Shiraz Armenian Cuisine, located on a bustling spot on Park Avenue can be easily walked past if one doesn’t know what to look for. If you blink, you just might miss this hole in the wall with great Armenian food. When I walked in, I didn’t quite know what to expect. It’s atmosphere reminded me of a cafeteria setup with tables and chairs in a long room that extends back to the kitchen. I had the luxury of trying the meat filled grape leaves and the babaganoosh before my meal started. The grape leaves were very mild and served with cool yogurt.The babaganoosh was very similar to traditional hummus but had a very distinct flavor about it. Both appetizers I would order again in a heartbeat. As for my meal, I decided to go with the lamb shish kebab. This dish had marinated chunks of lamb on a skewer, served with rice, sauteed vegetables and a salad. When the salad came out, it looked very ordinary until you took your first bite. The tangy vinegar based dressing was the perfect pairing to the crisp lettuce. The simplicity of this salad cannot be overstated, however, this was one of the better salads I had had out. When my meal came out, my lamb skewer was laying on a heaping mound of rice pilaf with crunchy sauteed veggies on the side. The lamb was paired with green onions and peppers on the skewer which were a nice sweet change of pace from the salty lamb. For personal taste, I would have had my lamb cooked a little less, some parts were chewy for me…but overall, the flavor and seasoning were on point. This is a place that I wouldn’t have necessarily sought out on my own, but after my meal there, you better believe it’s on my radar for future nights out in Worcester. -ED
