Paradise

As the Duke of Paradise I feel it is my duty and indeed my honour to award this exquisite restaurant 5 stars.
Paradise is one of the finest looking restaurant in all of Glasgow. Its actually like a mini museum with hundreds of wonderful and ancient looking Persian artefacts and paintings adoring the walls and bookshelves. I could spend hours looking at all the stuff, but its not the real reason why I come here. Of course, the real reason is for the sumptuous Persian food.
Persian or Iranian food is famous for its kebabs and these guys do some of the meanest kebabs I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. In fact Persia offer a plethora of wonderful kebabs, like minced lamb, lamb fillet, chicken, fish and prawn. The kebabs can come singly or in various combinations and with different marinades and seasoning’s.
If you are struggling on what to order I would totally recommend a mixed kebab which comes in portions for 2 or 4 people. The mixed kebab for 4 also includes succulent grilled lamb chops, about 8 other various kebabs and rice or naan. I’m not even a fan of lamb chops, but in Paradise they taste so good. For a price of £49 this is an outstanding bargain.
For non kebab lover there are also the famous Persian stews. These are often very rich and fragrant made with interesting spices and citrus fruits for example. For vegetarians, these will be you main options.
The starters are equally good. As some of you know I am a bit of an aubergine freak and the Mirza Ghasemi (Grilled aubergine, garlic, egg and tomato sauce) is outstanding and tastes brilliant with their freshly made naan bread. Another firm favourite of mine is the Olivieh Salad, which is deviliciously addictive.
If you are an adventurous type you may well fancy a shot at some of the peculiar deserts. Although most are not really to my likin, take for instance the Falode (Noodles mixed with crushed ice, rose water and sugar, served with a slice of fresh lemon) or Fresh Carrot Juice and Ice Cream. They are pretty interesting but a bit odd for our western palate perhaps. The baklava is always a winner though and the portion size can feed a few.
It’s worthwhile mentioning that Persia doesn’t serve alcohol which obviously keeps the cost of the meal down considerably.
I’ve been visiting this place for years and the quality of food has always been excellent. Therefore, if you fancy a taste of heaven, I would definitely pick Paradise :)

I have driven past this spot hundreds of times and always look on intrigued. With a waterfall in the window it is hard not to be at least interested to find out what is inside.
Well I can tell you it is like hanging out at Aladdin’s pad… it is dripping in eastern treasures and nik-​naks which I absolutely loved. The restaurant is full of character and charm, every time I looked up I spotted something else beautiful or interesting to look at. The tables are fairly packed into the small space but that just added to the cosy feeling I had in the restaurant on the dark autumnal night.
The staff were pleasant and friendly enough. I never really had any interaction with them, so no great thoughts either way.
We were eating with RoccoG who had been there before. In fact Rocco was thrilled that night to be crowned the Duke of Paradise… quite the title and certainly a brilliant chat up line for the Ladiezzz!
To start our meal off we just got a small sharing plate consisting of… icredible lush creamy homous, salty slightly bitter olives, Dolmeh — bite sized stuffed vine leaves packed with lightly spiced rice, I could have eaten a whole heap of these tasty little parcels they were so good. We also ordered a nan, now I am not normally a fan of thin nans instead preferring a heaving doughy mass of bread… this thin nan however was SO good. It was amazingly still slightly doughy in places and was perfect with the fresh homous dipping.
For my main Rocco steered us to the kebabs claiming the were excellent. I trust this opinion so I went for the Paradise Special Kebab which consisted of a skewer of chicken fillet wrapped with lamb fillet marinated in saffron, olive oil with a skewer of minced lamb served with saffron rice and salad.
When the massive plate of food was placed in front of me I was more than a little intimidated, but never one to shy away from a food challenge I immediately set about it.
The whole plate had a beautiful smoked barbecued smell which had my mouth-​watering before I had even taken my first bite. Once I took my first mouthful however I barely spoke again until I was finished… I was totally in a cavewoman style eating frenzy!
The meat was moist, tender and incredibly flavourful. I always tend to shy away from lamb but this dish was amazing, the minced lamb especially was good. The massive serving of rice and salad were lovely and fresh, but given the amount of food on the plate I did mostly focus on eating the meat rather than bulk up on rice.
What a feast!
Unable to finish my main there was no way I was fit to eat any of the tempting desserts so we just got the bill.
The total for 3 people came to a very reasonable £62.10 which I was perfectly happy with. My main was £17 which was fantastic value just for the sheer volume of food… but it was absolutely delicious so I was more than happy with the cost.
This is a fantastic little restaurant and absolutely worth checking out… I know I will definitely visit again soon.

An easy four stars pushing for a five. What a little gem of a place. Less than £20 for two courses and soft drinks for two!
I started with the Persian soup while Mrs F stuffed vine leaves. Both tasted great. We seconded with the jooljeh chicken kebab which I had with naan and she had with chips. Again, very decent indeed. I’ll definitely return and go a la carte.
I think it’s fair to say that the high percentage of Persian clientele is also a resounding recommendation.

I love Persian food and I don’t really know why it took me ages to try out this place! My partner had been bugging me to try it out for a while now and finally, we made our way there after yoga today!
I’m happy we tried it out. The restaurant itself looks amazing, with all the decorations and paintings! It makes the experience of eating there quite nice. The staff were great too! Friendly, attentive and also helped recommend some dishes for us to try.
I had the minced lamb kebab which came with salad, grilled vege and saffron rice, and my partner had the stew with aubergines that came with saffron rice as well (apologies, I can’t remember the long names!). The portions are so generous! I couldn’t finish my dish because it was too big for me, but lucky I could pack it up and probably have it for lunch tomorrow ;)
I also had a pot of persian tea and my partner tried the droogh which is a yoghurt drink which was something I didn’t really like at all. My partner liked it though!
Overall, the food was great, atmosphere was pleasant and staff were amazing. I use to eat a lot of Middle Eastern food back in Malaysia, so this meal made me happy and super full! Will definitely return when I have the chance.
It seems like it’s a popular place for Muslims too so I assume it’s halal, for anyone who’s wondering!

Paradise lives up to its title in many different ways. Personally, I liked the decoration more than the food itself!
With beautiful brick walls; dozens of paintings; vintage hookah pipes; oakwood tables and a waterfall window, this place looks completely enticing.
It was a friends birthday and so we shared tables between 16 of us, it was pretty busy when we arrived but towards the end of our meal every single table was taken. The menu looked incredible and everything was described in great detail which really helped us to decide. Sadly the prices were a little daunting and so we actually ordered from their childs menu because it was all we could really afford.
However, I do not know how much they think children because our plates were massive. We skipped starters again down to our money issues, but a couple of other girls got greek salads which looked (and whilst she went to the bathroom I snatched a cheeky bite) and tasted lovely and fresh. We made sure not to order drinks so that we could get a jug of water, but we could not resist the tea they offered and so bought a pot of Persian brew. I have to say, it was nothing special. Tasted nice but not worth the money.
I wish I could remember the actual name of our main courses but I am not that talented I’m afraid! We ordered minced lamb kebab (kids potion of course) and it came with rice and salad. The kebab itself was delightful. It was light and cooked nicely. Not chewy, not over spiced just cooked well! The rice was lovely, it was a little salty but still really good and sadly I ruined the salad by pouring chilli sauce over it — I discovered that I’m a little bitch who cannot handle the spice -.
The service was relatively okay, we waited a little while for our food and so got a little impatient but that’s because we were pretty hungry! The only downside was the price of the food. My part of the bill wasn’t too bad because i ordered the cheapest thing on the menu, but if I had went for a main meal and a starter, I would have been down about £20.
Probably would not return, but it was a nice experience!

Ich war gestern Abend mit meiner Freundin dort essen. Das Essen hat sehr gut geschmeckt. Auch unser Nachtisch war super. Es ist eine ruhige Lage mit genug Sitzplätzen Und sehr freundliche Bedienung. Immer wieder sehr gerne

Wonderfully exotic foods… Eat a glorious kebab like no other … Soak up the gentle music and the rich surroundings… It feels like we are on holiday…
Make sure you leave room for desert though, as there a beautiful tastes of honey, nuts, or rose water… and noodles.
Perfect for a family get together, a chat with friends… Or maybe a Valentine’s romantic tete a tete???
Enjoy the taste and sound of Persia…

I love trying somewhere a little exotic, and Paradise definitely lives up to its name! This Great Western Road restaurant is very over-​the-​top in its décor, but in a really charming way as opposed to being off-​putting. With brass chandeliers, lots of paintings and some soothing fountains by the window, I promise you’ll feel like you’ve been on holidays after eating here.
We got a table for 4 without any trouble on a Monday night, although it did get busier as the night went on. I’d looked over the menu online and still was none the wiser as to what I’d get. We settled on the mazeh platter (regular) to share — for £18 I expected more to be honest. It consisted of a few dips and some dolmeh so perhaps the small version at £10 would have been a better option.
For mains, I had the zereshk polo ba morgh (£8.90) which is chicken breast with saffron rice, berries and pistachio. For the price you get an absolutely massive portion of chicken and rice which may seem overwhelming initially. The dish was really tasty, with lovely soft, juicy chicken and the rice had a nice bite to it. I though the berries were a nice addition even though I normally don’t like any sweetness to my food. The chicken was in a thin soup-​consistency sauce which wasn’t particularly memorable in flavour but was nice when mixed in with the rice.
We opted for dessert and I felt like I needed something light and refreshing so went for the faloda — this was a rosewater flavoured dish made from thin noodles which sounded really weird but tasted lovely and fresh. It was almost like a sorbet as it was quite cold and icy. I liked it although if you get the idea that it might taste like soap then that could put you off.
I’ve gone for 4 stars rather than 5 as the bill was pretty high — around £25 pp (no alcohol) and the service was on the slow side. Neither of these things would put me off returning and I’d been keen to try one of the kebabs as they looked pretty epic.

The best iranian resturant
The food is amazing. But the pricing can be a littel bit high but its worth the price!

I could’ve wrote this review straight after my first visit as I was instantly smitten with this place. On the strength of the Unilocal reviews I chose to visit Paradise after I was hankering for some quality Persian food. Having only quite recently discovered Persian cuisine (on a visit to Newcastle) I was very keen to try another Persian restaurant, this time in good old Glasgow.
So I booked a meal on a Saturday evening and I was glad I booked as it is not a very large restaurant & on this particular evening it got very busy/​full quickly. ‘Obviously popular’ I thought to myself, noticing people also popping in for take-​away orders. Good sign.
The décor of the place won’t be to everyone’s taste as it is very OTT and almost kitsch; with Persian rugs everywhere, two indoor ponds (complete with fish!) & waterfall feature. S’nice indeed.
Upon perusing the menu panic did set in as I noticed a distinct lack of non-​lamb dishes (I didn’t eat lamb/hadn’t eaten lamb for many years at this point), myself & my boyfriend looked at each other in slight panic & gulped… him not being as strict on the ‘No lamb’ thang decided to order the Special Chicken (off the bone) which comprised of a skewer of marinated chicken & a skewer of minced lamb. I went for the Jojeh Kebab (off the bone), again a skewer of just marinated chicken. Both came with a choice of rice or chips. I also ordered a side of Bamieh dip which is okra in a tomato sauce with green peppers. For starters we ordered Dolmeh (which I love), Homous & some Nan bread.
They don’t serve alcohol here which I wasn’t aware of but it wasn’t a problem at all as my boyfriend doesn’t drink & I can go one meal without alcohol! If you so wish to have alcohol they do allow you to bring-​your-​own and just charge you a corkage fee. With The Cave being so close it’s very handy to pop in before your meal to pick up some beer or wine (as I did on my second visit). Sorted.
Starters came & everything was really good ~ the Homous was some of the nicest I’ve ever had & my boyfriend agreed (not being a big Homous fan normally). The Dolmeh were just divine & the Nan bread was pretty huge so we managed to save some to have with our main courses.
When they brought us our main courses our faces must’ve been so funny ~ the plate of food was HUGE! They almost separate the plates into 3 ~ one side being your rice (served with butter Persian stylee, if you so wish) or chips, next your kebabs, then a huge amount of fresh salad, a big grilled tomato & lovely grilled green pepper too. Wow. I was salivating just looking at it! Now I think, nae, I KNOW my boyfriend was a bit worried about eating here & liking the food but if you could’ve seen his wee surprised & happy face!!! I was so relieved. But, hey, we hadn’t tried the food yet, so stuck in we got… the meat was so delicious and tender & marinated beautifully. Yum. So so good. The rice was lovely too and the salad/​grilled tomato & pepper were also very tasty. They give you chilli sauce & salad dressing with your meal also which is good if you’re a saucy person (oo-​err!) but I was very happy with our Bamieh dip ~ so delicious.
Now, I said I didn’t eat lamb right? Well, my boyfriend was that pleased with his lamb that he urged to try some… it did smell lovely… so I took a deep breath and tasted it (for the first time in nearly 18 years!)…and I have to say it was REALLY good! Ooft. So good that I asked if I could have some more later! Naughty me. So aye, Paradise made me want to eat lamb again! Haha! Ever since this first visit I have always had the Special Chicken (With the lamb, off the bone) again and again.
I think it really says something about a restaurant if you can’t wait to return. We actually booked to go again after this first visit only two weeks later! Ever since then we have been going fairly regularly and every time I am delighted & never disappointed with my food. I have also recommended the place to friends and since they have also visited & are now fans too. So if you’re looking for some Persian action then I can thoroughly recommend Paradise. 100% yum.

I’m adding the elusive fifth star because this place has stayed consistently awesome over several visits now. My husband and I just popped in for tea the other night and, as ALWAYS, I was delighted by the subtle flavor combinations that are so uniquely Persian and so completely satisfying. Keep up the good work, Paradise! And for those of you wanting to break the kebab rut, I can’t recommend the ghormeh sabzi enough…

Warm and welcoming. The décor is rich and opulent. Seated on heavy chairs at a substantial wooden table we were surrounded by antiques while we listened to music and the sound of trickling water-​by design– from the various water features. The food: the Portonian and I shared homous and nan. He then had Baghali Polow while I had Chelo Ghormeh Sabzi. We both had the doogh to drink. This was followed by carrot juice and ice cream for me and Bastani for the Portonian. The hot towels were very refreshing. Overall impression: worth a return visit

I am from California and have been living in Glasgow for a little over 2 years now. I love going out to eat but it always seems to be hit and miss here and I believe my standards are probably quite high as I really appreciate freshness in the preparation of food.
This place is amazing. The interior design is very lively. We got to sit next to the pond with fish and waterfalls, very fun! I ordered the chicken kebab and the others lamb. EVERYONE LOVED their meals. I would say one of the best places I have eaten in Glasgow and we also ordered the hummus and dolmes (starters) with naan, AMAZING. The food was delicate and not overpowering you could taste all the spices and I could’ve eaten a tub of the hummus.
Definitely recommend this place it is charming and the food is very good quality.

EXCELLENT!
Now this is middle eastern food at its best in Glasgow.
The selection of starters are amazing and are in danger of filling you up before your main course arrives — but believe me I left nothing of my Kebab. Finished wth a lovely pot of tea and some sweet Iranian delicacies — try it — you’ll be surprised!

I give two stars because my friends were quite happy with their food. As to my own meal (vegetarian): my second worst restaurant experience in Glasgow so far.
Chose something with aubergine and chickpeas that usually comes with lamb, but they do a vegetarian version meaning they just leave the lamb away.
Comes with a handful of chips on top — did not seem very persian to me. Chips tasted like from a freezer bag and were barely warm when they arrived at our table.
«Pretty tasteless stuff» I thought until I ate something that looked like a big mushroom at first and then turned out to be a squashy veeeery bitter fruit — and could not get rid of that awful taste for the rest of the meal.
As to my friend’s question what that fruit in my meal was the waiter answered «A dried lemon — I personally don’t like it»
Now back home with a rumbling stomach and glad I stopped eating halfway through the meal.
Edit some hour later:
taken one star away — I’m soooo annoyed now — ’cause feeling sick — my stomach decided that was not edible…

I tried this place a while back and was really impressed with the interior décor that is full of curiosities and their special Sunday dish that came with a mortar and pestle! The food was authentic & tasty making this one of the better Persian restaurants in an area that’s full of them.
Update May 2011: Still serves some tasty stews and a good range of grilled kebabs. Together with Persia this is one of the few remaining survivors of this areas’ great Iranian restaurant explosion a couple of years ago.

I have Persian food regularly when in the Middle East or when in LA. The biggest population of Persians outside of Iran is in LA strangely enough.
Anyway have been here many times now and the food is great everytime, its priced reasonably for what you get. The main course is more than enough and i am a big eater, you could get some starters to share.
Definitely recommended.

I admit I had no idea what exactly Persian food would consist of before going into this restaurant, I just really liked the look of the place and thought I’d give it a try! I am from the «will try anything once» school of dining and it has served me well so far!
It turns out Persian food tends to be kebab or stew based and is lighter and fresher than Indian or Chinese. There is lots of lemon, lime, saffron, peppers and peas. The food all looks very fresh and colourful and good for you! I couldn’t possibly spell the Persian name of what I had but it was lamb with aubergines, yellow peas and tomatoes and it was pretty tasty.
The interior is delightfully over the top with Persian authenticity and feels a little bit like a a Disney style Persian themed restaurant from one of Disney’s amusement parks! They have crammed so much Persianess into this little restaurant but hey, it did it for me!
It is difficult to say how Paradise squares up to other Persian restaurants since I have never been to any others but I would definitely come back to Paradise again.

I am a Persian food first timer, so Paradise was a gamble as a random choice with a group of indecisive companions. From the outside, the waterfall effect windows mask anything that may be within, we went for a look.
Wow, what an experience! Authentic? Yes! Fun? Yes! Interesting? Yes! what more could you want? Seriously, if you are looking for something different from the standard restaurant, Paradise may just meet your hearts every desire. The interior is packed full of authenic rugs, crockery, and serene persian music. The guests appered to be a mix of Persian and people that have wandered in to see what it is like. They all shared one thing in common, a darn good smile on their face.
After spending around 3 minutes in this restaurant, I could have been on holiday in some far off exotic place. The staff were great and who I can only assume was the manager/​owner was an extremely kind elderly gentleman who really put across the impression that he cared and was proud of what he did.
The pricing was no more expensive or cheap than any other restaurant but you get so much more bang for your buck. Sample some of the delicacies of this country which arrive on your table in silver bowls, and goblets. The food was good/​ok, but everything else on offer makes that plenty ok with me.
Note: Sitting beside the waterfall may be unwise if you do not wnat to visit the toilet more often than you would like.

I have something of a sweet tooth for Persian food: the taste is a little more subtle than curry, and often features lime or sweet fruits. When I found out that this formidable looking restaurant did take away, I was in heaven. I promptly ordered a Tiger Prawn i special sauce, and saffron rice. I was not disappointed.
The décor inside, as I saw during my brief visit, is as impressive as the exterior, and the staff was quick to attend to me. Certainly a step up from the mundane, and not that much more expensive. And worth every penny.

Seemingly popular as every table was filled for the time we spent here. Not a massive amount of dishes on offer though and these were actually reduced to about half their number as the place had run out of chicken.
Rather annoying water feature in the front window, service (especially when waiting to pay) was a tad slow although friendly.
Decently priced I suppose and it is also a BYOB although we failed to notice that early enough so I’ve no idea of the corkage charged.
Despite the interesting way of cooking tomatoes (carbonised on the outside) this is not a restaurant I’ll rush back to.