Ashe reshtek @ Baron 84
84 Bold St, Liverpool, L1 4HR
Occasionally you’ll see those rankings of different global cuisines doing the rounds on social media. My instinct is that this is baby-brained stuff — how is it possible to state with any authority or objectivity which kind of food from which country is the ‘best’. It’s a ridiculous idea and I reject it outright.
That said, if there were a ranking of noodle soups from around the world, I think ashe reshtek should take the number one spot. There’s some stiff competition, obviously — miso ramen; beef pho; curry laksa; chicken noodle soup (AKA Jewish penicillin) — but, for me at least, the thick, hearty yet complex Persian speciality comes out on top.
The ashe reshtek served at Baron 84, a fantastic and very glamourous-looking Iranian restaurant on Bold Street, is maybe one of the best I’ve ever eaten.
There’s green freshness from a garden border’s worth of herbs – I think I discerned parsley, coriander and the soft anise flavour of dill in the mix. There’s richness, creaminess and a characteristic tang from the kashk (fermented whey).
There are also wonderfully sweet red kidney beans and nutty chickpeas. And, to top it all off, a trio of topping – crisp shards of fried garlic, jammy caramalised onions with turmeric and a dollop of intensely woody mint oil.
The reshtek themselves (the Persian noodles the dish is named for) have a perfect bite and a distinct savouriness of their own.
The soup is perfectly paired with a hot, crispy flat naan from the restaurant’s mirror tile-covered bread oven (I told you it was a glamourous here).
