Shiraz

Where can you find vegan Perisan, Indian and Pakistani eats all under one roof, plus a healthy does of top-notch mixology? At Shiraz, a vegan-friendly restaurant in Las Vegas.

Opened in early summer, Shiraz replaces the former Habib’s Persian Restaurant with a new dining experience.

Owner Raja Majid wanted to pay homage to the restaurant’s predecessor and continue to cater to the loyal guests of Habib’s. But, he also wanted to bring his own background to the new spot. With Executive Chef Jainine Jaffer and Bar Manager Jozef Letasi, Majid’s done just that: he’s created a restaurant serving traditional dishes from the Middle East and India that seemingly could be passed down from generations ago, and creative cocktails to sweeten the deal.

The restaurant features two complete menus — Persian and Pakistani/Indian.

Start with some appetizers like the smokey baba ganoush (be sure to let your server know you’re vegan since pita is the only vegan option for bread). If you’re not a fan of eggplant, stick with the tried-and-true hummus to get your meal going.

The zeytoon parvardeh (marinated olives in a pomegranate walnut paste) is another great snack to nibble on while you sip your cocktail.

Our pick for the “we will be back for this” dish on the Persian menu is the ash soup, which is basically a hug in a bowl. Ash is a one pot meal that is heavy on the herbs and served with noodles and beans. The soup is eaten around the Persian new year for good luck, but we are happy to eat it anytime! (Be aware that traditional ash can be served with a yogurt-type topping. To be sure, please ask for no kashk.)

Now, onto the Pakistani/Indian menu.

If you are looking for Indian street food, order the aloo tikki with cholay from the appetizer section. A grilled potato patty sits on chickpea curry, with minced onion, tomato, mint and tamarind chutneys. Vegetable samosas and pakoras are also vegan-friendly appetizer options.

For the main course, you can’t go wrong with tadka dal, yellow lentils simmered with onion, tomato, and cumin seeds or the chana masala,  traditional chickpeas with a tomato base and a blend of spices.

If you like dry curried dishes, try the sautéed okra dish, bhindi masala or the aloo gobi, a spiced cauliflower and potato dish. These dishes all have a touch of spice to them as is. If you would like something spicier, make sure you specify when ordering.

Even better, some of the veggie Indian/Pakistani dishes can be made vegan with requesting coconut milk, just ask.

As of now, no fully vegan desserts are on the menu. But, there are always cocktails to sip to round our your vegan meal.