bite.
We got the combination kabob plate, and a couple of their cocktails.
The kabob plate was delicious! The meats were cooked well, and the meat also tastes great with the flatbread/cheese/mint.
The cocktails were okay. They were a bit pricy, but smooth tasting considering their strength. Service was great, of course.
After long time waiting to visit this place finally got a chance to go there. Â The staff was very friendly even though it took some time to be noticed and be seated when it was not a busy time of the day! Â The place was nicely decorated and furnished and the food was nicely presented but the taste was not! Â I have had Persian food but this was not at all to my liking. Â The Kabab meat I ordered was supposed to be a Filet and very tender and it seemed like I had to fight with it to chew it in my mouth, the rice was very dry seemed as though it was not fully cooked. Â Time for service was slow both from the kitchen and the wait staff.
Although the presentation was nice, the food was not and definitely not worth the money spent! Â I don't think I will be going back unless they improve.
Delicious! It is so hard to find amazing Persian food in ATL (rare rare rare) and when you do find it, it's majorly expensive (and Colbeh is not the exception).
Persian food is not meant to be "spicy," but it is flavorful. Colbeh has bold citrus flavors, hearty and rich stews, complex and fragrant rice and they offer some flatbread with sabzi as an app. My SO and I come here at least once a month when we feel homesick and they never disappoint. Â Everything is so yummy! Even something so simple as veggie kabobs; they grill it so perfectly.
The staff here is also fantastic and extremely knowledgeable. Â Ending dinner or lunch with a cup of tea is a must.
This place was just ok.
Disclaimer: my boyfriend and I are into spicier food.
The starter warm, flat bread that comes with cheese and mint leaves was one of the highlights for sure. It's kind of a pricey place. We split the stew combo and the steak kebab (the cheapest one, whichever that was).
The steak kebab was good, just pretty plain. The waiter recommended the rice that comes with raisins and lentils to go with it, and I'd give that a 4.5 stars. It was my favorite thing that we ate. Â
The stew combo was bland all around. One of them tasted like tomatoes, one of them tasted like figs, and one of them (the one I liked the most) reminded me of the Indian dish Saag Paneer (spinachy). There was just nothing special, and the default rice it came with was nothing special.
Again, we really like spiced food, so if you're into things on the blander side, this could be for you.
A Decatur treasure hiding in plain sight. A real treat hiding in the shadow of the brick store. Please stop in colbeh. We finally visited while attending the arts festival and we were delighted. Loved the bread, loved the complementary appetizer and wow the mains. The staff was friendly and almost giddy in the secret knowledge of this gem. If you are as persuasive as my 8 year old, they may even teach you a phrase or two of Farsi.
Colbeh is a pleasant respite.
After waiting months to visit Colbeh, we finally ventured in on a Saturday afternoon around 2:00. Â The place was about a quarter full. Â After standing awkwardly in the doorway for a few minutes, someone told us to go pick a table and they would follow. Â They didn't, but no big deal. Â We remained without menus at the table for a good five minutes. Â As soon as I was thinking about leaving, we were greeted by our server.
We ordered the lamb shank and ghormeh sabzi stew minus the meat. Â A nice platter was presented to us with bread, cheese, radish, mint, and butter. Â It was quite tasty. Â The food came out ridiculously fast. Â The lamb shank had some fatty skin to work around. Â The rice was unusual on its own but nice when dunked in the lamb broth. Â The stew reminded us of grape leaves, but in a stew. Â Weird and difficult to eat a lot of.
After the food was served, we didn't see our server for a good 15 minutes. Â Even though the place was appropriately staffed - I waited tables for years - the servers spent a lot of time out of the dining room. Â I saw fellow diners looking around for ... something. Â The table next to us, who ordered at the same time, didn't receive their food until we were finished with ours. Â The server explained it takes a long time to cook their kabobs, which they surprisingly bought.
The big negatives was the painfully slow service. Â The food was merely okay, definitely not that satisfying. Â I don't see any reason to return.
Had a couple great dinners here and although its a bit on the pricey side, its good for a treat every now and again.
I wasn't a big fan of the stews personally just because I don't like over cooked meats too much but man the kebabs are all awesome and you really cant go wrong. Shrimp and filet are for sure my favorites.
Definitely get a fancy rice for your table and ill recommend the one with sour cherries in it as that was my favorite.
Friendly staff, ill definitely be back.
I'm new to Persian food, and since my Celiac diagnosis in 2011 I've been wary of attempting ethnic cuisines. But when I called Colbeh to ask if they could accommodate gluten free diners, they happily told me 90% of their menu is gluten free. The only items off limits? Bread, barley stew, one of the eggplant dips (Kashk Badenjan) and all the desserts. Everything else is in play.
Located on the Decatur square next to the Brick Store pub, Colbeh is a charming little space, narrow and long, but elegantly lighted and welcoming. During my dinner visit, the music was a little, hmm, how to put it? Woefully eclectic. I'm not sure Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" belongs on any restaurant's playlist, much less juxtaposed with lovely middle eastern guitar numbers. But that's a nit, and the strange mix made for some cute little WTF moments throughout the evening.
Portions for the kabobs are large, and easy to share. My friend and I split the Joojeh kabob, a beautiful marinated bone-in Cornish hen. The meat was moist and the flavors quite delicious, especially paired with the Albaloo polo - saffron basmati rice with sour cherries. I opted for a glass of Roussanne to complete this tasty and enjoyable meal.
Service was quite attentive, and Colbeh took extra care of me, providing freshly sliced cucumbers and radishes so I could enjoy the mirza ghasemi, a smoked roasted eggplant dip with tomatoes and garlic. I can also recommend the shirazi salad, a finely diced mix of cucumber, tomato, onion and mint, served with olive oil lemon dressing. It's light and refreshing - an excellent palate primer before the main course.
I had dinner here, based upon reviews I ordered the chicken kabob and the mixed plate of 3 stews. Â
The stews were ok, not great. Â The kabob was dry... disappointing.
The bartender was very friendly and attentive. Â Helpful with other places to eat nearby, etc. Â Beer was good and a live jazz band started at 7 PM. Â
I'd give the food a 2 and the atmosphere a 4. Â Nice place, the food just didn't thrill me I guess. Â Maybe I'll try it again later...
Great food!
I love trying new dishes and the food here is well made and delicious. Beautiful dining room and great lighting - if you appreciate ambiance.
Try the pomegranate sauce chicken stew really good. Awesome basmati rice and the free bread is a plus.
Good service as well. Just wish it was less expensive to go more often.
This restaurant was pretty highly rated here on Yelp, but I'm a little on the fence. It seems that just about every restaurant that has opened next door to the Brick Store has had a very short shelf life, so I've unfortunately come into this a little skeptical.
I was expecting something trendy and packed considering that it was Saturday in Decatur and the place is pretty new by comparison. I called ahead and made an 8:00 pm reservation without an issue. Upon entering, I was very happy to see that the inside was a good use of a compact space. There were lots of tables and while I don't know that you could host a party of 8 or more, it definitely accommodated all varieties of parties - dates, dinner / drinks with friends at the bar, & small groups (we came as a family of 5). The place appeared full and I was worried that we would be stuck in a corner somewhere. Don't let the space deceive you. Keeping going towards the back and you'll find ample places to be seated.
We ordered a few appetizers as we chatted and caught up with each other. The waiter was pretty responsive in the beginning and while he wasn't hovering around us, it wasn't difficult to flag him down for assistance as he passed by. This service headed slightly in the opposite direction as the night went on. I found this to be a bit surprising considering the crowd was starting to dwindle. He wasn't absent, but just not as responsive as in the beginning. Another complaint was the fact that the waiter tried to get my dad into the most expensive beer on the menu without really asking what he liked. (Trying to get a guy who drinks Miller Lite & Yuenging into a $10 glass of Allegash Tripel is a bit of a cheap shot IMHO.) Thankfully, the food made up for a bit of the slide in service.
The menu, while categorized by food types, is pretty big and could be a bit daunting if you don't know what you're ordering. Thankfully, we had someone in the group who was familiar with a number of selections. We ended up with an assortment of rice, kabobs, and roasted veggies. Fes enjon is a chicken dish served in a curry / sauce made of walnut and pomegranate that is very intriguing - i'd suggest trying it at least once. The lamb / beef kabob was also very tasty. I noticed many tables around us ordering individual dishes, but I would highly suggest ordering a few dishes to share just so you can get a taste of everything.
After my first visit, I'd give this place a 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. I'm inclined to go back and try a few other options in hopes of bettering my opinions. Adding a Persion restaurant in that little corner only adds to the growing ethnic selections in the Decatur area.
I wasn't very hungry when I stumbled into Colbeh in search of a quiet spot for conversation and light repast after spending a chilly evening at Java Monkey's open mic. All around Decatur, it was Movember, but due to the fact that I grow facial hair at a not-quite-Asian rate, it was just plain ol' November to me. I'd checked out several other options around the square, but only Colbeh seemed to offer a laid-back, douche-free atmosphere with room to breathe. Much later in the night, a moderately obnoxious (I'll never understand the effects TV sports can have on some people) older man wandered in and offered the evening's only minor annoyance, and it eventually became clear that he was either an owner or friend of the people running the place.
We sat at the bar and spent quite some time considering the menu's options, and the affable bartender started us off with a bread plate, with cheese, walnuts, mint, and radish slices. I've never liked radish much, but together with the other items, it's friggin' delicious. This was only my second time having Persian food - so I'm no expert - but the cheese tastes like a firm feta (very tasty); I'm not certain of its exact type. I could eat this stuff as an entire meal.
For a little warmth, I ordered the barley soup with chicken. This was an interesting recipe, with a creamy - yet not thick - broth. I didn't love it, but it was good.
Finishing up, I opted for a single lamb skewer. After all, you can't go wrong with a nice stick of meat (that's what... um... I... said?). This was my least favorite choice of the night. As with many of the items I'd tried at Sufi's (my introduction to Persian cuisine), the lamb was too tart and tangy for my liking. A bit like when old cartoon characters are fed alum by their adversaries, and their faces contort into hilariously grotesque shapes, and we all laugh despite having no idea what alum is.
I can't reasonably compare this meal experience to that of Sufi's, as I'd had a full meal at Sufi's. I can say that the staff here was friendlier and less douchey, though to be fair, Colbeh was nearly empty for most of our time there. They chatted with us, joked with me about the humorous design on my t-shirt, and even after closing didn't pressure us to venture back out into the frosty tundra that awaited us on the other side of the door (honestly, they didn't even make it clear that they were closing, or closed, until long after, so I felt a bit bad about that).
Next time I'm in the area... no, I won't go to Colbeh. Too many other options. But I'll return eventually for a fuller meal.
MARTA: Decatur Station, Buses 2, 15, 19, 123
Emory Cliff: CCTMA
Overall, 6/10.
Colbeh is a little strange at first because it seems like the atmosphere and the food don't really mesh well. Â The restaurant feels like it wants to be super hip, but the food is cozy and feels like someone's mom made it. Â I'm obviously not Persian, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Â Anyway, enough rambling.
The service is great and the food is delicious. Â Several of my friends had kabobs. Â Both the chicken and the beef were nice and moist. Â
I had the eggplant stew and was very pleased with my choice. Â First of all, how awesome is it that they put an entire egglant in the bowl. Â It was cooked perfectly and the flavors in the stew were bold and beautiful (and young and restless). Â Will need to drop in again soon. Â BTW, pop up on Scout Mob!
I remember seeing the sign go up for this place but held off going until just recently. Â I've been burned before in this genre of food, and the thought of another letdown was too much to bear. Â Under the insistence of friends, however, we made the trek and went full on sampler style. Â All I can say is WOW!!
We started by sampling all of the starters. Â Everything was good but I'm a sucker for eggplant and the Kashk Badenjan and the Mirza Ghasemi were especially tasty (note: if you get the sampler, there is an upcharge for Mirza Ghasemi being one of the options...but worth it!). Â The stuffed grape leaves were good too and I'm not usually a grape leaf kind of girl.
For the main course we ordered all of the half skewers and shared with the Baghali, Albaloo and Adas Polos. Â The meat was all cooked perfectly - way tender with just the right amount of seasoning. Â One of the beef skewers was a little grey-ish looking in color, which made me a little dubious initially but tasted far better than it looked. Â
Service was great and the server had really good suggestions. Â I've been told to come back for the lamb shank. Â This place has definitely made my list.
Hello lamb chops! The appetizers and pulow and my other friend's dish were alright, but the rack of lamb was perfection. There were three of us for dinner, and two of us ordered the rack of lamb because the server highly recommended it. When our dishes came out, I commented that they didn't give us steak knives. No need! The lamb was so succulent and tender, it just melted off the bone. In fact, we decided we didn't even need utensils! The three of us picked up those chops with our hands so as not to waste a single bite.
If the kebabs are as good as their lamb, this could be a carnivore's delight!
For about the same prices as Rumi's Kitchen in Sandy Springs, this place is no match to the existing Persian choices already in town. Â
We dined at Colbeh on a Sunday evening. Â We received a ~$6 upcharge on the bill that we were not informed of either on the menu or at the time of ordering. Â Select appetizer combinations when you order the three plate sampler results in a higher price. Â Substituting a different rice type on your entree plate also results in a hidden higher price. Â I'm totally fine with restaurants that want to charge extra for inconveniences but when stuff like that shows up as a surprise on the bill - it just didn't give me a good feeling to end the night with as a first time customer. Â I did point this out to them but the response was only that they will look into adding that information onto the menu. Â
The food averaged out to be just fine. Â The appetizers were really good and the entree skewers were not so great. Â They had no sizzle or sign of char from the grill and came out tepid in temperature. Â I'm used to the nice grill marks that the other places put on their kabobs and did not see it on Colbeh's koobideh, barg, and lamb skewers ordered that night.
The plus that this place has over the others is the location. Â There are less Persian/Mediterranean options in that part of town at the moment and I would definitely take the chill pace of Decatur over the hustle and bustle of Buckhead and Roswell Rd.
Holy mother of Ahura-Mazda this place is the bomb-diggity. Let me tell you that I have been waiting forever for a Persian restaurant to open in Decatur and Colbeh has done its job in fulfilling all my kabob urges and needs.
I've been to this restaurant two times and I'm already a fan. Let me however start off with some of the things I didn't like. The Koo-koo Sabzi, dry. It needs to be taken off the menu. Another night I ordered the Soltani and my date the Chicken Kabob. The Koobideh Kabob, fantastic, but there is a little too much oil used when making it. It shows. The barg kabob that came with my koobideh, tender, but it needed more seasoning if it wants to compete with Rumi's and Sufi's. Â Â
Now to the good stuff. My date had the chicken kabob, and I had some bites she left one my plate. WOW, out of this world. It was spot on. The chicken was tender and seasoned correctly. We also ordered Albaloo pollo and it was like it was the perfect balance between sweet and sour. Delicious!
All in all, Colbeh Persian Kitchen & Bar is a fantastic restaurant. The food is great, and the staff is very friendly. Bravo!
I saw an article on Thrillist for a new Persian bar and restaurant & thought it was the perfect choice for my Birthday dinner. They did not disappoint - all 4 of us were delighted with the flavors and portions of our authentic Iranian food. Hot fresh bread, perfectly seasoned tender kabobs (which are easy to overcook) and chargrilled veggies over a bed of fluffy saffron basmati - mmmmm.
I am Persian and wanted to see for myself if this lived up to Mom's cooking and it did all that and then some.
The Chef and Bartender both creatively used traditional Persian seasonings in modern ways. The food was all outstanding, the server was friendly and attentive (which is hard to find in Persian places unfortunately) and the atmosphere was cozy yet contemporary. Thoroughly impressed!
This is spot has been a black hole for restaurants, which is odd considering the great location of Decatur Square.
We ordered the Triple Dipper which sounds like some horrible TGIF deal but actually allows you to order three starters and get samples of them. Â The chicken wings were very good. Â An unique seasoning that I have never had on a wing before. Â It was too bad there were only two in the mix and match. Â The potato with stew over it was enjoyable. Â The hummus had enough garlic in it to cancel True Blood. Â It was delicious, but make sure your date has some too or you can forgot about that good night kiss. The chicken and the lamb were flavorful, I would pass on the rice dish next time.
To Recap:
The Good: Â The decor. Â I would like to meet the man that sold the Edison style light bulbs in Decatur and get his secret, I am sure he is retired, as the last three restaurants I have visited (Iberian Pig, No. 246 and Colbeh) all had them. Â They look cool and apparently every restauranteur in Decatur agrees with me.
The Bad: Â I like to space out my courses, we mentioned this and they said no problem and then let us know we needed to order because a private party was taking over the restaurant. Â They were apologtic and told us to take our time as they were clearing tables and sweeping up all around us, which was a little disheartening. Â I wish they would have mentioned this before we ordered a bottle of wine and apps. Â
The Band This Restaurant Most Resembles: The Clash. Â You can rock the casbah, but it better be on their time.
This place is pretty good and a welcome addition to downtown Decatur. I was a bit nervous, as I've had some pretty bad "ethnic" food in Atlanta. However, this place does a pretty good job with fairly authentic, real Persian food.
Now, to be fair, I didn't eat much. But what I did eat was really good. I'll update my review once I've had a full meal there. But, for now, I can say we had some hummus, olives, and grape leaves. (It drives me nuts when people give standard dishes like these some funny name, to make it seam fancier. For example, they call hummus "Colbeh Dip". However, to be fair, they call grape leaves by their authentic name, dolmeh.)
We were primarily in there for the bar (while we waited to eat at Cakes & Ale - should have eaten there, as Cakes & Ale always disappoints). The drinks were pretty good, and reasonably priced. There is a new drink called Garden of Eden, which has gin and St. Germain and some other stuff. It was too sweet; all I could taste was the hibiscus syrup in the drink. But, then I had another drink, which totally redeemed the place. All of my friends like their drinks, too (except for the one other Garden of Eden). The only problem here was that the bartender was overwhelmed. She needed some help and to figure out som efficiencies. But, it was fine.
The decor is really cool. Very clean, understated, well lit but not bright. I'm definitely going back to have a full meal here.
I've eaten Persian food for years, in divey places, fancy spots and friend's homes. Colbeh is up there.
They know how to prepare meat very well. Chicken is marinated and incredibly tender. Kubideh was very juicy and delicious, but I prefer a bit more seasoning.
Dolma are house made, served warm, and filled with not only rice, but herbs, lentils and pine nuts. All the dips were delicious. It would be great if they had a veg sampler platter.
Wouldn't get the salad again, it was limp salad mix served dry with a side of overly vinegared dressing.
I do find the prices high for the quantity, but compared with a place Sheik Burritos n Kabobs, the lunch prices are comparable and the food and atmosphere were infinitely better.
Cheers~
Wow, this might seriously have been my favorite Yelp event to date (and I've been to quite a few in the last year). I came here for Yelp's Passport to Decatur's Wine & Appetizer Tasting @ Colbeh. Most of the time, Yelp events just have light bites and this was advertised as so... but I was literally stuffing my face the entire time!
The food there was seriously SO GOOD. Get the Zereshk Polo and you won't be disappointed with the entire meal. It might just be rice, but this combination of saffron, barberries, and pistachios literally blew my mind. I would've just been happy to eat an entire plate of it for dinner. The chicken kabob was more moist and flavorful than I ever knew was possible. Other Middle Eastern standards like Dolemeh (grape leaves), hummus, Mirza Ghasemi (roasted eggplant), and Koo Koo Sabzi (patties of parsley, dill, coriander, and eggs) were pretty damn good. I definitely plan on returning! I'm hungry for that rice just writing this review...
You would think by my light complexion that I was pure vanilla-man, but you would be surprised to learn that I am actually half-Iranian. I grew up eating authentic Persian cuisine thanks to my mother, who is the best mom in the world. So let's just say there was a little bias when entering Colbeh; could this Persian cuisine even compete with the home-cooked meals I grew up with?
After dining at Colbeh, one thought stood out in my mind:
What the hell kind of garbage has my mom been feeding me?
I ordered the koobideh kabob with the lubia polo rice. I was completely unprepared for the blast of flavor I was about to succumb to. That koobideh kabob was SO GOOD. I have never had koobideh like that in my life. The taste of that delectable meat was only slightly soured by the disappointment I felt not growing up with it. Maybe if my mother spent a little more time cooking and a little less time raising me, I could have had this food all my life (along with severe abandonment issues).
Due to recent events, I am forced to downgrade my mom to second best mother in the world. Colbeh Persian Kitchen & Bar is my new mom now.
In old mom's defense, I thought her lubia polo bested Colbeh's. In a perfect world, I would have two moms - Colbeh and my biological mother would get married in some kind of strange, lesbian, woman-building ceremony and create the perfect Persian food.
I was walking around Decatur Square and wasn't sure what I was in the mood for, so my friend and I decided to try Colbeh. Â Why not, right?
The place is decorated very contemporarily with handing lightbulbs, and wood textured walls. Â It is pretty dimly lit, but a cool looking place.
When we were seated, we were presented with a plate of two walnuts, two pieces of feta cheese, a sprig or two of cilantro, radishes, olive oil, and one piece of puffed Persian bread. Â While the feta cheese was really delicious, they could have been more generous with the portion size, and at least given us one piece of bread each.
I wasn't very hungry so ordered the small chicken barg, or ground chicken skewer, which was one skewer for $4. Â While again, the portion size was small (though that is was what I ordered) it was absolutely delicious. Â My friend ordered the lamb kabob which was perfectly tender served with a scorched tomato and saffron rice. Â The food was really great.
While we were there, our waitress was not very helpful, did not know the menu well, and frankly a little loopy. Â In my opinion the ambiance was a little too elevated for the food. Â It almost ruined the experience for me, things were so forced.
In short, Colbeh-- stop trying so hard to be trendy because you don't need it, your food is really good.
This is a one-visit write up.
It will not be my last visit. The menu is a very nice introduction to Persian cuisine. I learned, after speaking at length with the owner, that the flavors are rather mild, not spicy and everything is marinaded.
I had a 'light' lunch of mirza ghasemi (roasted eggplant, tomato and garlic), beef koobideh (seasoned beef served in flatbread...a Persian steak sandwich), and a side shirazi salad (cucumber, tomato and parsley).
My selections came from different parts of the lunch menu but I was pleasantly surprised how well everything paired. All the flavors were complimentary. I think it's mostly that each dish had common ingredients. But it was still a nice experience.
The menu is very meat-centric. So eating "light" may be a challenge, even at lunch. The service was nice but a bit odd. I had several plates and the waiter didn't remove anything until after I was done with the entire meal. I felt kind of piggish sitting alone at a 4-seater full of small plates.
I sat outside because it was such a gorgeous day, but the interior looks really nice. Though I wish they had chosen a lighter wood to brighten the place a bit. It makes the place look a little too serious for a comfortable afternoon meal... or even a casual neighborhood dinner. But the place has received good word of mouth.
It's a family owned and run operation - father and two sons. I think they'll make it.
The food was good, especially the lamb. However, portions were small for the prices. We were a party if 12 and since their policy is to add tip, our waiter could not have cared less about her service or attitude. She was rude and unfriendly multiple times.
 When the manager came over near the end if the meal to check on us, we told him a short list of valid complaints and he asked if we wanted another server (no, we're finished here) and said sorry we didn't have an enjoyable experience. Nothing was offered to us to make up for the horrible service or let us leave with a better impression-drinks, apps, dessert-nothing. Then he walked away and that was it. So the server and the manager failed. Even though the food was tasty, none of us will be going back.  It sucks when local restaurants can't get it together.
I enjoyed my meal here, and will return. I have not had Persian food before, but never have trouble trying new things. And there were plenty of new things here. Some great, some very good, some not to my liking (maybe they were great to someone!).
They brought complementary bread with feta, butter, walnuts, and mint, while we looked over the menu. Our waiter was very helpful without becoming a pest, and did not seem to mind our repeated questions. I was pleased with the beer menu, being somewhat picky about my beer.
We ordered the "Triple Dipper," and loved the Colbeh Dip and Zeytoon Parvardeh. I didn't care for the Koo Koo Sabzi, which seemed burnt to me. But what do I know? The appetizer portions were rather small, but not unreasonably so. Just don't expect them to be half of a meal. They are what appetizers should be.
My wife ordered the Ghormeh Sabzi, which was pretty tasty, but if there was some meat in there, it was not much. I had the lamb shank, which was very good, but maybe not as flavorful as I expected. Not a disappointment, but nothing to get excited about.
The music was a bit too loud when we arrived, but soon live music started, and it was softer, and was very enjoyable. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed. I will definitely return. It's not a favorite yet, but definitely worth a trip. Maybe it will be your favorite. Maybe mine, too, after a few more visits.
So I had a second chance to try Colbeh last night at a Yelp member only wine tasting event the great empress Kathleen M. hosted. Â Fantastic job, Kathleen - another great experience!
The invite indicated this would be more of an appetizer-type of event - well, if that's what Yelp considers appetizers, I like their idea of it! Â I'm quite certain everyone was thoroughly stuffed by the time we began disbanding around 9 PM.
Similar to Duc L. here's a run down of everything that filtered out to our tables: your choice of complimentary red or white wine, warm dolemeh (grapes leaves filled with rice, peas, and herbs) - they were a little soggy for my taste personally, lots and lots of fresh-baked Koobideh flat bread bread (the group just couldn't get enough of it) with hummus (very rich and creamy) and mirza ghasemi (a smoky roasted eggplant sauce) and mast'k hiar (a yogurt dressing like tahini), bowls of shirazi salad (a mixture of onions, cucumber, tomato and herbs in an olive oil dressing), and koo koo sabzi (squares of chopped parsley, dill, and other herbs mixed together and fried) - not my favorite either - and that was just the appetizers! Â
The main courses that came out for us were big platters of chicken barg (thick strips of marinated chicken breast) - delish!, plus two different rices: albaloo polo (saffron basmati rice with sour cherries) - so good with a little tumeric sprinkled on top and lubia polo (rice with beef tips, green beans and tomato sauce) - also good. Â And the waitress who brought the second rice dish out swore she wouldn't eat rice any other way after she first tasted that dish.
Anyway, we all had a great time, I met some cool new Yelpers, there was more than enough food and wine to go around for the group, and I don't think anyone left disappointed in the end. Â I love being part of the Yelp community - it's just great!
Oh, how I *heart* the owners of Colbeh, Kathleen M., and Yelp! Â I was one of the lucky few who were confirmed to attend the "Wine and Appetizers at Colbeh!" Passport to Decatur Square event last night. Â Although Kathleen had mentioned "free samplings and wine" in the event description, it actually turned out to be more than enough for a full meal for each person!
My friend, Duc L., and I arrived right around the start time of the event - 7:30 pm - and sat at one of the two tables reserved for the Yelp event. Â There were already a few appetizers at the table, but we didn't know exactly how this "sampling" was going to work since no one had told us what to do. Â After talking to other Yelpers at the table, we collectively decided to start digging in!
We were allowed to choose either a red or white wine, so I requested the red. Â Although the server didn't specify what brand it was, he told me it was a Cabernet Sauvignon. Â I don't know a whole lot about wine, but I thought it tasted pretty good and was a nice compliment to the dishes I tried. Â (NOTE: It *may* have been the Charles & Charles, 2010, Cabernet Sauvignon, which was mentioned on the event page.)
Here are my "quick" thoughts on the numerous appetizers and foods that were generously offered:
STARTERS
* Mirza Ghasemi (smoked roasted eggplant with tomatoes & garlic) - I had this once before at a Mediterranean restaurant and really enjoyed it, and I was pleased with Colbeh's version of it as well! Â Although I'm usually not a fan of eggplant, this spread is so flavorful and great with pita bread or with Colbeh's fresh, homemade bread, called Taftoon.
* Colbeh Dip (blended chickpeas, tahini, garlic, mixed with olive oil & lemon juice) - I thought this was hummus (and it may very well be), but I guess it's simply called the "Colbeh Dip" here. Â I usually love hummus, but I thought the Colbeh Dip was just alright. Â I guess I prefer my hummus to be creamier.
* Mast'khiar (yogurt with grated cucumbers & mint) - I thought this spread was decent. Â It tastes exactly the way you would expect from the description.
* Dolemeh (grape leaves filled with rice, tarragon, split peas, green onions, basil, parsley & fresh herbs) - Maybe this dish has an acquired taste, but I didn't like it the first time I tried it at another restaurant. Â Unfortunately, I felt the same way about Colbeh's. Â It's a bit too sour for my taste buds.
* Koo Koo Sabzi (pan-fried patties of chopped parsley, dill, coriander & eggs) - Ohhhh goodness... Â This appetizer literally looks like big green bars of grass. Â From the description, I knew there was going to be cilantro (coriander) in it - but I still gave it a try. Â After a tiny bite, I knew I couldn't have another. Â I just can't stand cilantro! Â =(
SALAD
* Shirazi Salad (freshly diced cucumber, tomato, onion & parsley with olive oil lemon dressing) - Although I picked out all of the raw onion bits, I thought this was a nice and refreshing salad that was pretty good with the Taftoon (homemade bread).
POULTRY
* Chicken Barg (thick strips of marinated charbroiled boneless chicken breast) - The chicken breast was tender, perfectly spiced, and charbroiled very nicely. Â It was delicious! Â
RICE (POLO)
* Albaloo Polo (saffron basmati rice & sour cherries) - This rice was perfectly cooked and went so well with the Chicken Barg! Â I loved the bits of dried, sour cherries in the rice, which made the rice especially unique!
Unfortunately, my friend couldn't stay too long so we weren't able to try the Kabob (Koobideh - skewers of charbroiled seasoned ground beef). Â Boo... Â Sounds delicious and was great according to Daniel B.! Â =)
Overall, Colbeh Persian Kitchen & Bar gets 4.5 stars for their delicious food, great service, and being such wonderful and generous hosts of the Passport to Decatur Square event! Â I will definitely recommend this place to friend and plan to return for more of their Chicken Barg with Albaloo Polo - and to try the Koobideh!
[Review 137 of 366]
Checked out Colbeh last night with several other Yelpers thanks to Kathleen's latest Passport to Decatur event (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/events/atlanta-passport-event-wine-and-appetizers-at-colbeh">http://www.yelp.com/even…</a>).  We had a grand sampling of Colbeh's food and wine and I had a really good time.
Colbeh is a new Persian restaurant that opened on the Square last month. Â It's located next to Brick Store. Â It feels unlike any other Middle Eastern restaurant I've dined at in town because it has that "nicer" stylish tavern look and feel. Â Dark woods, dimly lit, laid back, intimate atmosphere. Â It's a combo of Iranian cuisine + a creative drink menu. Â They've got some outdoor sidewalk seating too. Â This place fits seamlessly with the Decatur restaurant and bar scene.
The menu has a lot of unique items including a wide assortment of starters, Persian soups and stews, and kabobs (chicken, beef, lamb, seafood). Â Expect to spend about $5-9 on small plates and anywhere from $14-20+ on entrees. Â I noticed they had Fesenjon stew ($18, stew made with pomegranate and walnuts) on the menu. Â I didn't get to try it last night, but plan to on a return visit. Â What I did sample included:
Starters:
Torshi - pickled vegetables
Koo Koo Sabzi - pan-fried patties of chopped parsley, dill, coriander and eggs
Dolemeh - grape leaves filled with rice, tarragon, split peas, green onions, basil, parsley, and herbs
Spreads:
Mirza Ghasemi - smoked roasted eggplant with tomatoes and garlic
Mast'khiar - yogurt with grated cucumbers and mint
Salad:
Shirazi Salad - freshly diced cucumber, tomato, onion, and parsley with olive oil lemon dressing
Polo (Rice) and Bread:
Albaloo Polo - saffron basmati rice and sour cherries
Adas Polo - saffron basmati rice, onions, lentils, and raisins
Taftoon - Persian flatbread
Meats:
Kabob (Koobideh) - charbroiled seasoned ground beef.
Chicken Barg - thick strips of marinated charbroiled boneless chicken breast
The torshi was served in compact bowls. Â The chopped raw veggies included cauliflower and carrots. Â There was a lot of vinegar, so it was very sour. Â A lot of countries/regions have their own type of pickled vegetables whether it's in Korean banchan or American South chow-chow. Â This is Persia's version.
My first experience with Koo Koo Sabzi. Â Can't say I'm a huge fan, but it wasn't bad. Â These thick green patties were like an Iranian omelette. Â They were quite aromatic as were the Dolemeh. Â The herbs and spices really make these foods fragrant. Â The Dolemeh went great with the Mast'khiar yogurt. Â Actually, a lot of dishes go great with Mast'khiar. Â It's cool, minty, and refreshing.
The Mirza Ghasemi reminded me of a slightly thicker and smokier version of marinara sauce. Â The Shirazi Salad was pretty much like pico de gallo. Â Tangy. Â Both the Mirza Ghasmi and the Shirazi Salad went well with the Taftoon flatbread, which was baked in-house. Â The outside of the Taftoon had seeds and was powdery.
I loved the Polo (rice). Â I enjoy basmati rice because it's light, fluffy, and soft. Â Really easy to eat. Â Colbeh has five different types of Polo you can order, so there's some added variety to the rice here which you won't find elsewhere.
The beef Kabob was very good. Â It was seasoned well. Â The skewers were glistening when they hit our table. Â Somewhat of a thick consistency, but definitely savory. Â The Chicken Barg was OK. Â I'm not big on chicken breasts as it's a naturally drier meat. Â The chicken tasted better when I mixed it with either Mirza Ghasemi or Mast'khiar.
Service was outstanding for our large group of about 20. Â The staff was friendly and inviting.
Decatur parking tip: You can park at any street meter for free after 6pm on weekdays and Saturdays. Metered parking is free on Sundays.
Was here earlier today after the wine tasting event thanks to the empress Kathleen M.
I've only been to a handful of restaurants in the local Decatur area and even less Persian centric food. So if your daring in trying new foods, keep reading.
I tried the following:
Koo Koo Sabzi : pan-fried patties of chopped parsley, dill, coriander & eggs
Hummus
Dolemeh : grape leaves filled with rice, tarragon, split peas, green onions, basil, parsley & fresh herbs
Shirazi Salad : freshly diced cucumber, tomato, onion & parsley with olive oil lemon dressing
Mast'khiar : yogurt with grated cucumbers & mint
Chicken Barg : thick strips of marinated charbroiled boneless chicken breast
All served with a side of our Adas Polo (Lentil Rice) and our homemade bread (Taftoon) and Sabzi spread.
It seems exhaustive to read but if I were to revisit, i'd try almost everything on that list once again, maybe except the sabzi. It seemed like a lot of cilantro, dill, spinach and such which the overall taste wasn't for my liking. It had a little pungent aftertaste but it was a bit better if tasted with the Mast'Khiar which masked the taste of the spinach. Â
If I were to rate my favorite dishes: It would be the chicken, the hummus, shirazi and then the mast'khiar in that order. Each one had it's own unique flavor that i absolutely love.
The service was really good. The waiter accommodated new members of the table quickly and offered drinks in a timely fashion. Offered two selections of wine, which I declined so I can't really say much about the quality of wine they had on hand. Â
Overall, It was a great experience to dine here. I would rate this place closer to 4.5 stars with the addition of their hospitality and service. Good food, good service, great location, all worth it in my book.
I'm so happy my husband suggested this place for lunch. And I'm already planning on what I'm going to order next time we go.
I had an amazing Koobideh flat-bread that came w/ a small Colbeh salad. And we shared Colbeh Dip which is basically the most delicious hummus I've ever had.
I believe there is a different menu for lunch and dinner. The lunch menu had a variety of kabobs, flat-breads, and salads. And I thought the pricing was really reasonable.
The decor is very hip but cozy. It reminded me a lot of the inside of Iberian Pig, but more intimate. Maybe the same decorator?
I really love this place! I hope everyone gives it a try and it is a huge success. Atlanta leaves me seriously underwhelmed in the Mediterranean food department and this place gives my taste buds something to cheer about.
What's Persian food, you ask? Colbeh, among the elite restaurants and pubs on Decatur Square, is a lovely way to satisfy your palette and your curiosity. When you cannot get into Iberian Pig, and the Brick Store is just too crowded, duck into Colbeh Persian Kitchen & Bar, and discover another off-the-charts option to those two popular spots.
General Manager Sean Shamloufar says his family wanted to bring home-style Persian culture to the table. Where better in Atlanta to tease a new taste onto the scene than in downtown Decatur's Square, they said. When they found two chefs, at least one of whom had learned his craft in the same Persian neighborhood where Sean spent his early childhood, they decided it was a sign to take the plunge.
Located next door to Brick Store bar, the experiment is not without some risk. Recent efforts to make a go of a restaurant in this location have proved less than successful. But Colbeh's unpretentious, exotic quality differs from its predecessors -- and from its well respected neighbors.
We wandered in last week, before Atlanta had discovered it. Based on the experience, we figure it's the quietest we will ever see this restaurant again. Service was helpful, attentive, and informed about the menu. Wine was perfect. Bar was over-the-top. Ambiance was great for everything from casual conversation at the bar to a dress-up date. And the food...
Taftoon, little bread pillows delivered fresh from the kitchen, puff their steamy goodness as a warm welcome to the table. An herb mix including mint, cilantro and tarragon, served with feta and walnuts, accompanies the bread, as you sit back and take in the Persian language menu. (Don't worry; subtitles in English explain each dish.)
Kellen, our waiter, recommended our wine: a Charles and Charles cab blend. Our party liked it enough to order a second bottle. Â Derek, (from Feast Restaurant, which closed last winter due to the owner's health) is a familiar face behind the massive bar. Count on quality from this veteran bartender.
For starters, we ordered the "Triple Dipper" a $13 option that included generous samples of three starters: Mirza Ghasemi, a smoked roasted eggplant with tomatoes and garlic; Kashk Badenjan, sauteed eggplant & onion with Person cream of whey, crispy fried onions & mint; Torshi, a combination of pickled fresh vegetables. All were very tasty and the bread just kept coming. Ordered separately, the three starters would have cost $21. Nice value.
In fact, all of the prices are reasonable. Even the rack of lamb is only $25 -- the most expensive item on the intriguing menu.
Stuffed on appetizers, our four-top ordered a combination of four "Halfz's" skewers to share. As the name implies, these were smaller portions to mix and match for a customized platter. Lamb kabob was the best I've ever tasted. But the Shish, Chicken and Veggie Kabobs all held their own, as well. The secret is in the down-home, authentic blend of spices and marinades, Sean says.
The side of Adas Polo, a saffron basmati rice with onions, lentil and raisins was a meal in itself. Delectable. The Mast'khiar, (similar to Greek tzatziki) served as a refreshing, slightly tart dipping sauce for the skewers. It was lick-the-bowl good. Can't wait to try the Persian stews, and some of the other kabobs.
Go now. Avoid the rush. Cause there is going to be one...
Decatur hits it out of the ball park with it's new addition: Colbeh!
Shopping on the square yesterday I spied a new restaurant moving into the old Zucca location. Much to my delight, they had the menu posted outside - Persian - YUM! A waiter came outside and I asked the hours. I knew I would be returning soon.
Not more than 24 hours later, I convince hubby to go. Boy am I glad we did. From apps to dinner to dessert - everything was a win. Everything was bursting with flavor and someone took obvious pride in what they made. We had a sampler of apps and a mix of half skewered kabobs with rice. And a chocolate cake to top it off.
I love what Colbeh has done with the interior as well. They've taken out the booths and really opened the area up. More lights and just a great over-all atmosphere. Great for dates, or with friends. Bustling, but not so much that it's too noisy.
Kellen was our server and did a wonderful job. I highly recommend him. He was knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly- Â without being overly chatty. The later part means he was cued-in enough to know we were on a date (even though we are married.) A waiter that can read his/her clients is quite coveted. Our glasses were always full and food came out timely. He was very nice and ready for recommendations when we asked. We will be sure to ask for him next time.
I was so sad when Zucca closed down, but I am very excited by it's replacement and expect to return frequently.
Make sure to get one of the eggplant apps and basmati rice selections. Complexity of flavor was fantastic!
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