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[thehungrykat1]

Hossein’s Persian Kebab Serves Ox Brain and Other Persian Delights

Have you ever eaten brains and liked it? I don’t think I’m going to turn into a zombie anytime soon, but I just ate ox brain for the very first time a few weeks ago at Hossein’s Persian Kebab. Honestly, I was a bit hesitant at first, but I was quite surprised that I really enjoyed this exotic Persian dish.

Hossein’s Persian Kebab and Shisha Cafe is one of the oldest pioneering Middle Eastern cuisine restaurants in Metro Manila serving authentic Halal-certified Mediterranean cuisine. You can find it along the busy Makati Avenue, right across Burgos Street. There’s ample parking space in front of the restaurant, so you can step right in to their newly renovated cafe and dining area and be transported to a fancy Middle Eastern experience.

Hossein’s has been a popular name in the industry for the last 37 years, having been established in 1985 by Chef Hossein himself and now with two other branches in Greenbelt and Bonifacio Global City. The restaurant is open from 11:00am to 3:00am, offering a fine dining ambiance with dishes ranging from Iranian, Arabian, Indian and Mediterranean cuisines.

The restaurant is actually divided into two areas, with the upper floor serving as the main dining hall while the newly-renovated Shisha Bar downstairs offering a more casual venue for those who want to smoke the shisha or enjoy some drinks and cocktails from the bar. The Shisha Bar opens starting at 5:00pm all the way until 3:00am.

Hossein’s Persian Kebab brings the ambiance of the Middle East from the lands of the Levant to the architectures of old. Hossein's restaurant is the gateway of the Philippines to the culinary experience of the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. It acts as a bridge of the old world of West Asia to the Philippines, bringing all these and authentic ingredients to the country.

We were hosted that evening by none other than Chef Hossein himself and his son Arash. When Hossein Sohrabi Langroudi first moved to the Philippines in 1978, he didn't speak any English, let alone Filipino. Determined to pursue his studies, he then hired an English tutor—a student from the University of the Philippines, who would later become his wife, the mother of his four children, and the co-founder of his historic dining institution.

For generations, cooking has been part of Chef Hossein’s family—it’s tradition, handed down from generation to generation, from mother to daughter and in turn daughter to son. Chef Hossein showcases his culture, Persia’s history and his family’s tradition to the dining table, serving delicacies that he has learned since childhood and adding his own modern twist while incorporating cuisine from Arabia, the Mediterranean and India.

The Shisha Bar and the entire ground floor was recently renovated during the pandemic and now it looks much prettier and colorful. I tried smoking the shisha once before, but this time I will be skipping this part and leaving it to the experts. Guests can choose to dine upstairs or here at the Shisha Bar which I recommend.

Arash Sohrabi Langroudi or Ash as he likes to be called, introduced us to Hossein’s Mediterranean specialties that evening. Ash grew up here in the Philippines so he is as Pinoy as we all are. He also told us stories about his father’s adventures in Iran and their many experiences here in the country.

We started with some colorful cocktails from the bar like the Blue Hawaiian. They also have other whiskeys, spirits, and beverages to choose from.

For appetizers, the Chef Mezze (P1050) is the best choice for big groups. This platter consists of their best-selling appetizers - hummus, moutabal, tzatziki, samosas, and tabbouleh salad served with two pita breads.

You can’t go to a Mediterranean restaurant without having a shawarma, so I ordered this huge Beef Shawarma (P335). This serving is actually good enough to share. You can also try their version of Beef Shawarma Salad.

The Beef Dopiaza (P515) is a South Asian dish inspired by the Mughals where meat is carefully cooked in low heat in a rich and thick curry sauce with generous amounts of onions and a melange of Pakistani and Persian herbs and spices. There’s also the Butter Chicken (P550) that has chicken slathered with thick gravy made of butter, fresh cream, and ground spices.

One of the highlights that evening was the Roasted Lamb Ribs (P3700). This is Hossein’s special lamb ribs marinated in a signature blend of Persian, Arabian and Indian spices. It is delicately cooked in charcoal fire and served with a fusion of Persian and Indian gravy.

If you can’t decide which dishes to order, then just for the Supreme Kebab (P3550). This is a Persian platter with a combination of Shishlik Kebab, Lamb Kebab, Shrimp Tandoori, and Saffron Chicken.

You can’t go wrong with this platter because it has all the best barbecues and kebabs in one plate. Everything is so flavorful and you can really taste the different spices. It is also served with saffron and biryani rice for a complete set.

This is what I was waiting for, the Ox Brain (P550)! This Middle Eastern specialty has ox brain sautéed in spices with a dash of lemon. I didn’t really know what to expect at first, but when I took a bite I immediately fell in love with it. The texture is a bit in between tofu and chicken, but it comes with a salty flavor that is good as an appetizer or a main dish. It also came with pita bread which you can eat with the ox brain.

For dessert, we each had their Baclava (P99), a pastry dessert made of layered filo pastry, filled with chopped pistachio nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. We would like to thank Chef Hossein and Ash for welcoming and hosting us at their beautiful restaurant. Hossein’s Persian Kebab has been an institution in Metro Manila for the last four decades and it continues to be a well-loved destination for old and new customers alike. I’m definitely going back for more ox brain.

Hossein's Persian Kebab

2/F LKV Building, 7857 Makati Avenue, Makati City

8890-6137 / 8890-5928

http://hosseins.com

www.facebook.com/hosseinspersiankebab

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