Farid Restaurant

Hidden in the back of St. Vincent Court off Seventh Street, Farid Restaurant could be any Persian café in any Middle Eastern city. Farsi-speaking men drink black tea and smoke at outdoor tables, while inside diners feast on grilled meats, saffron rice and salads. Start with an order of the garlicky hummus appetizer, which comes with a stack of perfectly rectangular pieces of flatbread. Then, move on to the popular “chicken boneless” or the shish kabob. A plate of cut lemons is on every table and when one diner asked the purpose, the reply was, “For everything.” Don’t be afraid to season, well, everything, with a liberal dose of lemon juice and a couple shakes of the burgundy-hued sumac powder also on the table.